Ａ Ｂｒｉｅｆ Ａｎａｌｙｓｉｓ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ３－Ｓｔｅｐ Ｔｒａｎｓｌａｔｉｏｎ Ｐｒｏｃｅｓｓ

Abstract: With the development of science and technology， the culture of translation still is multiplied continuously. However， how can you translate a good target text quickly and accurately? We should master translation skills and seep basic steps in translating. As the matter of fact， translation is expressed language actives through using a language to another language exchanged with the accuracy and integrity of thinking. Some call it an art， and yet some others take it as a career， but no matter what the purpose is， the process of translation has its certain steps. A translator will have to understand the source text first， and then conduct her/his translation and then， proofread the source text. In addition， translation standard， which is Faithfulness， Expressiveness， Elegance， play an important role in the translation process. A brief analysis of the problems mentioned above is made.

Key words: Translation， process， analysis， step， language， expression and word.

【中圖分類號】H159 【文獻標識碼】A【文章編號】1002-2139（2009）04-0067-03

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In writing this paper， I have benefited from the support of my teachers， my classmates and my friends. They generously helped me collect materials I needed and many invaluable suggestions. I hereby extend my grateful thanks to them for their kind help， without which this paper would not have been possible.

Particularly， I would like to express my gratitude to Miss Zhao Hong， my supervisor， who guided me throughout my writing of this thesis. Her encouraging support and patience， her careful reading of the whole draft and detailed comments has really impressed me， and I hope this paper will not let her down as I personally did.

Introduction

In Tang dynasty， there is a debate between expressiveness and faithfulness. The expressiveness emphasizes rhetorical devices and smoothness in the translation process， the faithfulness emphasizes is corresponding to source text. So far， the culture of translation still is multiplied; we go on analyzing and recognizing on translation.

The basic translation theory， the differences between English and Chinese language and the common translation skills should be mastered. The paragraphs or discourses of the source language with medium difficulty can be translated into the target language faithfully and smoothly within the time limit of 250-300 words per hour.

With the development of science and technology， the culture of translation still is multiplied continuously. At the same time， there are different ways in translating skills. Some people will rely on tools from internet. As a result， the target text is made up of words， which is not named text. So far， translation is important for our communication. People speaking different languages will be enabled to communicate friendly through the help of translation. So we should master translation skills and seep basic steps in translating. This paper will hereby provide a brief analysis to the 3-step translation process.

1. Basic Principles of Translation

Yan Fu set an example for translator. He is not only a translator， but also a translation theorist. Yan Fu involved “Faithfulness， Expressiveness， Elegance”， which made great contributions to exploration of Chinese translation theory.

We should be faithful to source text. Don’t change， distort， increase and decrease source text. Faithful is the most basically standard in translating work. At the same time， translators must persist in faithful during their translating work.

For example， Let “Milky Way” means“牛奶路”. This translation isn’t expressed meaning of source text. A better translation should be “銀河”。

Let “Wet paint!” and “Wet floor!” mean “濕的油漆！”and“濕的地板!”. This expression is stiff. It is stiff translation standing on source text. The two sentences are warming languages that warm Pedestrian to walk carefully. They should be “油漆未干！”and“小心地滑！”.

Smoothness is also basic principle of translation. Actually smoothness is fit of source text， and target text should be accessible by writers. At the same time， target text is fit of Chinese impressments.

For example， He wanted to learn， to know， to teach.

原譯：他博學廣闊，喜歡追根窮源，并且好人師表。

改譯：他很想學習，以增長知識，教授他人。

This is over-translation in the sentence， we seen to read the sentence smoothly and easy， and have expressed the source of mean. But sentence was added to unnecessary mean.

In my opinion， principles and requirements of translation are important for translators， which are precondition for their work. During the translation process， we should know basic principles and requirements of translation.

2. Comprehension of Source Text

Comprehension of source text is the first step in translation， and is important step. During the stage， translators must analyze and understand source text of word meaning， grammatical structure， logic about the text and writing style.

As the matter of fact， they will be ready for different themes about source text. For example， Medical translation is rigorous very much， the source text should be translated by translators of learning medical， and the translator must have medical glossary. In all， different theme is corresponding to different professional background knowledge. So comprehension of source text is necessary in translating process for translators.

2.1 About Polysemous Words

There are many polysemous words in English. Particularly， we can often meet and use words. We’d better study the polysemous words， which will be used different language in translating.

For example， Head: He was badly wounded in the head.

He has a good head for mathematics.

The dinner cost us five dollars a head.

Take: This knowledge will help man destroy diseases that today take many lives.

The box does not take much room.

It is its coating that takes the wear.

“Head” is translated in different meaning in the sentence. “Take” is translated in different meaning in the sentence， too. Different sentence use words selectivity. When polysemous words are used in the sentence， we have to pay attention to polysemous words. Translators should have a clear goal in using the polysemous words in translation.

2.1.1. Word Classification and Word Meaning

There are different words classifications in Chinese， and many words classifications will be concerned by translators. In fact， words classification is important for translating， because word meaning is decided by word classification.

For example， Like: They really like playing football.

Every book stands by itself， like a one-family house， but books in a library are like houses in a city.

Hand: The hour’ hand of a clock goes right round in twelve hours.

When he found a wallet on his way home， he handed to the police station immediately.

Therefore， word classification is common. “Like” is verb and prep in the different sentences. “Hand” is expressed different word classification in the different sentences. Usually when translator thinks of any words， maybe they use the word. The problem will make mistake in translation. So when we translated text， we must use those words accurately.

2.1.2．Style and Word Meaning

The same word will be expressed in different styles and specialty differently. Style of science and technology is different from literature style， which is expressed in ordinary vocabulary.

For example， But expensive things are not inevitably the province of the rich unless we abdicate society’s power of choice.

譯文：但昂貴的東西并非富人所獨有，除非我們放棄社會賦予的選擇權。

Assume that the input voltage from the power supply remains constant.

譯文：假定由電源輸入的電壓保持不變。

The first sentence is literature style. The second sentence is physics scientific style. However， the power is expressed with different meanings in the two sentences. One is “authority”， the other is “electric power”. So translators must pay attention to styles in translating process.

2.2 About Grammatical Analysis in Translating

The grammar is important in translating. If we understand sentence， we must know its grammar structure. And we should find the key part of sentence， then， we are ready for translation.

For example， the woman who said she saw the murder wears glasses.

原譯：那個女人說話她戴著眼睛看見謀殺。

改譯：那個說看到謀殺的婦女戴眼鏡。

This original translation isn’t accurate; the problem is misunderstood on grammar. After analysis， we can know the main cause of sentence， which is “The woman…wears glasses”. Subject is modified by attributive clause， which is “who... the murder”. The sentence of “said” is guiding the object clause.

The translator should understand perfectly the content and intention of the author whom he is translating. The principal way to reach it is reading all the sentences or the text completely so that you can give the idea that you want to say in the target language because the most important characteristic of this technique is translating the message as clearly and natural as possible. So Grammatical Analysis is catalysts in translating.

2.3 During the Translating， Logical Analysis is Importance.

As the saying goes， translation is logical activities. Translation is product from logical activities. If we can’t understand some sentences in grammatical sentence， at least we could know the sentence in logical analysis. As a result， we can improve translating.

For example， we can find the expression for the mechanical advantage from the equation in the same manner as in the previous cases.

譯文：采用與前例相同的方法，我們就能由該方程求得機械效益的公式。

The sentence of prepositions “for， from and in” isn’t useful from grammar to analysis. If we analysis from logical， we can find three prepositions that are adverbials. And they modified predicate verbs. If we analysis from this aspect， the sentence will be translated more accurately.

2.4 Writing Style

Writing style belongs to language characters in the whole translation， writing styles is expressed on different language characters. Even writers may have different writing styles. When we translate source text， we must understand writing style about source text. At the same time， we’d better analysis writing style in order to react style into the source text.

Every writer has her/his unique writing styles. Luxun writes with his sarcastic pen， while Lao She expresses his gentle humor; He Mingwei narrates wild and masculine stories and Togore recites his elegantly.

3. Expression of Target Text

Expression of target text is important in translating that we use another language to express， and pass our thinking in another language.

As a translator， she/he should base on a solid foundation on understanding of how languages work， translation theory recognizes that different languages encode meaning in differing forms， yet guides translators to find appropriate ways of preserving meaning， while using the most appropriate forms of each language. Translation theory includes principles for translating figurative language， dealing with lexical mismatches， rhetorical questions， inclusion of cohesion markers， and many other topics crucial to good translation.

3.1. About Standard Language in Expression of Target Text.

Translators must express target text with its standard language， writing styles and thinking of source text.

For example， I do not like to be interrupted when I am about an important piece of work.

譯為：我不希望被別人打擾，當我正在做一件重要工作時。

改譯：我在做一件重要工作時，不希望別人打擾。

Source text is Basic English; main clause is in the front of sentence. There is passive voice in the sentence. However， we like using active voice in Chinese; we usually follow the standard of main clause lies tail part.

When we translate address， we usually translate larger place. Some time and place usually are at the front of sentence.

There is difference in standard language between Chinese and English. The translator should have a perfect knowledge of the language from which he is translating and an equally excellent knowledge of the language into which he is translating. At this point the translator must have a wide knowledge in both languages for getting the equivalence in the target language， because the deficiency of the knowledge of both languages will result in a translation without logic and sense.

3.2 Clear Logic Concepts

Logic is necessary for translators in expression of target text. Between Chinese and English， there is a great gap which is expressed in thinking and sequence. So we have to learn logic impressions. Translators try their best to keep target text matching source text in order that target text is with clear logic concepts.

For example， Scientists defined the temperature requirements necessary for survival the black carp.譯為：科學家們規定了青魚生存的必須溫度。

改譯：科學家們查明了青魚生存的必須溫度。

The original translation of “regulate doesn’t fit in logical. The problem is that translators make mistake in understanding of “define”. The “define” means “understand， find out”. So we must correct original translation in order to accord with Chinese logic concepts.

3.3 Correct Use of Punctuations

Punctuations play an important part in translation. Translators should not ignore punctuations when they translate text. However， punctuations are different between Chinese and English.

We should change English of circular point（.）into Chinese of circle（。）on full stop in the sentence. When we make some examples， we should change English comma（，）into Chinese of “Dunhao” （、）. The ellipsis of Chinese （······）should be changed three points of English（…）.

4. Proofreading of Target Text

Proofreading is the most important step in the whole translating process. At the same time， it also would consolidate quality of target text. This process plays an important part in a translating process. After translating target text， translators have to proofreading for target texts in order to make the target text accurately.

First， we should look up un-translated sentences for target text. Translators do plenty of translation jobs everyday， they may leak some sentences. So we have to correct with the mistakes.

Second， it is important that target text is corresponding to source text. We should check up the whole text， and correct the context meaning.

Third， there are plenty of problems such as over-translation and mistranslation which are important for proofreading.

Fourth， names， geographical names， date， position and digital must be checked up， which is the most important in translation technology. Such as， digital isn’t sensitively for Chinese. 1，000，000，000譯成：1 billion; 1，000，000 譯成：1million.We have to calculate the digital. Yen， Yuan and Dollar are useful in translating; we can’t translate them with Chinese makings.

Fifth， when we finish proofreading target text， source text is corresponding to target text. This is necessity matter. The context should keep consistency style.

So proofreading of target text is the most important step in the whole translating process. We must check up target text carefully， we should proofread paragraph sentence and words whether those aren’t translated. Is target text corresponding to source text? In all， every detail is paid a great attention to main points.

5. Conclusion

It may be true that professional translators are not always necessary， however if the translation is to be accurate and professionally prepared and presented then an experienced translator is crucial. Bad translations lead to many problems including people misunderstanding texts which ultimately reflect poorly on a company or organization. If you want your car fixed you take it to a mechanic， not a car salesman. He may know a bit about cars but not enough to address your problems properly.

We have realized the translation process; our culture of translation may be developed. As the matter of fact， Translation is expressed language activities which use a language expressed another language by the accuracy and integrity of thinking. However， we must pay great attention to the translating process .The more we concern the translating process， the better we can translate target text. However， the 3-Step Translation Process still is around by translation.

As a saying goes， there is process for all things. If you grasp the one， you can get to destination quickly and easily. We understand the translation process， we translate context easier and more quickly.

Works cited：

[1]郭富強《英漢翻譯理論與實踐》 機械工業出版社 2004年1月

[2]呂瑞昌《漢英翻譯理論與實踐》 陜西人民出版社 1983年

[3]郭尚興《翻譯理論與實踐》 天津人民出版社 2003年