交際翻譯法和語義翻譯法在口譯實踐中的應用

摘 要 紐馬克的交際翻譯法和語義翻譯法是對賴達功能翻譯論理的重要補充。本文重點討論這一翻譯策略在口譯中的應用。

關鍵詞 交際翻譯法 語義翻譯法 口譯

中圖分類號：H315.9 文獻標識碼：A

1 introduction

In order to evaluate the Dynamic Equivalence properly and reduce the distance between literal and free translation， Newmark proposed two kinds of translation mode： communicative translation and semantic translation.

According to the communicative translation theory， translation is a course of communication. Translator should transfer the culture of source culture into that of target language as much as possible. When translator transplanted a text from one culture to another， he/she should make great effort to let the reader of target language understand the thought of the writer in source language， and so get the same idea as the readers in source language do.

On the contrary， in semantic translation， translator tries his/her best to provide a faithful and exact translated version under the allowance of semantic and syntax structure in the target language.

The difference between communicative translation and semantic translation lies in the following：

Communicative translation is briefer， clearer， direct and more traditional. It adheres to a certain kind of language mode and tends to translate invisibly， sometimes express a complex paragraph with simple phrases.

Semantic translation requires more delicate and complicated work， seeking for the process of thought and pays no much attention to transmitter’s intention. So semantic translation belongs to refined translation， of which the target text would be more in detail and have more semantic connotation. The most essential difference between communicative and semantic translation is that they have absolutely different emphasis.

e.g.

蘆笛巖

→語義翻譯：Reed Flute Cave

→交際翻譯：Ludi Cave

I am no Hamlet.

→語義翻譯：我不是哈姆雷特。

→交際翻譯：我不會猶豫。

2 Communicative Translation and Semantic Translation in Interpretation

In interpretation， listening contains receiving all the phonetic messages at a specific time and space， and separating them based on the semantic segments. When interpreted out， these segments are rejoined according to the grammar and custom expressions of the target language. Because in interpretation， phonetic messages are continuously putting in， the pressure of interpreter’s memory can be lightened if semantic translation is being taken out.

e.g.

It marks first of all/ the restoration of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China/ under the terms of Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984/ after more than one hundred and fifty years of British administration.

→它（指英中政權交接儀式）首先標志著/香港在英國管治150多年后/，根據1984年中英聯合聲明的條款/而重新回歸中華人民共和國。

But most of all/， I should like to pay tribute to people of Hong Kong themselves/ for all they have achieved in the last century and a half.

→最重要的是/，我要頌揚香港人民/，頌揚他們在過去的1個半世紀所取得的一切（成就）。

However， in the course of translation， the meaning of some words should be decided according to the context. Word-by-word translation is apparently not applicable. Different words may be united together with a certain custom or culture inheritance， then comes fixed expressions. （下轉第171頁）（上接第147頁）

e.g.

We hit it off right away.

我們很快就相處得很好。

We are glad to see the back of him.

我們巴不得他趕快離開。

The above examples are almost fixed expressions， of which semantic translation can work well. This requires interpreter learn move about fixed expressions and understand their meaning in a particular context.

Professional knowledge of some certain field is a necessity for interpreters. Any subject has its own independent theory system， professional knowledge and terms. If the interpreter has no idea of this， the interpretation will become a impossible mission.

e.g.

一條龍服務→door-to-door service

我們無法接受由我方承擔貨物破損責任的事實。

→We find no way of accepting the fact that we are at fault for the damage to the shipment.

A qualified interpreter should have encyclopedic knowledge， professional knowledge and culture awareness. If he/she doesn’t possess wide range of knowledge， there will be much obstacles waiting on the way of interpretation. Such knowledge can be about society， trend of times， religious， trade and business， science and technology， medicine， education， custom， etc. Interpreter always communicates dynamically and in free state， touching many aspects of life. Without wide range of knowledge， it will be risky to fulfill the task of interpreter.

3 Conclusion

Communicative translation resembles Nida’s dynamic equivalence in terms of its effect created on the target readers， and semantic translation has similarities to Nida’s formal equivalence. Communicative translation attempts to produce on its readers an effect as close as possible to that obtained by the readers of the source language， and Semantic translation attempts to render， as closely as the semantic and syntactic structures of the target language（Newmark：39）. Communicative translation and semantic translation can provide handy and practical theoretical guidance for interpreters to achieve higher quality in their work and therefore， worth due attention and careful study.

Reference

[1] Newmark， Peter， Approaches to Translation [M]. Oxford： Pergamon Press； Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press， 2001.

[2] Henry Schroeder. Consciousness in Translation. Retrieved on 28-04-2010， from http：//www.proz.com/translation-articles/articles/1378/1/Consciousness-in-Translation---Part-Three.

[3] 陳宏薇.ESSENTIAL TRANSLATION FROM CHINSES INTO ENGLISH.上海外語教育出版，1998.

[4] 劉季春.TRANSLATION A PRACTICAL COURSE.中山大學出版社，1996.

[5] 譚維.商務英語翻譯中的不對等性. Retrieved on 18-04-2010， from http：//www.studa.net/Translates/030504/200354002.html.

[6] 仲偉合.A Coursebook of Interpreting Between English and Chinese.高等教育出版社，2006.