A study on the Amplification and Omission in E-C Translation

【Abstract】Due to the difference of expressions and language structures between English and Chinese， when we translate English into Chinese， we should add some necessary words or delete some unnecessary words on the basis of the original meaning according to the need of the grammar. The object is to make the translation fluent， smooth， natural and be in line with the Chinese expressions. Therefore， the quality of the translation can be improved by using the strategies of amplification and omission while keeping faithful to the original texts. In order to acquire the professionalism and accuracy of the translation， the thesis elaborates these two strategies of the translation through analyzing a large number of E-C translation assignments.

【Key words】amplification; omission; E-C translation

【作者簡介】趙金華（1986-），女，云南大學滇池學院，研究方向：大學英語教學。

1. Introduction

As a matter of principle， a translator is not supposed to add or subtract any meaning from the original work. However， this does not mean that a translator should refrain from adding or omitting any words at all in translation. In fact， nothing shows greater difference in syntax between English and Chinese than the amplification and omission of words in the sentence.

Just as Tytler once said， “If it is necessary that a translator should give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work， it becomes a question， whether it is allowable in any case to add to the ideas of the original what may appear to give greater force or illustration; or to take from them what may seem to weaken them from redundancy. To give a general answer to this question， I would say， that this liberty may be used， but with the greatest caution. It must be further observed， that the superadded idea shall have the most necessary connection with the original thought， and actually increase its force. And， on the other hand， that whenever an idea is cut off by the translator， it must be only such as is an accessory， and not a principal in the clause or sentence. It must likewise be confessedly redundant， so that its retrenchment shall not impair or weaken the original thought.” （Tytler， 1791： 22）

2. Amplification in E-C Translation

By amplification we mean supplying necessary words in the translation to make the version correct and clear， to make it appear more like the language translated into. Thus， words supplied must be indispensable syntactically， semantically or rhetorically.

2.1 Syntactic Necessity

Due to the structure disparities between English and Chinese， amplification is necessary for the sake of syntax.

2.1.1 Measure Words

Measure words are rarely used in English， esp. before the countable nouns. Thus， when an English text is translated into Chinese， some measure words must be added.

Example 1： Balancing Act uses ten social， environmental and financial indicators.

Translation：“平衡行為”使用了10項社會、環境及財務指標。

Example 2： Every president since Clinton has been trying to persuade China to float its currency.

Translation： 自克林頓以來的每屆總統都一真在努力說服中國浮動其貨幣匯率。

Analysis： The words “項” and “屆” underlined are added according to the nouns they modify.

2.1.2 Tense Markers

In English， tense is marked through conjugating the verbs， while in Chinese， tense is marked by some words like“了”，“會”，“曾經”， etc. Thus， adding some tense markers in E-C translation is necessary.

Example 1： Today the $3.5 billion energy-beverage market is 6 percent of the nonalcoholic beverage industry， which includes soft drinks. Thats up 75 percent since last year and is expected to top $10 billion by 2010—thanks to peppy consumer demand and profit margins that are three times that of soda.

Translation： 現在，價值35億美元的能量飲料市場占到了非酒精飲料（含軟性飲料）行業的6%。由于強勁的消費者需求以及三倍于碳酸飲料（汽水）的利潤率，其市場份額自去年以來上升了75%，預計到2010年其市場價值將超過100億美元。

Example 2： The bottom line is clear enough： once， not so long ago， we were working in another universe.

Translation： 事情的本質是非常清楚的：不久以前，我們曾經為攻克疾病而奮斗在另一個世界里。

Analysis： The tense markers “了” and “曾經” underlined are added to demonstrate the past tense in English.

2.1.3 Plural Meaning

In English， plural meaning is conveyed through the conjugation of nouns， while in Chinese， it is conveyed by some words like“許多”，“大批”，“們”， etc. Sometimes， it is even conveyed through adding some adverbs.

Example 1： Patients newly diagnosed throng into our clinics， many of them very young， and utterly underwhelmed by their infection.

Translation： 大批新診斷出來的患者擁進我們的診所，其中很多人還很年輕，但他們對自己被感染一事漠然置之。

Example 2： But candidates always talk tough. Presidents opt for a gentle， nudging approach.

Translation： 然而，候選人們嘴上總是很強硬，總統們態度總是很委婉柔弱。

Example 3： With dictators ousted， many researchers remain optimistic that the Arab Springs new freedoms will lead to progress in science， education and democracy.

Translation： 隨著獨裁者被陸續趕下臺，很多研究人員都樂觀認為，阿拉伯之春所帶來的新自由會促進科學、教育和民主的進步。

Analysis： In example 1 and 2， the words underlined“大批”and“們”are added to convey the plural meaning. In example 3， the adverb“陸續”is added to convey the plural meaning.

2.1.4 Conjunctions

In English， the logic between sentences is not necessarily conveyed by way of conjunctions. Sometimes， non-finite verb phrases or adjectives can be used to link the sentences. Therefore， when translating such sentences into Chinese， the translator should bear in mind that some Chinese conjunctions should be added to define the logic.

Example 1： Sites devoted to big-ticket purchases—particularly cars， real estate and travel—are feverishly refining features and marketing strategies in an effort to attract the growing number of consumers searching the Web for buying advice.

Translation： 由于越來越多的消費者在網絡上尋求購物咨詢，為吸引這些消費者，各種大額購買專門網站，特別是汽車，房地產和旅游網站都在玩命似地改進其特色及市場策略。

Example 2： And November saw the dramatic arrest and brief jailing of Judy Mikovits， prominent for her work （now partially retracted） linking chronic fatigue syndrome to a virus.

Translation： 十一月，朱迪·米柯維茨被戲劇性地逮捕并被短暫監禁，她之所以聲名遠揚是因為其將慢性疲勞綜合癥與某種病毒聯系在一起的研究工作（現在已被部分撤銷）。

Analysis： In example 1， “to+ verb base” infinitive phrase is applied to express a kind of purpose or reason. Thus， the cause-and-effect conjunction “由于” is added in the Chinese version. In example 2， the adjective phrase “prominent for” is applied to express a reason. Thus， the cause-and-effect conjunction phrase“之所以……是因為……” is added in the Chinese version.

2.1.5 Verbs

Noun and noun phrases are more frequently used in English than in Chinese. Some noun or noun phrases convey an action. Thus， when translating such noun and noun phrases into Chinese， the translator should add some verbs.

Example 1： There， almost 200 feet below what was once a forest， giant machines cleave the earth into a cratered moonscape.

Translation： 那里曾經覆蓋著森林，但現在，幾乎兩百英尺以下的地方都被大型機器挖得坑坑洼洼，看起來就像月球表面一樣。

Example 2： From her home on the bluff of the river， she can see billowing steam rising from a vast strip mine 10 miles away.

Translation： 從她位于河岸懸崖上的家望去，可以看到滾滾濃霧從十英里之外一個巨大的露天礦井上升起。

Analysis： In example 1 and 2， the verbs “覆蓋著” and “望去” are added to convey the action of the doers.

2.2 Semantic Necessity

Sometimes， the translator has to add some category words like “情況”，“原因”，“現象”， etc. to define the nouns and to complete the semantic meaning.

Example 1： “Google and Yahoo are getting better at these markets， so theyre a competitor too， but theres a level of depth to these categories that lends itself to even more of a vertical approach，” Mr. Brisco said， using industry vernacular for content devoted to a particular category.