从功能主义翻译理论的角度探讨编译在软新闻汉译英中的作用

VIP免费

3.0 陈辉 2024-11-19 4 4 706.94KB 71 页 15积分

侵权投诉

ABSTRACT

In modern society, the development of intercultural communication gives rise to a

growing need for soft news and its translation. Trans-editing, which contains both

editing process and translating process, has been frequently applied to the

Chinese-English (C-E) translation of soft news. As a special translational activity,

trans-editing in the C-E translation of soft news has been researched and significant

insights have been gained through different approaches. However, previous studies have

failed to discuss this translational activity in a systematic and integrated way: they are

mainly confined to researches on lexical and syntactic level and certain unsystematic

translation skills. Studies on text level and the integration of the editing process and

translating process leave much to be desired.

The text-type analysis of soft news and the retrospection of the functionalist

theory make the author recognize that how specific this field of translation is and how

appropriate the functionalist approach is to be applied. So taking German Functionalist

Translation Theory as the framework and adopting the methodology of Descriptive

Translation Studies (DTS), the thesis seeks to open a new perspective for the C-E

trans-editing of soft news by constructing an operational chart for trans-editing of soft

news. The trans-editing process of soft news features a two-stage procedure—editing

and translating, which accords with the methodology of two-stage procedure adopted

for analysis: discovery and justification. That is, the preliminary findings of the editing

stage are tested in the translating stage where translation problems are solved. After

analyzing the two stages and four key steps in the trans-editing process, the author puts

forward the strategies adopted in the trans-editing of soft news. Furthermore, the

operational chart and the trans-editing strategies are applied to a case study. Lastly ，

limitations of this thesis may reveal some perspectives for future research and

improvement.

With the German Functionalist Translation Theory as the rationale, this thesis

attempts to testify the feasibility of applying the theory to trans-editing in the C-E

translation of soft news, and probe into various strategies to deal with the complicated

problems appearing in the translating process. Moreover, the tentative proposal of the

operational chart for trans-editing of soft news in terms of functionalist translation

approach may offer a guideline for trans-editing practices.

iii

Key words: trans-editing of soft news, Functionalist Translation

Theory, an operational chart for trans-editing of soft news,

trans-editing strategies

摘要

随着跨文化交际的不断发展,软新闻在现代社会生活中的重要性日益突显,其

翻译活动也越来越必不可少。编译，顾名思义是一种包括编辑过程和翻译过程的

翻译活动,它被广泛地应用于软新闻的汉英翻译中。作为一种特殊的翻译活动，编

译在软新闻汉译英中的应用越来越受到学者们的重视，不同领域的学者对此进行

了研究，并取得了非常有意义的结论。但是，这些研究也存在着不足，没有对软

新闻的编译在汉译英中的应用进行系统且完整的研究。例如以往的研究大多局限

于具体词句翻译的层面上以及提供一些零星的翻译技巧，而从语篇的角度来看待

软新闻的翻译及编译的编辑过程和翻译过程的统一并未得到足够重视。

软新闻的文本分析使作者认识到软新闻翻译的特殊性，而对功能主义翻译理

论的回顾明确了为何这一理论适用于软新闻的翻译。本文采用描述性翻译学研究

方法，以德国功能主义翻译理论为框架，试图通过构建一个具有操作性的指导软

新闻编译的流程图，从一个新的视角研究软新闻汉译英的编译过程。软新闻的编

译过程包括编辑过程和翻译过程，对应于描述性翻译学研究方法的发现和验证两

个阶段，即在编辑阶段中发现的翻译现象将在翻译阶段得到验证。在分析了编译

过程中的两个阶段和四个关键步骤之后，作者提出软新闻编译的常用翻译策略，

并进一步将可操作的指导软新闻编译的流程图及编译策略运用于个案研究。最后，

作者指出了本文的局限性以及深入研究的方向。

本文以德国功能主义翻译理论为依据，试图证实应用此理论指导软新闻汉英

编译的可行性，并探索提出各类编译策略以解决翻译过程中出现的复杂的翻译问

题。此外，作者依据功能派的翻译理论，提出一个具操作性的指导软新闻编译的

流程图，为编译实践提供指导。

关键词:软新闻编译功能主义翻译理论软新闻编译的流程图编译

策略

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................ i

ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................................ii

摘要 ..................................................................................................................... iv

Chapter One Introduction ..............................................................................................1

§1.1 Research Background ........................................................................................ 1

§1.2 Research Objectives ...........................................................................................2

§1.3 Research Methodology and Data Collection ..................................................... 3

§1.4 Structure of the Thesis ....................................................................................... 4

Chapter Two Theoretical Framework and Literature Review ................................... 6

§2.1 Relevant Translation Theories ........................................................................... 6

§2.1.1 Traditional Equivalence-based Approaches .............................................6

§2.1.2 Nida’s Dynamic/Functional Equivalence ................................................ 7

§2.1.3 Inadequacy ............................................................................................... 8

§2.2 German Functionalist Translation Theory ......................................................... 8

§2.2.1 Text Typology Theory ..............................................................................9

§2.2.1.1 Reiss’s Text Typology and Translation ......................................... 9

§2.2.1.2 Nord’s Translation-oriented Model of Text Functions ................10

§2.2.2 Skopostheorie ......................................................................................... 11

§2.2.3 Translation-oriented Text Analysis Model .............................................13

§2.2.3.1 Translation Brief ......................................................................... 14

§2.2.3.2 Source Text Analysis ...................................................................14

§2.2.3.3 Translation Problems .................................................................. 14

§2.3 Trans-editing in Variation Translation Theory ................................................. 15

§2.3.1 Review of Variation Translation Theory ................................................15

§2.3.2 Trans-editing .......................................................................................... 16

§2.4 Approaches of Functionalism and Trans-editing to Translation ...................... 20

§2.4.1 Approach of Functionalism to Translation .............................................20

§2.4.2 Approach of Trans-editing to News Translation .................................... 21

§2.4.3 Application of Functionalism to Trans-editing ...................................... 23

§2.5 Summary .......................................................................................................... 23

Chapter Three An Operational Chart for Trans-editing of Soft News from the

Functionalist Perspective ..............................................................................................25

§3.1 A Text-type Analysis of Soft News .................................................................. 25

§3.1.1 Hard News vs. Soft News ...................................................................... 25

§3.1.2 Functions of Soft News ..........................................................................26

§3.1.3 Special Features of Soft News ............................................................... 28

§3.2 An Operational Chart for Trans-editing of Soft News Based on the

Functionalist Approach ............................................................................................ 29

§3.3 Specific Trans-editing Strategies ..................................................................... 31

§3.3.1 Selective Translation .............................................................................. 31

§3.3.2 Integrative Translation ........................................................................... 34

§3.3.3 Abstract Translation ............................................................................... 36

§3.3.4 Interpretative Translation ....................................................................... 38

§3.4 Summary .......................................................................................................... 40

Chapter Four Trans-editing in C-E Translation of Soft News from the

Functionalist Perspective: A Case Study .....................................................................41

§4.1 Key Steps in Trans-editing Process ..................................................................41

§4.1.1 Analyzing Translation Brief ................................................................... 41

§4.1.2 Comparing ST with TT via Translation Brief ........................................ 42

§4.1.3 Identifying Translation Problems ...........................................................44

§4.1.4 Solving Translation Problems with Trans-editing Strategies .................45

§4.2 A Case Study .................................................................................................... 48

§4.3 Summary .......................................................................................................... 59

Chapter Five Conclusion .............................................................................................. 60

§5.1 Findings: An Operational Chart for Trans-editing of Soft News .....................60

§5.2 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research ..........................................62

BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 64

在读期间公开发表的论文 ............................................................................................ 67

Chapter One Introduction

As the world has well been into the information era, intercultural communication

demonstrates a growing intensification among global villagers. Soft news, both as

information and culture carrier, has proved an increasingly important medium in the

intercultural communication. As trans-editing is commonly used in soft news translation,

this thesis carries out a research on the study of trans-editing in the Chinese-English

(C-E) translation of soft news by applying the German functionalist theory of

translation to find out the underlying principles and strategies. The introduction part

mainly consists of the four aspects: the research background, the research objective, the

research methodology and data collection, and the structure of the thesis.

§1.1 Research Background

By nature of the events, news can be classified into “hard news” and “soft news”.

A news story can be hard, chronicling as concisely as possible the who, what, where,

when, why and how of an event. Or it can be soft, standing back to examine the people,

places and things that shape the world, nation or community (Richard, 1998:35 qtd. by

Itule & Anderson, 2003:12). Thus, the translation strategy for various news types also

differs accordingly.

In modern society, with the inspiration of the strengthened intercultural

communication, soft news attracts more and more readers worldwide thanks to its

flexible style and vivacious language. The emerging popularity of soft news calls for

more translation in this field.

With the implementation of China’s reform and opening-up policy, international

exchanges are increasing. To introduce China and Chinese culture to the world, we have

witnessed a flourishing of translation activities since 1980’s, and the C-E translation of

soft news has been playing an extremely important part in the international

communication and understanding, and at the same time, has become a bridge that

enables readers in different countries and cultures to learn more from each other. With

China’s entry into the WTO and Beijing’s hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, soft news

will play a more and more significant role in letting the world know about China.

Therefore, the study on the C-E translation of soft news is extremely useful and

Trans-editing in Chinese-English Translation of Soft News: A Functionalist Approach

important.

In view of the peculiar characteristics of soft news, its translation should be

different from that of other genres. In translation practices, trans-editing with the

intertwined processes of editing and translating is commonly used in the C-E translation

of soft news. Since the traditional criteria for translation were dominated by

“equivalence” in the West and “faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance” in China,

trans-editing is against the long-standing criteria in the equivalence-based translation

theory. Then, trans-editing in the C-E translation of soft news poses controversial and

challenging questions for translators and translation scholars:

How can we justify trans-editing from the theoretical background?

What kinds of trans-editing methods and strategies are frequently used in the

translation of soft news?

The author believes that the German functionalist translation approach provides a

new path to the Tower of Babel.

In the1970’s, the functional concept of translation came out in Germany. Its

appearance questions the traditional equivalence concept of translation, and its

development brings vitality to translation studies. Functionalism emphasizes the

function(s) and purpose(s) of the target text in the target culture and the target readers’

reception, and thinks that it is the purpose(s) and function(s) of the target text that

determine the translation strategy. This offers the theoretical guidance for the

applicability of trans-editing. However, up to now relatively few research papers or

books have been published on this subject, not even the C-E trans-editing of soft news.

This arouses the author’s interests in doing some research in this field from the unique

perspective of German Functionalist Translation Theory. After a comprehensive analysis

of the features of soft news, the author attempts to integrate the German functionalism

and trans-editing and construct an operational chart to guide the C-E trans-editing of

soft news.

§1.2 Research Objectives

As the title suggests, this thesis strives to use the German Functionalist

Translation Theory to explain the complicated trans-editing phenomena in the C-E

translation of soft news. Trans-editing is a common form and a practical method of

Chapter One Introduction

translation in the C-E translation of soft news, which includes the specific strategies as

selective translation, integrative translation, abstract translation and interpretative

translation. It used to be considered contrary to the existing criteria of translation but

has resulted in satisfactory practical outcome and provoked the reappraisal of them. And

the functionalist translation theory provides a theoretical guidance for those

above-mentioned trans-editing methods and strategies.

With the functionalist approach as the theoretical basis, this thesis has undertaken

trans-editing in C-E translation of soft news as the research topic with an aim to provide

some rules and principles for this translational activity and to bridge the gap between

the translation practice of soft news from Chinese to English and the long established

equivalence-based translation criteria. Furthermore, the author attempts to offer a more

operational flow chart for trans-editing of soft news in terms of functionalist translation

approach to guide the translation practice of this particular genre.

In all, the main objectives of this thesis are to testify the feasibility of applying

the German Functionalist Translation Theory to trans-editing in the C-E translation of

soft news, make the best use of this theory in the translation practice, fully arouse the

cultural awareness in rendering the translation of soft news and probe into various

strategies to deal with the complicated problems appearing in the translation process.

§1.3 Research Methodology and Data Collection

A comparative analytical method is adopted in accordance with the principles of

the Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS). According to Toury (1995), this method

features a two-stage procedure: discovery and justification. The preliminary findings of

the first stage are then tested in the second stage where the whole collected data is

analyzed. The whole procedure of the C-E trans-editing process of soft news, which is

also composed of two stages—editing stage and translation stage, is in line with the

DTS methodology, mainly the three steps in the editing stage, corresponding with the

discovery stage, and the step of applying specific trans-editing strategies to solve the

translation problems in the translating stage, corresponding with the justification stage.

In the editing stage, the key three steps are based on the German Functionalist

Translation Theory. They are making clear of the translation brief, analyzing the

source-text and anticipating the potential translation problems.

In summary, the analysis mainly involves discovery procedures in nature, and then

文档加载中……请稍候！
如果长时间未打开，您也可以点击刷新试试。

下载文档到电脑，查找使用更方便

15 积分 4人已下载

立即下载 VIP免费下载

摘要：

iiABSTRACTInmodernsociety,thedevelopmentofinterculturalcommunicationgivesrisetoagrowingneedforsoftnewsanditstranslation.Trans-editing,whichcontainsbotheditingprocessandtranslatingprocess,hasbeenfrequentlyappliedtotheChinese-English(C-E)translationofsoftnews.Asaspecialtranslationalactivity,trans-edit...

展开>> 收起<<

从功能主义翻译理论的角度探讨编译在软新闻汉译英中的作用.pdf

共71页,预览8页

还剩页未读，继续阅读

从功能主义翻译理论的角度探讨编译在软新闻汉译英中的作用

相关推荐

开通VIP享超值会员特权

作者详情

相关内容

推荐作者

热门标签

举报选择: