The first task of translation is to be faithful to the original text and accurately convey the meaning of the original text to the readers of the target language. When we do translation, we must ensure that the meaning of the original text is accurately conveyed to the readers of the target language, which is the principle that we must uphold in all translation work.
A good English translator will choose the appropriate translation method according to different situations and needs, such as literal translation, paraphrase translation, synonym substitution, etc.
It is important to use words and expressions that are culturally appropriate to the local context, and it is also necessary to maintain the rhetorical style and linguistic characteristics of the original text as much as possible, such as the tone, rhetorical devices, and sentence structure of the original text.
Here are some common translation methods that you can choose from:
1. Literal translation.
Literal translation is one of the most common translation methods. This method requires the translator to translate the meaning of the original text directly into the target language, preserving the grammatical structure and expressions of the original text as much as possible.
For example, in legal texts, a literal translation is required to ensure that the meaning of the legal provisions is accurately conveyed.
The advantage of a literal translation is that it allows the reader to understand the meaning of the original text directly, and the translation looks very natural. Literal translation is a method of translation that translates according to the word order and grammatical structure of the original text, such as the following sentences:
1.The Family Tree
2.the greenhouse effect
3.The Brain Trust
4.The Escalator
5.the high***tin ideas
When we choose the literal translation method for English translation, we must fully consider the historical and cultural background of English-speaking countries, and strive to have cross-cultural communication skills to avoid misunderstandings and ambiguities.
Can "firefighting" really translate to "s**e fire"? It should only be "put out a fire", similar to "cleaning", and "hygiene" is not "sweeping". Look at the following sentence, how will everyone understand it:
1. "i'm a morning person"Literally translated"I'm a morning guy"Is that really the case? In fact, this phrase refers to "people who like to wake up early and have a lot of energy", not to a specific wake-up time.
2. "he is a brown-noser"Literally translated"He's a sycophant"It's so hilarious, it refers to people who are good at flattery, and a better way to translate it might be"He's a man who is good at greeting"。
3. "he is a big cheese"Literally translated"He's a ** cheese"Similarly, there is "he is a big potato", which in fact, refers to an important person or leader, and a better translation might be:"He's an important person, a big man", which translates to "he's a big potato with a big cheese" is too funny and easy to cause confusion.
Therefore, when communicating across cultures, it is important to be mindful of the differences between different cultures and to use translation methods flexibly to ensure accurate meanings and avoid misunderstandings.
2. Synonym substitution.
In English and Chinese, there are words that have similar meanings but differences in expression. Synonym substitution is another translation strategy that replaces expressions in the original text by finding words or phrases that are close to the meaning of the original text to convey the meaning of the original text more accurately.
This method is used when words in the original text do not have direct synonyms in the target language, for example, "actor" in English can be replaced with "actor" in Chinese.
In addition, when expressing optimization, for example, "basketball" in English can be replaced with "basketball sport" in Chinese; There is also the English word "dog" that can be replaced with the Chinese word "dog" in some contexts.
3. Paraphrasing.
Paraphrasing works by conveying the intrinsic meaning of the original text to the reader of the target language, rather than directly translating the literal meaning.
For example, "to beat around the bush" can be translated as "to go around the bend" and "to be the apple of someone's eye" can be translated as "someone's pearl".
the two children were up to their ears in a book.It can be paraphrased as "these two children are engrossed in reading," i feel blue todayIt can be paraphrased as "I feel sullen today. ”，kill two birds with one stone"It can be paraphrased"Kill two birds with one stone", expressing the meaning of killing two birds with one stone,"diamond cut diamond"Paraphrased"The strong have their own strong players"to express a context of competition and competition.
Paraphrasing is suitable for use in situations where there are large cultural differences, abstract expressions need to be concretized, the source language has figurative meanings, contextual adjustments need to be adjusted, and emotions and attitudes need to be emphasized.
In short, when translating, we strive to accurately convey the meaning and style of the original text.