A Study Of English Translation Of Traditional Chinese Medicine Terms

In translating TCM theories what translators encounter first is countless terms which are derived from common Chinese words but endowed with special medical meanings.In fact,it is impossible for the translators to render these terms without comprehending them.Many scholars and translators both at home and abroad have dedicated themselves to the work. However,owing to their different background such as nationality,TCM knowledge,and language knowledge etc.,they have made the translations quite different from each other with various methods motivated by divergent translation principles.The result is detrimental-incorrect translations,many English versions of one TCM term,and disconnected translations hamper the understanding of TCM terms by receptors and hence undermine the spread of TCM worldwide.Therefore,it is of great academic and practical value to research into the issue so as to promote the spread of TCM.In studying the translation of TCM terms,two pairs of approaches are indispensable,i.e. onomasiological approach vs.semasiological approach and foreignizing approach vs. domesticating approach.On one hand,each TCM term represents a concept which belongs to the TCM concept system and is interrelated with other TCM terms.Therefore, onomasiological approach and semasiological approach should be deployed so as to understand the nature of TCM terms.On the other hand,having evolved for thousands of years and influenced by many cultural factors such as Taoism,Confucianism,and Buddhism etc.,TCM terms are deeply saturated with distinct cultural elements.Therefore,foreignizing approach and domesticating approach should be used to guide the disposal of culture factors.From functional point of view,TCM can be divided into two categories:basic-theory terms which represent basic concepts of TCM theories and name terms which represent names used in TCM theories.From terminological point of view,TCM terms can be divided into two groups:word terms and phrase terms.Word terms are the foundation on which phrase terms are built.In combining the two categories and two groups,TCM terms can be further classified into four subgroups:basic-theory word terms,basic-theory phrase terms,name word terms and name phrase terms.All the terms are interrelated with each other into an integral system.In translating TCM terms such structural features should be embodied.In the mean time,TCM terms are culture-specific with all the terms being derived from common ancient Chinese language endowed with special medical meanings.These cultural features should also be reflected in the translation.Therefore,based on the analysis of TCM terms guided by theories of terminology and domestication and foreignization,four principles which are principle of systematicness,principle of transparency,principle of opaqueness,and principle of standardization are formulated,under which six methods,namely creating neologism with existing English words,using Chinese pinyin with annotation,word-for-word translation,using western medicine terms,using Latin,and abbreviation and acronym are deployed in the thesis.In the mean time,different types of TCM terms should be translated with different methods according to their characteristics.Through the study of terminology theory and domestication and foreignziation theory, the thesis offers a set of systematic translation principles and methods for TCM terms by combining organically cultural features and systematicness of terminology so as to strike a balance between the standardization of terminology and the culture differences and between domestication and foreignization.In this way,the translation can be more rational, standardized,and scientific.