A Practice Report On Translation Of Family Education (Chapter 4-5)

This paper is a Chinese-English translation practice report based on Family Education written by Chen Heqin,a famous expert on children pedagogy in the Republic of China(1912-1949).The book consists of 13 chapters,among which the fourth and fifth chapters are selected as the original texts of this report.Based on Newmark’s communicative translation theory and the different characteristics between Chinese and English languages,the author probes into the translation strategies of educational texts in informative texts,and introduces the concepts and methods of early childhood education in the Republic of China.With detailed cases,Family Education,a typical informative text,is rich in content and succinct in style.Children education is discussed in a homely tone.In the translation practice,the author encounters two major problems.First,the language of this book is contemporary with the meanings of some words quite different from today’s,so correct understanding is important in translation;Second,written in a unique language style,this book has many colloquial phrases.How to convey this style to the target language readers is also a big problem in translation.Therefore,the author chooses communicative translation as the guiding theory of this translation practice,carefully reads the original text,and extensively collects relevant materials so that the translation problems are well solved.Different translation methods should be used to translate different texts.Family Education is an informative text,so in the translation the author should first ensure accurate understanding of the source text and pay attention to the response of the target language readers.Communicative translation theory is reader-centered,which can give full play to the linguistic advantages of the target language,making it possible for the author to break the linguistic structure of the original text,adjust the logical relations of the original text,and make the translation smooth,clear and coherent.In this way,the target language is easier for readers to understand and accept.Since there are obvious differences in vocabulary,syntax and discourse cohesion between Chinese and English languages,understanding these differences is the premise to solve the problems of translation.Therefore,considering the communicative translation theory and the differences between Chinese and English languages,different strategies are used in the translation process,such as free translation,literal translation,amplification,combination,and conversion,with an attempt to make the translation natural to English speakers.This report is divided into five parts,including the introduction of the translation task,translation theory,translation process,case analysis and the conclusion.Through the translation practice of the selected chapters of Family Education,this report discusses the significance of the the communicative translation theory in guiding the translation of informative texts,the ways to apply the theory to the translation practice and different translation methods used in this practice,with a view to providing reference for the translation of similar texts.It has certain practical significance in spreading the ideas and methods of China’s children education to other parts of the world.