A Study On C-e Translation Of Government Work Report From The Perspective Of Catford’s Translation Shift Theory ——A Case Study Of Government Work Reports From 2018 To 2020

As a part of central political documents,Government Work Reports have distinctive Chinese linguistic features.Their English versions may serve as one of the important bridge for the exchanges between China and foreign countries.In order to convey accurate information,various shifts in their English translation are necessary for minimizing language barriers resulting from the differences between English and Chinese languages.Guided by Catford’s Translation Shift Theory,this study aims to analyze and summarize the rules of translation shifts and discuss their textual effects in political documents.Based on the linguistic features of the original texts and specific shift styles proposed by Catford,1522 pieces of translation shifts were collected from the Government Work Reports from 2018 to 2020 and their English versions,and then were classified and analyzed in detail.It is found that translation shifts are widely used in the English translation of the Reports,especially at the lexical and syntactic levels.At the lexical level,shifts are mainly observed in the translation of verbs,adverbs,“modifier + head word” noun phrases,where level shifts,class shifts,structure shifts and unit shifts are mainly adopted.At the syntactic level,shifts are mainly found in the translation of non-subject sentences,unmarked passive sentences and long sentences,where structure shifts and unit shifts are mainly adopted.Translation shifts do not always occur alone,but often in combination with others.Translation shifts at the lexical level are found more diverse than those at the syntactic level.With the help of these shifts,the translation of the Reports has achieved a good textual effect.Proper and effective shifts make their English translations rich in language forms,concise in structure and clear in logic,which makes the translations idiomatic and readable,minimizing the misunderstandings caused by language distinctions.The high-quality translation of the Reports is conducive to an accurate presentation of China’s latest achievements and policies and initiatives to English readers and international community.This provides one smooth channel for transmitting Chinese culture,enabling China to be more proactive in integrating into the world.Catford’s Translation Shift Theory not only provides a systematic train of thought and method for the study of English translation of Government Work Reports,but also offers guidance and demonstration for the translation practice of government publicity materials.Translation shifts in the English translation of the Reports contribute to better tell China’s true stories and make China’s voice heard.