Standardization History Of English Terms Of Chinese Medicine In Last 30 Years

In the need of academic communication,education and publication etc.,it is necessary to standardize the English terms of Chinese medicine(CM),which is the core part of CM translation.According to the historical development of standardization of English terms of Chinese Medicine,based on the extensive collection of the related materials,this article mainly study on the standardization history of English terms of Chinese Medicine in the last 30 years(1980-2007).The method of translation,philology and terminology is used to analyze the data,and investigate the evolvement of the standardization,and then to compare different views at the same period.The features of the English translation of CM terms are summarized respectively.Therefore,the difficulties and disputes the standardization confronted are disclosed,and possible resolutions are proposed.1.Initial Stage(1980-1991)Before 1980,there was little English translation of CM works especially that were directly translated from Chinese.When one wants to write an article or translate CM works,there was no standard to follow;and even an English dictionary of CM was not available.This chapter introduces the English translation of CM terms and that in dictionaries,textbooks,monographs,and the WHO acupuncture standard nomenclatures,from the publication of the first English dictionary of CM,Common Terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine in English(《汉英常用中医药词汇》1980) to the accomplishment of acupuncture standard nomenclature(A Proposed Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature:Report of a WHO Scientific Group,1991).The following details are expounded in terms of the features of translation of CM terms,the discussion on translation methodology and principles,the history of standardization of acupuncture standard nomenclature organized by WHO and its evolvement of the term selection.The significance of standardization of English terms of CM is wide accepted and recognized.The publication of English dictionaries of CM,glossary and textbooks signified the start of standardization of English CM terms,and the publication of A Proposed Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature:Report of a WHO Scientific Group in 1991,the first standardized glossary of CM represents the end of the initial stage of standardization of English term of CM.The terms selected in the books,dictionaries and the standard acupuncture nomenclature by WHO were not unified and most translation activities were more or less individual.2.Theoretical Discussion(1992-1999)Based on the CM translation experience accumulated from the last period,the construction of CM translation theoretical systems and the model design of standardization of CM terms were put in schedule.This chapter discusses the characteristics of English translation of CM terms and introduces the different academic viewpoints on the translation of CM terms in theory books,English CM textbooks and English dictionaries of CM.And the establishment of CM translation associations and COMP(Council of Oriental Medical Publication) was in accord with the need of the standardization.People achieved some common viewpoints in terms of English translation principles and methodologies,how to translate the simple herbs and the formulae,and the translation of some specific words.Latin translation of CM words started to retreat from history.Morpheme level translation with Greek or Latin suffix or prefix was active in the stage.Source-oriented and reader-oriented translations sprout.COMP proposed that the publication must refer to a glossary or conclude a glossary for the terms chosen.Wiseman's term system by word-to-word literal translation became more and more welcomed in western world.The disputes on the selection of the English terms of CM began.The standardization of CM terms still is absent in the stage.The extensive discussion on different aspects of English translation of TCM terms provide good basis for the next stage,the stage of standardization.3.Academic Disputes and Term Standardization(2000-2007) From 2000 to 2007,multiple different projects on standardization of English translation of CM terms started simultaneously.Different projects communicated with each other closely,their works were not isolated.The related publications are Chinese Terms in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy,2004;English Translation of Common Terms in Traditional Chinese Medicine,2004;Basic Theory Nomenclature of Traditional Chinese Medicine,2006;International standard Chinese-English Basic Nomenclature of Chinese Medicine,2007;and WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific Region,2007.Meanwhile,the disputes on the standardization of English CM terms exacerbated gradually.The focuses of the dispute were still whether biomedical words can be applied to translate CM terms;whether English CM terms should be standardized; which method is better,source-oriented translation or reader-oriented.Some experts even proposed the rejection of the standardization,and "term open standard" as a methodology was introduced into the field.The accomplishment of WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific Region signifies the start of international cooperation in the standardization of English terms of CM.4.DiscussionTwo of the methods that can be carried out to resolve the dispute on the English translation of CM terms are faculty education and the change of methodologies.As to faculty education,now,the participation of Chinese scholars is quite necessary,since CM is not ripened in the west.According to the transmission of biomedical words from English into Chinese,in the future,the ones with native English and possess good CM skill,knowledge and experience,and also other knowledge will have privilege in completing the task.The "open standard" would be a good point as a new methodology.The dissemination of the standardized term couldn't ignore the latent action of marketing.5.ConclusionThe standardization history of English terms of CM in the last 30 years (1980～2007) were divided into 3 stages according to the characteristics of each stage. In the initial stage(1980-1991),the English terms of CM were not unified and mostly are still personal translation activities.Debates focused on the basic terms of CM.One word had many English equivalents like "气"(qi,chi,ch'i,energy,air etc.).There were few theoretical discussions."Source-oriented translation" and "reader-oriented translation" sprouted.In the stage of theoretical discussion(1992-1999),the theory of CM translation developed faster and advanced a lot.Latin translation of CM words began to retreat from history.Morpheme level translation with Greek or Latin suffix or prefix was active in the stage in China.Source-oriented and reader-oriented translations formed and dispute with each other.The former one stressed literal translation and rejected to use biomedical words,the latter one stressed readability and transparency of the translation,prefer to use biomedical terms and advocate multiple English translations for one CM term,so that one can understand the term from different aspects.The disputes on translation methodology of CM terms started. People gradually reached common points to translations of some terms under debates, such as "证" is translated into "syndrome" in China and "pattern" in the west,and "气" into qi.In the stage of academic disputes and term standardization(2000-2007), multiple different projects on standardization of English terms of CM began simultaneously,different projects closely communicated with each other.Many translations of CM terms reached common points like "温病"(warm disease),"百合病" Lily Disease.Some still need long term and further discussion like "经脉" (channel,meridian).The disputes focus on the usage of biomedical equivalents, the right to translate CM,and the translation principles and methodologies. Source-oriented translation and reader-oriented translation conflict severely,the translators insist their viewpoints in the past and published many works include glossary or dictionaries as supports.Some experts propose rejection of the standardization,and "open standard" is introduced into the field.International cooperation began.Two methods can be carried out to resolve the dispute on the English translation of CM terms.As to faculty education,now,the participation of Chinese scholars is quite necessary,and in the future,the ones speak native English and possess good CM skill,knowledge and experience,and also other knowledge needed will have privilege in completing the task.The "open standard" would be a good point as a new methodology.The dissemination of the standardized term couldn't ignore the latent action of marketing.The study on the history of standardization of English terms of CM is only at the scratch.More works need further concerns and discussion.It is expected to form a new discipline in the future,"CM Terminology".And methodologies can be used to develop the new discipline in terms of historical terminology,terminology,translation, Chinese Medicine and modern information techniques.