The C-E Translation Of Public Signs In The Field Of Transportation

Public signs, as the important information available to the public, serve as a significant window both to our Chinese and the foreigners. The author advocates that more attention should be laid on C-E translation of public signs for almost every city is filled with more or less bilingual signs. However, there are so many serious translation errors existing that they have brought much inconvenience to intercultural communication, hence affecting city's image. Cleaning up the"language rubbish"and purifying language environment are the responsibility of every citizen. In the process of conducting her study, the author finds that the translation of signs is much more complicated and difficult than she expected. Though short in form and simple in words, it has its unique language features and functions compared with other types of text. Making the English version achieve the due function of the Chinese sign perfectly is a tough task.Based on the above situation, the thesis tries to seek theoretical support and therefore introduces functional translation theory--- an advisable theory for the study of public sign translation. Functionalism claims that translation is a specific and purposeful human activity and the prime principle determining any translation is the purpose of the overall translation action. One of the most important factors which determines the purpose of translation is the addressees of the target text with their culture-specific world-knowledge, their expectations and their communicative needs. Therefore, translation of public sign is to make the English version achieve its due functions and then satisfy the target addressees.Next, with the help of functional translation theory, the thesis probes into the C-E translation of transportation signs. At first, the author offers two general principles the translator should always follow when doing translation, i.e. (1) Translation purpose is to actualize due functions of the signs; (2) Keeping language features of public signs in mind; and then discussion is conducted on how to make correct and proper translation by taking appropriate specific translation strategies and techniques, including borrowing standard English expression, imitating, restructuring, omission, no translating and following international fixed patterns; at last, some analysis for errors existing in current translated transportation public signs is made.Then some implications are made to translation of public signs, including qualifying the translators by training them, introducing unified translation standard and strengthening supervisions. At last, the author makes a brief summary of the whole thesis and puts forward some suggestions to the further study as well as limitations of the thesis.