On E-C Legal Translation-Based On Different Thought Patterns In English And Chinese

Thought controls language while the latter is the reflection of the former. This is the thought determinism view. Contrarily, language shapes thought while the latter is the result of the former makes the language determinism view. Thought determinsim and language determinsm, though diversed in the determine and determined mechanism, share mutual agreement in terms of the intimate connections between language and thought. As a result, the study of language and its activity--translation can, in most case, be conducted from the perspective of thought patterns. As for inter-translations between English and Chinese, the same rule applies.Law, being reflections of rulers and/or legislators'wills, is compiled and edited in precise, lucid, yet somewhat traditional and archaic languages. As a result, legal languages are all the more closely connected with the traditional thought patterns behind them. This requires that more attention be paid to the diversities of thought patterns behind these concerned languages during the legal translating process. When it comes to E-C legal translating, it is no exception.This thesis is dedicated to exploring into E-C legal translating strategies from the perspective of the diversities of thought patterns behind English and Chinese. Intuitive thought and analytical thought, spiral thought and linear thought, subjective thought and objective thought, dynamic thought and static thought, and concrete thought and abstract thought are five sets of contrastive thought patterns to be elaborated on from the cultural and linguistic perspectives with examples under various linguistic contexts in the beginning part of this thesis. Then, in the middle part, a very brief introduction to the histories, general principles, and previously adopted approaches concerning legal translating will be given. Finally, based on the diversities of thought patterns in Chinese and English and characteristics of legal translating, specific and feasible E-C legal translating strategies (approaches) are to be raised.