A Study On English Translation Of Signs In Scenic Spots Under The Approach To Translation As Adaptation And Selection

The sign in scenic spots is a major channel for visitors to get known about the scenic spots. Proper notices can provide tourists with convenience and necessary introduction texts may offer them some background information. These signs altogether can make the tour meaningful and rewarding.As for foreign visitors, appropriate translations of signs are of great significance. Compared with those of other tourism materials, translations of signs in scenic spots mainly mean to provide concise and lucid information instead of simply advertising. In this way, oversea tourists can better understand the cultural connation of scenic spots in a relaxed visit. However, up to now, few articles have touched upon translations of signs in scenic spots. And, analysis on its characteristics is also seldom seen.In this paper, a translation process model, based on the approach to translation as adaptation and selection, is put forward and applied in the analysis of sign translations in scenic spots. It is hoped that the current paper will provide translators with a clearer view of translation steps and dimensions. In the end, translators, under the macroscopic guidance of the approach and the microscopic restriction of translating operations, may work out translations of a higher degree of adaptative selection when referring to the model. This model consists of three phases:before translating, during translating and after translating. When applying it to translations of signs in scenic spots, before translating, the translator should know the features of these texts in English and Chinese, and have a consciousness of the specific translational eco-environment; during translating, he should try to adapt to different dimensional transformation, namely linguistic, communicative and cultural; after translating, he should adapt to the supervision of the "post-event penalty" mechanism.Based on the analysis of translation examples, it is found that the translation strategies and/or improper translations partially embody translators'consciousness of the translational eco-environment. This consciousness will directly affect translators'selection of the target text, which in turn will influence the translational eco-environment slightly and gradually. Therefore, translators should try to strengthen their consciousness of the overall translational eco-environment, especially the specific one of a certain translation task. In the case of translation of signs in scenic spots, translators ought to know about the immovability of signs'position, the conciseness of the content, the specialty of foreign tourists and so on. Meanwhile, they should correspondingly adjust their selective activities so as to adapt to the specific translational eco-environment. Translators'adaptation and selection activities run through the whole process of translation. As the natural environment needs protection from people in the world, translational eco-environment also calls for efforts of its subjects, especially translators to finally promote its sustainable development.