C-E Translation Of Tourist Texts: A Study Based On Newmak’s Translation Theory

In recent years, with the flourish of Chinese tourist industry, some studies on translation oftourist texts from Chinese to English have attracted more and more attentions in translation field.Because the translation quality is one vital factor that not only affects the transference of touristinformation but also influences the whole image of Chinese tourist. The aim of some translationscholars is to spread Chinese culture by means of disseminating tourist information and touristresources accurately so to make a contribution to prompting cultural interaction andcommunication between China and some western countries. Therefore, after referring to somerelevant materials, the author holds that the right choosing of translation theory and strategyplays a vital role in achieving the intended functions of tourist texts.The author of this thesis, after reviewing some relevant studies at home and abroad,discovers that Peter Newmark’s translation theory is the right one to guide C-E translation oftourist texts. The theory could compensate some shortcomings of other translation, such asignoring the text type and text functions only to transfer the contextual meaning. Newmark’stranslation theory includes text typology and two translation methods, namely semantictranslation and communicative translation. The core of the theory is that different texts could beclassified into informative, expressive and vocative texts from the perspective of languagefunctions. And he maintains that it is the text type that determines the translation method. Amongthose text types, informative and vocative texts are reader-centered, which put more emphasis onreaders’ responses. Therefore, the communicative translation should be firstly adopted. While theexpressive text stresses on the writer’s personal feelings and the semantic translation iswriter-oriented, it usually conveys information in a way that is familiar to the original writers.Thus semantic translation should be the dominant translation method for this type of texts.According to Newmark’s text typology, expressive, informative and vocative are the mainfunctions of language, but few texts are purely expressive, informative or vocative and mostinclude all three functions just with an emphasis on one of them and the others as the subordinatefunction. Thus the translator should ascertain the text type before choosing the proper translationstrategy.At last, the author concludes that the translation of tourist texts should begin with the rightidentification of the type and functions of the texts. It is the expected function that determines thetranslation methods, that is, it is the aim that determines the method. Tourist texts as a kind ofpublicity material, vocative and informative should be the main functions. The touristadvertisements and scenery introductions are the typical texts. When translating the tourist texts,the translator should take the text type, text features, intended functions and the receivers’ cultural and language conventions into full consideration. Considering the complexity andhybridism of tourist text, the author holds that it should be translated in a way of a combinationof semantic and communicative translation.The thesis will analyze how communicative translation and semantic translation are adoptedin C-E translation of tourist texts to achieve their intended functions through the application ofspecific translation techniques such as literal translation, free translation, addition, transliteration,deletion, adaptation and paraphrase, specification and rewriting, etc.