On Models Of Mechanism Of Mental Translation

Translation process is in nature the process of information processing, and also aprocess of translators’ thinking activity. During the process of translation or bilingualcommunication, translators or bilingual users consciously or unconsciously employmental translation. The present paper aims to theoretically construct translators’ modelsof mechanism of mental translation, i.e. match-making mechanism of mental translation,spatial-temporal mechanism of mental translation, and alternating mechanism of mentaltranslation.Match-making mechanism of mental translation means that during translationprocess, the translator consciously or unconsciously matches the words, phrases orsentences of the source text directly with the corresponding vocabulary pre-existing inhis or her mental lexicon of their native language, and then outputs the translationversion.Spatial-temporal mechanism of mental translation means that when it is notpossible to match directly, after the translator having a thorough understanding ofsource text’s spatial background and temporal background, he/she’ll reconstructappropriate spatial-temporal representations in mind which are in accordance with thesource text’s context and norms of target language use, and then output the translationversion.Alternating mechanism of mental translation means the translator, especially the professional translator, he/she flexibly employs both match-making and spatial-temporalmechanism of mental translation during the translation process. It is employed most ofthe time due to its flexibility.