A Study On C-E Translation Of Medical Paper Abstracts Based On Newmark’s Typology Theory

As a summary or conclusion of the whole medical paper, the abstract serves as a valuable tool in document retrieval and information sharing. In an academic paper, an acceptable abstract plays a significant role in improving the possibility of publication, retrieval and reference. The exponential growth in medical technology and world communication has correspondingly increased the need of translation. There are, however, few professionals devoting themselves to medical translation in China, and little was written about it. All these factors spawn a great number of excellent medical papers unpublished in famous medical journals.Labeling the medical paper abstract as information function text according to Newmark’s text typology theory, the author reckons that the focus of text is “target language” and the core of text is “situation”. The translation work is not merely a process of simple or mechanistic word conversion, but a dynamic task to make the reader hold the same effect as the original one. In exploring how a translated work can hold the same effect as the original one. Peter Newmark, a famous translator, proposes that different translation methods should be conducted in response to each text type—semantic translation and communicative translation. This thesis, further, contrasts and analyzes the author’s versions as well as revised versions, and proposes three translation principles—the principle of conciseness and accuracy, the principle of clarity and fluency, and the principle of coherence, as well as five specific techniques—omission, inversion, division, amplification and combination. It’s expected that this research can provide a valuable guidance for future C-E translation of medical paper abstracts.