A Report On C-E Translation Of CimFAX Fax Server User Manual

Technological product manuals have many features in common with the technological documents studied in technological translations,such as no compromise in correctness,strong logicality and highly coherent.Meanwhile,they are unique in some aspects.As instructional manuals,their linguistic features are no longer long sentences in dominance,ubiquitous passive voice or nominalized structures.Instead,short sentences,second person and active voice are found most commonly in these documents.In fact,more and more product manuals and instructions,Chinese or English,have become simpler and more user-oriented,rather than being indifferent.Therefore,the author tries to find the major problems that would be encountered in translation of documents of such type and proposes applicable translation strategies and techniques specifically for solving these problems.In this report,based on Cim FAX Fax Server User Manual,the author discusses stylistic characteristics and functions of technological product manuals,proposes issues in aspects of vocabulary,sentence and discourse encountered when translating this manual into English.Then the author tries to analyze text type of it from the perspective of Text Typology theory and uses parallel text,Skopos theory and technical writing as guiding principles to solve these specific problems,so as to improve the quality of translation.This report consists of four chapters in total.In chapter one,translation tasks are introduced,including task source,background,text introduction and analysis,translation purpose and significance of this translation.In chapter two,translation process is discussed,pre-translation work including formulating translation plan,preparing quality control plan,comprehending text and preparing references.Post-translation work like plan execution and proofreading and document lay out are also briefed.Chapter three is case analysis which is the critical part of this report.In this part,the author elaborates difficulties encountered in this translation: correctness of terms,logicality of sentences and conciseness of discourse.Guided by parallel text,Skopos theory and technical writing rules,the author uses techniques like check and verify,counter-check and verify,word formation,omission,integration and splitting,translation variation and creative translation.Chapter four is summary of this translation practice,including experience and gains the author gets from this practice and limitations and defects that exist in this report.