Report On The Translation Of Nonfiction Hmong In America

This is a report on translation of the nonfiction work Hmong in America:Journey from a Secret War(excerpt).As a literary item that combines both documentary and literary features,nonfiction aims to make readers have more access to real social information and truth.Through a good Chinese version of foreign nonfiction works,Chinese readers can not only be exposed to history,art and social reality of foreign countries,but also get a chance to ponder and introspect.Hmong in America: Journey from a Secret War(excerpt)is an excellent nonfiction work.The work,characterized by plain language,describes the bygone days which full of ups and downs of Hmong in Laos.Readers are both exposed to hardships and agony the Hmong suffered and their strong will and continuous pursuit of happiness.The translation is completed under the guidance of the text typology theory presented by Peter Newmark who divided the texts into informative texts,expressive texts and vocative texts on the basis of predecessor's theories.Based on the analysis,the source text can be classified as informative and vocational text with both informative and vocational functions.Thus,to guarantee the informative and vocative functions of the translated version can be fully expressed,the translator employs some useful translating techniques such as splitting-off,recasting and rewriting with the consideration of different syntactic structures,grammar rules,modes of expression and culture between English and Chinese during the translation so as to make a good translated version,which aims to offer some reference for the translation of foreign nonfiction work.Through the analysis of translation material guided by text typology theory of Peter Newmark,the thesis concludes that in the translation of nonfiction,more attention should be paid to convey information fully and effectively and to lead the target readers generate the same feeling with the work,making the translated versionof nonfiction work more acceptable and attractive to Chinese readers.