A Study On English Translation Of TCM Terminology Of Eliminating Dampness Under The Guidance Of Skopostheorie

With the development of economic globalization and implementation of China's "Go Global" strategy,traditional Chinese medicine(hereinafter as TCM)has been gradually accepted by more people in the West.As one of the unique traditional Chinese cultures,TCM has played more significant roles in medical practice,international trade,education,as well as cultural exchange.Under these circumstances,TCM translation,which works as a bridge for western people to learn about TCM,is essential in TCM international communication.TCM translation,especially TCM terminology translation,has become the focus in the past decade.Nevertheless,the translation and research focuses have been centred on the translation of basic TCM terms rather than terms used in clinical practice.The gap in TCM terminology translation is the rationale for this study,i.e.,the research will focus on TCM terminology translation,more specifically,on the treatment methods of removing-dampness.Purposes:This study aims at exploring terminology translation principles and strategies of TCM treatment methods.It also provides a suggested translation version of removing-dampness method terms,by means of comparing corresponding translations from different versions.Based on the comparative study on their translation,this study also identifies the translation errors in Chinese medicine formulae,a bilingual textbook for non-Chinese students.By analyzing these errors occurred in the textbook,the study further discusses the translation principles and strategies of TCM textbook translation.Methods:This study targets at the removing-dampness method terms,and then subcategorizes them into 5 categories according to classifications of removing-dampness formulae.The corresponding translation versions from six sources are analyzed in depth under the guidance of skopos theory as well as principles of terminology translation.A suggested translation version of the 18 terms is provided based on specific analysis from semantic and lexical perspectives.The research then conducts a study on the translation of a chapter summary of removing-dampness formulae in a bilingual textbook Chinese medicine formulae.It analyzes the bilingual textbook translation under the guidance of skopos theory,combined with the textual features,communicative purpose,and target readers.It identifies the translation errors and explores the translation principles and strategies of removing-dampness terms.Results:For TCM term translation,this study selected 18 removing-dampness terms as objects and then divided them into 5 categories:removing dampness with aromatic medicinals,removing dampness by clearing heat,removing dampness by promoting urination,removing dampness by warming yang,and removing dampness by expelling wind.The analysis showed accurate translation should be based on accurate understanding of the original terms.The equally important element is the translation of synonymous verbs such as ?,?,?,? and?.When translating these verbs into English,translators need to identify each verb's meaning in Chinese,and pairs the corresponding English verb to convey its original meaning.Meanwhile,translators also need to bear terminology translation principles,i.e.systematicness and uniqueness in mind to keep the English version work in the overall terminology system.For bilingual textbook translation,taking chapter summary of Chinese medicine formulae for example,there are two types of errors:pragmatic errors and linguistic errors.The study analyzed the errors under the guidance of skopos theory as well as terminology translation principles.Conclusions:This research not only analyzed the translation of TCM terms,but also studied their translations in a bilingual textbook,which not only expanded the scope but also enriched the content of the researches in TCM terminology translation.When translating terms without context,translators should understand the exact meaning of the source terms and then identify the hidden relationship of the original four-character terms by rearranging the logic of the translation.Next,as verbs play a vital role in therapeutic terms,it's essential to distinguish different verbs and translate them correctly and systematically.In addition,translation of terms in certain text manifests problem of inconformity,which means there are several different translation versions of the same term in the context.What's more,it is quite common that the translation of one term in text is different from its English translation in certain standards or dictionaries.Therefore,translating TCM terms in text should maintain consistency,including sticking to the same translation version of a particular term throughout the text,and applying translation from translation standards of TCM terminology as well as prestigious TCM terminology dictionaries.It is also suggested that necessary modification should be made according to the context.Last but not least,linguistic errors in translation of the text account for the majority of the errors,especially Chinglish and grammatical errors.Innovations:This study enriches the research objects of TCM terms translation and research contents in this field.It also applies new classification methods to research of the TCM terms translation.The highlight of this study is that it connects TCM term translation to translation of these terms in certain context,specifically,bilingual TCM textbook,making a step forward than those of the previous ones.What's more,this study explores the application of skopos theory to TCM translation,making an effort to analyze TCM terminology translation guided by the scopos theory.Limitations:Firstly,the terms of remoivng-dampness method may not be exhaustive,as they are selected from only one dictionary.Secondly,the comparative translation analysis is conducted based on six versions,failing to include other possible versions.Lastly,the study results need to be tested by experts and practice.