A Report On Sci-tech E-C Translation Under Catford's Translation Shifts Theory

With the rapid development of technology,valuable scientific products are entering into our daily life,and a large quantity of sci-tech texts have emerged at the same time.For the purpose of information communication and development of science and technology,it is indispensable to refer to and translate the foreign sci-tech literature.As a carrier of communication tool,sci-tech texts with the accuracy,simplicity and standardization also push a high demand on translators.The source text,alternatively termed as ST in the present report,named Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle,is part of the original English book published by McGraw-Hill in the United States.The textual features of this book are embodied in the higher level of science and education.At the lexical level,the technical vocabulary and semi-technical vocabulary are widely used,and the compound words and abbreviations are in common occurrence.At the syntactic level,the way of expression and writing of this book is fully accord with the characteristics of scientific and technological texts,which is reflected on the widely-used passive voice,assertive sentences,non-finite verbs,and non-restrictive attributive clause,etc.In the translation process,in order to improve the readability of target text,alternatively termed as TT in the present report,the translator applies Catford's translation shifts theory as the theoretical basis.This theory is devoted to two aspects,namely,level shifts and category shifts,and it can offer a strong theoretical basis.Based on the translation shifts theory,this report analyzes the translation process at the lexis and syntax level by exemplification in the chapter four,including the translation of plural form of English nouns and the English tense and mood under level shifts;the shifts between assertive sentences and negative sentences,English passive voice,the translation of topic prominence sentences and subject prominence sentences,class shifts,and the shifts from word to group under the category shifts.Through the writing of translation report and theoretical study,the translator finds that Catford's translation shifts theory is highly suitable for the translation of sci-tech texts.In lexical translation,the translator analyzes the word class by category shifts,including the shifts among nouns,verbs,adjectives and prepositions.In syntactic translation,by the translation from English long sentences to Chinese short sentences and from English passive voice to Chinese active voice under the structure shifts theory,etc.,the readability of the TT is largely enhanced.