Explicitation Strategy In The Translation Of Popular Science

As Chinese and English readers live in different environments,Chinese readers may not be familiar with the stories and examples mentioned in popular science.Without explanation,the target text may be hard for the comprehension of Chinese readers.Then such information should be explicated by using the explicitation strategy to achieve the goal of popularizing scientific knowledge in a reader-friendly way.Séguinot(1988)argues there are three forms of explicitation:something is expressed in the translation which was not in the original,something which was implied or understood through presupposition in the source text is overtly expressed in the translation,or an element in the source text is given greater importance in the translation through focus,emphasis,or lexical choice.Based on Séguinot's theory of explicitation,the author analyzes and defines three explicitation strategies she adopted in translating popular science,namely addition,clarification,and emphasis.Addition can be subdivided into adding modifiers,adding explanations within the text,and adding footnotes,which are used in translating American companies,digital products,software,etc.,where extra background information is needed.Clarification can be subdivided into clarifying references,keeping the original text,and paraphrase,which are applied in translating references and implied information in the source text.Emphasis can be subdivided into using emphatic words and using marks,which are employed in translating conjunctions and language knowledge.The author believes the explicitation strategy can make both the meaning and the logic of the target text clearer and therefore reduces the burden on Chinese readers.It might be employed extensively in popular science translation.