Parts of Teaching Materials of Translation for International Business
Contents
Chapter I A Brief Introduction to Translation
Chapter Ⅱ Business English and Its Language Features Chapter Ⅲ. Criteria of Translation
Part I A brief Introducyion to Translation Standards Both at Home and Abroad
Part II Yan Fu and His Three-point Theory Part III Standard for Business English Translation Chapter Ⅳ The Process of Translation Part Ⅰ Process
Part Ⅱ Comprehension Part III Expression
Part Ⅳ. Multi-expressions
Chapter V Translation Techniques and Methods ? Part 1 Diction Part Ⅱ Extexsion Part III Conversion Part Ⅳ. Amplification Part V Omission Part VI Division
Part VII Translation of English Attributive Clauses
PartVIII Translation Techniques of English Passive Voice PartIX Translation of English Long Sentences
Part X English Business Abbreviations and Their Translation into Chinese
Part XI Translation of Figures
Part XII Translation of Practical Writing (Applied Translation)
Part XIII Translation of Organizations and Company Introduction Part XIV Translation of products descriptions Part XV Translation of Advertisements Part XVI Translation of Business Letters
Part XVII Translation of PR Documents and Business Reports Part XVIII Translation of Contracts
Chapter I A Brief Introduction to Translation I What Is Translation
Translation is,essentially,the faithful representation,in one language,of what is written or said in another language.By faithful
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representation ,it is meant that translating must aim primarily at reproducing the message rather than the keeping of the form of the orginal text.As English and Chinese belong to entirely different language families,there is a great discrepancy between them in cultural setting ,way of thinking,expressions,diction,sentence sructures ,sentence order,etc. For achieving achieving functional equivalence ,that is ,equality of meanings,it often requires adjustment of the orginal form.
e.g.公司简介,公司结构,业务范围,公司历程
Coporate Profile/About Us; Organization Chart; Major Businesses/Business Line; History Different languages have different ways of saying things.For achieving genuine equivalence,sometimes we have to transfer from one form into another.The above serves as a ready instance.
There is an hourly （1）shift from London to Paris （2）known as the Airbus （3）capable of seating 521 people.
从伦敦到巴黎的航线上（2）有一种称之为“空中公汽车”的客机，（3）能够乘坐521名乘客，（1）每小时一航班。
A simple sentence as it is,the original is a bit complicated in structure,containing a participial phrase and an adjective phrase carrying much information.As a Chinese sentence tends to be short and laconic,in translation it is impossible to keep the original structure but necessary to separate it into several parts.Besides, as emphasis falls on action(shift) in the original sentence which goes contrary to the usage of Chinese,so there should be a rearrangement of sentence order in the verion.
Matter can be turned into energy and energy , matter. 物质能够转换成能量，能量能够转换成物质。
You can find out the wave length if you know the frequency. 知道频率，就可以求出波长。 我今天准备吃食堂。
I’m going to have my meals in the dining hall.
In the above three examples, to reproduce the closest natural equivalent ,some adjustments ,including amplification,omission and conversion ,are needed. Types of translation: 1) according to scope full
partial translation2) according to basic methods
free literal
word-for-word translation ( foreignization、domestication ) 3) according to way of work
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translation translator interpretation interpreter 4) according to material
scientific literary
documentary translation
translation of practical writing(including Business English, Tourism English etc.)
5) linguistic elements
the original (source) target (receptor) language II . Translation is the combination of science and art Translation,on one hand,has much to do with linguistics,rhetorics,psychology,sociology,semiotics,etc,and should be governed by their rules.For instance,in doing translation we have to follow the principles and way of work of linguistics to study words and analyse structures.On another hand ,it seeks the help of persons’ inspiration,appreciation and artistic accomplishment.As a result of the above two factors,it can be seen that translation is no easy thing to do, requring painstaking efforts,even if what we translate is a simple sentence.
e.g. He sent me a note of welcome, as sunny as his face. 他送给我一封短信，对我表示欢迎；那信写得热情洋溢，一如其人。
A simple sentence as it is,it is not easy to understand it, including the real or deep meaning of “note”and “sunny”,as the former is a polysemous word and the later is a figurative one.We have to make sure the exact meaning of “note”(a short letter) according to the context and to dig out the extended meaning of “sunny”(warm) here.
Besides,we have also to comprehend the function of “of” in this sentence.
c.f. a book of mine; the city of New York; the overthrow of that reactionary government.
Ⅱ.)Effective (Meaningful) translation is possible because
A..human experience is much alike throughout the world .Everyone eats,sleeps,works,is related to families,experiences love,hatred,jealousy,etc,is capable of loyalty and friendship and employs many facial gestures which are almost universal (laughing,smiling,frowning,etc.) In fact,what people of different cultures have in common is far greater than what separates them from one another. That is,there is normal or standard behavior between languages. B.people tend to think much the same way though they have different cultures.They follow the same train of thought and try to be reasonable in writing or talk.They have the capacity to imagine what other people think and act, and
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C.different Languages have different forms,but they enjoy the same effect.In other words,different forms can be used to suggest the same object,ideas,etc.For example,the English word “school” and its Chinese equivalent “学校” are different in form but are used for expressing the same idea,namely,“a place for people,usually children,to learn.
Chapter Ⅱ Business English and Its Language Features I.What Is Business English?
The English concrened with various fields of commercial activities such as the technology transfer, foreign trade, the introduction of foreign investment, international financing, transnational tourism, international transportation, is as a whole called business English. Business English letters, contracts, telexes and telegrams, documents, advertisements all belong to this category. Business English is a branch of special English in use and an application of English in business occasion. It is classified by many linguists into English for Special Purposes (ESP).
II.Language Features of Business English
I).Business English mainly belongs to expository writing,giving explanation,illustration,classification,instruction definition,etc. and presenting information,facts,figures,numbers,terms,…being objective and impersonal
e.g.”Delivery date” means the second day of the deadline of the operation period.
“转让日期”指运行期最后一天的第二天.(definition)
A contract shall be an agreement whereby the parties establish ,change or terminate their civil relationship.
合同是当事人之间设立、变更、终止民事关系的协议。(definition)
Business is a combination of all these activities：production．distribution and sale，through which profit or economic surplus will be created.
商务是指生产、配送、销售等一切活动的组合，通过这些活动，创造利润和经济盈余。(definition)
The resulting General Ledger subsystem has four parts: entry processing, financial reporting , account detail inquiry and period end processing. 因而总帐的子系统包括四部分：记录处理、财务报告、帐户详细查询、期末处理。(classification)
Generally speaking,telegrams can be divided into two kinds:Plain Language Telegrams and Code Language Telegrams.
一般而言，电报可分为两种：明语电报和电码电报。(classification)
This contract is made out in duplicate in Chinese and in English Language ,one Chinese original copy and one English original copy for each party,both text being equally authentic.
本合同用中文和英文书就,一式二份,双方各执一份中文正本和一份英文正本。
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两种文本具有同等效力。(illustration)
In language ,there is the wide use of simple present tense,passive voice,“it”structure…e.g. It is held/suggested/admitted/acknowledged… It is expected that the Franchisee should understand and support all corporate goals.
期待特许加盟人理解、支持公司所有的目标 It is suggested that this year’s annual meeting of our company be put off till next month. 建议敝公司本年度年会延期至下月举行。 II).Being specialized
Business English is the combination of English and the knowledge of many branches of learning, such as marketing, economics, finance, accountancy and management,as a result of which there is a heavy use of related technical terms（including conversion of common words）. an outstanding cheque 未兑现支票
“Outstanding” in common English means “excellent” or “remarkable” ,but in financial English it suggests “unpaid”.The followings are similar examples.
futures /drugs/buy 期货、滞销货、便宜货
e.g. Force Majeure(不可抗力)，draft at sight（即期汇票），Letter of credit(信用证)，Bill of lading（提单），documents against acceptance(承兑交单)，Bill of exchange(汇票）fixed capital(固定资本) offer（发盘） ;a firm offer（实盘）;counter offer（还盘）
Quotation,price list, proforma invoice and so forth all be be used in an “offer”.
报价单，价格单，形式发票等都可以用作“发盘”。
offer(要约);offerer(要约人);offeree(受要约人);accept(承诺)；acceptor(承诺人)；acceptee(接受承诺人)
Being the best means ensuring that our owner/operators, employees, and suppliers reflect and represent the diverse populations McDonald’s serves around the world.
(成为最佳)还意味着确保我们的业主/经营者、雇员、供应商能折射出并代表麦当劳全球服务各式各样的人群状况。 III).Formal and standard in style
A.Being complete,long and complicated in sentence structure
e.g.With a view to expanding international economiccooperation and technological exchange, the People’ Republic of China permits foreign companies,enterprices,and other economic organizations or individuals to establish equity joint ventures together with Chinese companies , enterprises,or other economic organizations within the territory of the People’s Republic of China on the principle of equality and mutual benefit and subject to approval by the Chinese Government.
中华人民共和国为了扩大国际经济合作和技术交流，容许外国公司、企业和
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