L07 Conversion (I).ppt

Conversion 转换译法 Translation Techniques Public Signs Public Signs Can you work out the rules? No Thoroughfare → 禁止通行 Adj.+N → V+V No Parking → 禁止停车 Adj.+N → V+V No Passing → 禁止超车 Adj.+N → V+V Under Construction → 正在施工 P+N →be+ing+V No Admittance → 闲人免进 Adj.+N → Adj.+N+V What we have learnt just now? Many English nouns (noun phrases) are translated into Chinese verbs (verbal phrases). Conversion ~ means the change of the parts of speech in translation, and it is one of the commonly adopted techniques by experienced translators. Practice: He is a good eater and a good sleeper. 他能吃能睡。(N→V) …and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. (Lincoln: The Gettysburg Address) ……使这个民有、民治、民享的政府与世长存。 Electricity power became the servant of man only after the motor was invented. 电动机发明之后，电力才开始造福人类。 English Nouns vs. Chinese Verbs English: noun-dominated language, frequently uses the nominal style (名词化表达法). Chinese: verb-dominated language, frequently uses the verbal style (动词化表达法). (You can refer to your textbook, p.78) Noun-dominance of English 1. Strict grammatical rules of English. There is only one predicate verb in an English sentence, unless joined by conjunctions. Much freer in usage for the nouns. They may function as subject, object, the object to preposition, the predicate, the complement, the attributive, and occasionally the adverbial. 2. Thinking patterns of the English speaking people. Noun-dominance of English English speaking people are used to thinking in abstract concepts, which seem substantive as concrete nouns. They often express actions through abstract nouns, especially those derived from verbs. Verb-dominance of Chinese 1. The strength of Chinese ve