外国语简谈翻译技巧之增译法与减译法学士学位论文

简谈翻译技巧之—增译法与减译法On Translation Techniques-----

Amplification and Omission

He YuLin

何玉林

Under the Supervision of

Liao Hong

School of Foreign Languages and Cultures

Panzhihua University

May 2006

Contents

摘要.................................................................................................I Abstract............................................................................................II Introduction.................................................................................................III Chapter 1Brief Introduction .. (1)

1.1The Definition of Translation. (1)

1.2The Definition and Importance of the Two Techniques (1)

Chapter 2Amplification and Omission. (3)

2.1 Amplification (3)

2.1.1 Structural Amplification (4)

2.1.2 Semantic Amplification. (6)

2.1.3 Rhetorical Amplification. (7)

2.1.4 Exteriorized Amplification (7)

2.1.5 Words Supplied for Syntactic Construction and Semantic Completion (8)

2.1.6 Supplying the Omitted words in the Original Text in Translation (10)

2.1.7 Supplying Category Words (10)

2.1.8 Supplying Overlapping Words or Numerals to Express the Plural Form of Nouns (11)

2.2Omission (12)

2.2.1 English---Chinese Translation (13)

2.2.2 Chinese---English Translation (16)

Chapter3S imilarities between the Two Translation Techniques (19)

Conclusion (21)

Notes (22)

Bibliography (23)

Acknowledgement (24)

摘要

本文以翻译技巧------增译法和减译法为核心，详细论述了两种翻译技巧在翻译中的具体运用和作用。全文分为三个部分：首先，简单介绍了较为重要的八种翻译技巧，并着重指出增译法与减译法的重要性；其次，详细地阐述了增译法与减译法在翻译中的具体运用和作用；最后，通过分析比较，归纳总结出增译法和减译法的共性。

关键词

增译法；减译法；翻译技巧；原文；译文

Abstract

The thesis, centering on the two kinds of translation techniques------Amplification and Omission, makes a careful and detailed analysis of their application and function in translation. The thesis is divided into three parts: Firstly, it gives a brief introduction to the eight translation techniques, and stresses the importance of Amplification and Omission. Secondly, it expounds and demonstrates their usages in translation. Thirdly, it draws a conclusion about the similarities of the two translation techniques through analysis and comparison.

Key Words

Amplification ; omission ; translation techniques ; original text ; translation version

Introduction

Throughout the world, there are many books about translation techniques, all of which have their own demonstrations and explanations. However, as English learners, it is very difficult to understand or get a clear idea about the translation techniques, not speaking of proper use in practice. Translation is a creative language action, and it is an art. The core in translation is to express the original text mood exactly and completely is the core in translation. On the prerequisite of faithfulness and smoothness, it is needed to shake off the yoke of the language translated into, and make the version accord with the language translated into more idiomatically. To understand and express the original meaning correctly, it is necessary to master some translation techniques. In this thesis, the author makes a careful analysis of some types of translation techniques, basing on the great numbers of examples in reference books. What’s more, the author makes an emphasis on the two most important and popular translation techniques: Amplification and Omission.

Chapter 1 Brief Introduction

1.1The Definition of Translation

The communication between people speaking different languages must depend on translation, without which the communication cannot be carried through effectively. Then, what is translation?

Some people believe it is a science, others take it as an art, a bilingual art; and yet many consider it as a craft, or rather, a skill. Of these varied opinions, which one holds the truth? Translation means the conversion of an expression from one language into another. To say it plainly, translation is an art to reproduce the author’s ideas by means of a language different from the original text. From the definition above, it is known that the original thought of the text must be kept as far as possible. Nothing should be added to or taken away from the original work. A translator’s responsibility is simply to convert the vocabulary, not the thought. In translation, therefore, there are two essential elements: accuracy and expressiveness. Accuracy is to make the thought definite and exact, while expressiveness is to make the translation vivid and attractive, and make the translation clearer and more readable to the readers.

1.2The Definition and Importance of the Two Translation

Techniques

There are in the main eight translation techniques and principles in translation, either from English to Chinese or vice versa. They are: repetition, amplification, omission, conversion, inversion, division, negation and the change of the voices. Among them, amplification and omission are the two most commonly used techniques. By amplification it means to supply necessary words in the translation work to make the version correct and clear, to make it appear more like the language translated into. Words thus supplied should be indispensable either syntactically or semantically. While omission is a technique opposite to amplification, it means to omit some original words in the version. Some of the words are indispensable to the original, but to the version, they are quite unnecessary. So it is necessary to omit them to make the translation concise, smooth and natural.

For the next part, a better understanding about amplification and omission will be given.

Chapter 2 Amplification and Omission

2.1Amplification

Generally speaking, a good translation, is a bit longer than the original text (it does not mean that a good translation must be longer than the original text) primarily because translators must faithfully turn the obvious form of the original language into the target language, and at the same time, must convey what is implied in the original context, especially closely connected with the background of the original culture and history into the target language.

“The difficulties for the readers of translation lie in what’s implied in the original, and then translators should make some adaptations in the light of specific conditions to enable readers to understand the translations more easily, which is similar to a boa that twines itself around an animal and squeezes it hard to make it longer and thinner before it can swallow the animal more easily. Nothing is lost in the animal itself but the shape of the animal is changed by being squeezed and pressed. ”(Zhou Fangzhu, P87,2000) A translator must, sometimes, add something (that is implied but not obviously expressed in words) to the original in his translation to give explanations, and translation is thus lengthened, form changed, but the meaning of the original text remains unchanged, and it is only adapted to the capability of readers.

The words added in translation must be indispensable (absolutely necessary) either syntactically or semantically.

The precondition of amplification is to keep the original meaning, and at the same time to keep the version more precise and smooth. Yan Fu said: “If the idea of the original text is profound and cannot be easily understood. It is necessary to take alterations or amplifications so as to make the idea clear. All of this is done for the purpose of expressiveness. To be expressive means to be faithful.”(Sun Ping P62, 2004) When translating English into Chinese, amplification is often used to represent the original meaning so as to be more faithful and more idiomatically in accord with Chinese grammar. In the following parts, amplification shall be demonstrated from eight aspects.

2.1.1 Structural Amplification

This kind of amplification is used when the grammatical structures of the two languages concerned are quite different. Look at the following cases:

2.1.1.1 Amplifying a Subject

As for subject, sometimes there are no subjects in both the English and Chinese languages.

Then when translating, it is required to add subjects to make the version clearer.

(1)恐怕他不会来了。

I am afraid he will not come.

(2)The journey which has brought me to Peking has been a long one. Long

when measured in miles. Long when measured in time.

我来北京的旅途是漫长的。用里程衡量，它是漫长的。用时间衡量，

它也是漫长的。

From the two examples above, it is known that how it is used in both the languages. If not, the version may make the reader confused.

2.1.1.2 Amplifying a Predicate Verb

In Chinese, sometimes some words don’t belong to predicate verbs, but they can represent the action. When translating from Chinese into English, it is required to add verbs to the sentence. So does the translation from English into Chinese.

(3)她面色苍白，手冰冷。

Her face is pale and her hands are cold.

(4)The dean had a lot of work to do before the meeting.

主任在出席会议之前还有很多的工作要做。

Of these two sentences, if they don’t supply the predicate verbs, the versions are also acceptable, but it seems that they are not understandable.

2.1.1.3 Amplifying an Object

(5)你越讲空洞的大道理，人家就越感到讨厌。

The more you elaborate on empty theories, the more people disgust them.

(6) After my conversion I soon became sufficiently known as a socialist orator

to have no further need to seek out public debates: I was myself sought after.

在我改变信仰以后，很快就以社会主义演说家而闻名。名气足以使我不必再去寻求公开辩论会，我自己成了寻求的对象。

For the two sentences, it is clear that if objects are not added, the meaning of the sentences is not clear. The readers may be confused. For the example (6), if the object “信仰” were not added to the version, the readers may not understand what it means.

2.1.1.4 Amplifying an Attributive

In translation, sometimes, attributive can be supplied to make the translation version more acceptable.

(7)她闭上眼睛，把手放在他的手里。

She closed her eyes and put her hands into his.

(8)As an Oriental, I cannot but be proud of your historic achievement.

作为一个东方人，我不得不为你们所取得的历史性成就感到骄傲。For this part, the attributive can make the sentences more clear. For the example (7), if the attributive “her” is omitted, the sentence is also acceptable. But the meaning is unclear. For the example (8),without the words “所取得”, the Chinese version seems smoothly in meaning, however, it can not reach the function of amplification.

2.1.1.5 Amplifying an Adverbial

(9) The big sites, which had the important politic, economic and religious

things going on, are almost all gone.

那些大遗址，过去曾是重要的政治，经济和宗教活动的场所，现在几

乎荡然无存了。

2.1.1.6 Amplifying a Connective

(10)不努力就不会成功。

One will not succeed unless one works hard.

(11) The best lubricant cannot maintain oil films between the surfaces of

engineering gears.

即使最好的润滑油，在机械的齿合处也保不住油膜。

As for the example (9), in translation, if the adverbials “过去and 现在” are added to the version, a sharp contrast would be given. As for the example (10) and (11), the connectives “unless”and “即使”can make the sentences more coherent and dense.

2.1.2 Semantic Amplification

While translating, it is easy to meet with the case in which the original meaning of a sentence is complete and clear, but it is rather difficult to translate it into a sentence

with complete and clear meaning. In this case, it is necessary to add something to the translation so as to make up the semantic inadequateness of the version. For example:

(1)谁都知道那里很艰苦。

Everyone knows that life there was rather difficult.

(2)Today the school-leaving age is 16, many girls stay at school after that

age.

如今，允许离校的年龄定在16岁，许多女孩过了这个年龄还要继续

在学校读书学习。

For the two sentences, if the words “life”and “读书学习”are not added for the supplement of the meaning, the two sentences is unclear in semantic.

2.1.3Rhetorical Amplification

It seems that there is such a kind of feeling: what’s translated is not as vivid as that of the original text, or it seems that the version is not so precise. In that case, if something rhetorical is added to the version, the original mood of emotion can be well expressed.

(1) At thirty-five, she had first learned what it is to be a mother.

她到35岁的时候，才生平第一次尝到了做母亲的滋味。

(2) It is a bit fishy that the old man should have given away a villa like that.

那么好端端的一座别墅，那个老人竟然白白地送了人，个中颇有蹊跷。With the rhetorical words “才生平”,“好端端”and “白白地”, they make the two sentences more vivid. Without them, the two sentences are monotonous.

2.1.4Exteriorized Amplification

“The so-called “exteriorize” means to expressing the deep meaning or the implied meaning of the content on the surface. For example, when translating something concerning a historical background or a quotation in a literary work, which the original writer and the reader of the original text are both quite familiar with, but the reader of the translation may not, it is needed to exteriorize it to make it

understandable. In this case, a brief explanation can be given accordingly to help understanding.” (Sun Ping, P65, 2004) The following are the cases in point:

(1)In Grand Republic, we say “Beehouse”as you say Adams or Cecil or

Pignatelli.

在大共和国里，一提起姓“比霍”的，就跟你们提起亚当姆斯，西塞尔

和潘纳特里这些闻名美国的大家族一样，几乎人人皆知。

(2)He discovered thousands of previously unidentified rock art sites across

Arnhem Land.

在澳大利亚北部地区阿纳姆地，他发现了成千上万个以前从未有人识别的石艺场址。

If these words “闻名美国的”, “几乎人人皆知” and “在澳大利亚北部地区”are not added to, the readers can not understand the exact meaning of the version.

2.1.5Words Supplied for Syntactic Construction and Semantic

Completion

The former is to meet the needs of the syntax of the target language and the latte for the clearness and completion of the original meaning expressed in the target language, but both are used for good readability. The following examples are used to prove the necessity of the words supplied for syntactic construction and semantic completion. The first example:

(1) 人民犯了法，也要受处罚，也要坐班房，也有死刑。

When anyone among the people breaks the law, he too should be punished, imprisoned or even sentenced to death.

Instead of turning “人民”into “the people”, a collective noun in English, the sentence is translated into “anyone among the people” by adding “anyone among” and “when”which are actually involved in the original text. Suppose that “人民”is

directly translated into “the people” (without adding “when” and “anyone among” ), the meaning of the original text will be misrepresented.

The second example:

(2) 其实世上本没有路，走的人多了，也便成了路。

——鲁迅《故乡》

For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made.

Without adding “to begin with”, the parts of translation would fail to be logically connected with each other, without adding “but when”, the translation would not be in agreement with the syntax of the English language. Therefore, the phrases “to begin with” in Example (2) and the words “anyone among” in Example (1) are the words supplied for semantic completion, and the words “when”, “he”in Example (1) and “but when” in Example (2) are for syntactic construction.

The third example:

(3)You got a prejudice all right---against a race that’s black. That’s why I called

you white racist that night. But when you deal with a black person, I don’t

feel any bad vices.

你这个人的确有偏见。你对整个黑人种族抱有偏见。那天晚上，我说你是个白人种族主义者，道理就在这里。但是当你和一个具体的黑人打交道时，我倒不觉得你有什么恶意。

Without adding the syntactic word “你”, and semantic words“整个”, “具体的”and rhetorical word “倒不”,the readers can not get the exact meaning of the original text. The forth example:

(4) The V sign itself is a challenge, for the famous Churchill Ian invention that

used to mean Allied Victory is no longer valid. Instead of having to do with war, V today is made to mean peace.

V形手势本身就是一种挑战。因为丘吉尔的这个著名的发明，当年曾作为盟

国胜利的标志。如今这层意思已不复存在。今天V形手势被用来表示和平。

If the words “当年”, “如今”and“今天”are not added to the versions for syntactic construction and semantic completion, the meaning of the translation versions is unclear for the readers.

From all these examples, it can be seen that amplification in translation is the further explanation of the unspoken words left in the original text, and the words supplied are in harmony with the original text in essence and in agreement with the receptor language in syntax.

Moreover, amplification can be done under the following three conditions: by supplying the words that are omitted in the original, by supplying category words and by supplying overlapping or numeral words. The author shall talk about this in the following passages.

2.1.6Supplying the Omitted Words in the Original Text in Translation

Omission is frequently used in English instead of the rhetorical device so as to meet the needs of the English syntax. However, in nine cases out of ten, what’s omitted must be supplied in translation, which will otherwise disagree with the syntax of the target language or misrepresent the meaning of the original text. The example is as the following:

Histories make man wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores.

读史使人明智，读诗使人灵秀，数学使人周密，科学使人深刻，伦理学使人庄重，逻辑修辞学使人善辩。凡有所学，皆成性格。

The original English text omitted some words, when in translation version, if the