Translating Public Signs Functionally: A Cultural Analysis

Public marks are ever treated as a span for international communicating. Public marks are really of import in existent life. They have played an of import function in modulating people 's behaviour, bettering common apprehensions, seting interpersonal relationship, constructing a harmonious society, etc. Walking on the street of Zhoushan, we can easy happen assorted bilingual public marks. However, harmonizing to my study, the mistranslations and pretermissions of the C-E interlingual rendition of public marks in Zhoushan are really common, which profoundly do injury to Zhoushan 's image.

Thus we should set more accent on their interlingual renditions.

Functionalist attacks provide us with a interlingual rendition theory for the C-E interlingual rendition of public marks, under the counsel of which this paper tries to analyse portion of public marks in Zhoushan and puts frontward some interlingual rendition schemes, trusting to do a part to bettering Zhoushan 's C-E mark interlingual rendition quality.

This paper foremost introduces some related information of public marks, such as the definition, categorization, features of public marks, etc and so introduces the theoretical footing of C-E mark interlingual rendition of this paper-functionalism, including some of its of import basic constructs.

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By a instance survey, the writer analyzes some mistakes and errors of parts of C-E mark interlingual rendition in Zhoushan and puts frontward some advisable interlingual rendition schemes based on functionalism. In the decision, some restrictions such as the clip and the writers ' capacity are finally explained.

In add-on, many experts have put forward their ain apprehensions of its definition.

Harmonizing to Professor Dai Zongxian and Professor Lu Hefa, public marks are `` the words and artworks that are closely related to the life, production, ecology and the profession of the populace in order to supply information of notifying, directing, exposing, and warning '' ( Dai & A ; Lu , 2005: 38 ) . Professor Zhang Meifang defines the significance as `` the notices published by both governmental bureaus and non-governmental bureaus in public topographic points, including route marks, signboards, bulletin boards and mottos '' ( Zhang, 2006: 29 ) . Based on the several bookmans ' researches, Professor Pi Demin offers a re-definition: `` public marks, a sort of particular practical manner, are displayed or broadcast in public topographic points through written or spoken linguistic communication and in writing symbols besides when necessary in order to recognize certain communicative intent and assist the multitudes to understand better '' ( Pi, 2010: 131 ) .

Enlightening texts are aimed at conveying `` information to the receiving system '' ( Shuttleworth & A ; Cowie, 2004: 73 ) . The linguistic communication dimension used to convey the information is logical or referential, the content or 'topic ' is the chief focal point of the communicating '' ( Munday, 2010: 73 ) . Therefore enlightening marks are besides aimed at giving the receiving systems some information. Take a hotel mark from GRAND BARONY ZHOUSHAN as an illustration ( See Picture 1.1 ) . This mark informs the invitees of the check-out procedure clip and that excess fees will be charged after the check-out procedure clip.

Harmonizing to Reiss, when mentioning to expressive texts, `` the major feature is that they include an aesthetic constituent. '' ( Shuttleworth & A ; Cowie, 2004: 56 ) . `` The writer or 'sender ' is foregrounded, every bit good as the signifier of the message '' ( Munday, 2010: 73 ) . Her thought of expressive texts is `` restricted to the aesthetic facets of literary or poetic texts '' ( Nord, 2001: 41 ) . Unlike Reissi??her pupil Christine Nord thinks that the expressive texts in her theoretical account refer to `` the transmitter 's attitude toward the objects and phenomena of the universe '' ( ibid ) . Consequently, we can use expressive texts to public marks as good. For illustration, ( See Picture 1.2 ) , this mark can be clearly seen in forepart of the entryway of Mount Puoto, which expresses the addresser 's ( the scenic zone ) friendly attitude towards the addressees ( the invitees ) .

When mentioning to functionalism, we frequently come up with the `` German School '' of functionalism. However, in Christine Nord 's celebrated book Translation as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained, she defines a broader definition for it: `` 'Functionalism ' is a wide term for assorted theories that approach interlingual rendition in this manner. A figure of bookmans subscribe to functionalism and draw inspiration from Skopostheorie without naming themselves anything like 'skopists ' '' ( Nord, 2001: 1 ) . From her definition, we can see that non merely the `` German School '' belongs to functionalism. Besides, harmonizing to Professor Jia Wenbo, there are besides other bookmans who belong to functionalism, including British bookman Peter Newmark and American bookman Eugene A. Nida. As a consequence, this paper will briefly concentrate on the three types of functionalism.

This mark was set up at the issue of Wugongshi Dock. It is a common error which I have seen many times in Zhoushan. The Chinese version indicates the cordial reception of the staff in the dock, but it is misused. Let 's expression at the use of `` welcome '' . `` Welcome '' in English can be used as a noun, a transitive verb, an adjectival and an exclaiming. When it is a transitive verb, it has three significances: ( 1 ) to recognize antimony in a friendly manner when they arrive someplace. ( 2 ) to be pleased that antimony has come or has joined an organisation, activity, etc. ( 3 ) to be pleased to have or accept somatotropin. All above-named significances do non suit for the context. `` Welcome '' should be used when you greet sb. Here `` ?¬?e?Z '' is a manner to ask for antimony to come to the dock once more. Thus `` welcome '' and `` ?¬?e?Z '' are non functionally equal. `` Welcome '' has another use when it is an exclaiming, viz. `` welcome '' plus `` to someplace '' . `` Welcome to China '' is such an illustration. But it has n't the use of `` welcome '' plus `` to make sth '' . To sum up, the proper English version should be `` Look Forward to Your Following Visit. ''

Matter-of-fact mistakes are really serious jobs and transcribers should take duty for these mistakes. Thus the scheme to better the C-E mark interlingual rendition from the matter-of-fact position is to bring forth more qualified transcribers. A qualified transcriber should possess non merely solid interlingual rendition cognition, accomplishments and cultural consciousness, but besides a painstaking attitude. On the one manus, without solid cognition and cultural consciousness, a transcriber can non decently do the interlingual rendition work and even do errors. On the other manus, the attitude of the transcribers is besides really of import. Translation is similar to scientific researches, which pay much attending to one 's attitude. Therefore, the transcribers should bear in head the duty and follow an sincere attitude.

Public marks play a really of import function in the day-to-day life for both the Chinese and the aliens. Consequently, the interlingual rendition of these marks seems to be really indispensable. Therefore, I attempt to do an probe of C-E marks in Zhoushan. At present, bilingual marks can be found in many topographic points in Zhoushan. However, through my observation, the interlingual rendition versions are so far from satisfactory that it will do misinterpretation for the aliens and even damage Zhoushan 's image. Thus it is necessary for me to transport on a instance survey here and eventually I finished this paper.

As for the paper, the writer uses four chapters to complete it. To get down with, the paper introduces some related information of public marks, such as the definition, categorization, features, etc. Then the paper introduces some of import basic constructs of functionalism. In add-on, from the functionalist attacks, this paper analyzes the interlingual rendition mistakes of public marks by a batch of illustrations collected in Zhoushan. Furthermore, the paper puts frontward some schemes from the matter-of-fact, cultural and lingual position.

Through my study, I have made some decisions about the current state of affairs of public marks in Zhoushan. On the one manus, the sum of bilingual marks is severely lacking. On the other manus, there are so many mistakes in the C-E marks interlingual rendition. It indicates the inefficiency of the C-E marks in Zhoushan.

It should be pointed out that because of the broad scope of marks, the limited clip and the writer 's energy, there are besides some restrictions about the paper. What 's more, the schemes the writer puts frontward can non be applied to all state of affairss. Further surveies need to be carried out.