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1、A Brief Analysis on the Translation of English Abstract Nouns浅析英语抽象名词的汉译处理ByLiu XiujuanSupervised byLecturer Deng WentaoMay 20th, 2008College of Foreign Languages and CulturesChengdu University of TechnologyA Brief Analysis on the Translation of English Abstract Nouns Student: Liu Xiujuan Class: 200
2、411010412Supervisor: Lecturer Deng WentaoAbstract English and Chinese, which fall into separate language families, are widely different in terms of semantics and usage mode. It is noted that English is a language remarkable for its “preponderance of nouns”; while Chinese is characterized by frequent
3、 use of verbs and adjectives to highlight action and description. This difference between the two languages has always posed difficulties for the translation since one is liable to produce a translated text that reads awkward or even unintelligible unless one is adequately equipped with practical ex
4、perience and theoretical guidance. Translation, to a large extent, can be defined as a reproduction of the original text in another language. Therefore，for translation of English abstract noun into Chinese, the widely-admitted criterion Dynamic equivalence proposed by Nida , can be assumed as an aim
5、 strived for. The present thesis consists of five parts: the Introduction presents an overview of the differences between English and Chinese; Chapter One is chiefly concerned with the derivations of English abstract nouns; Chapter Two concerns the principles of translation and accordingly offers st
6、rategies for the translation of English abstract noun into Chinese; Chapter Three discusses the differences between English and Chinese, serving as theoretical support for the preceding chapters; The conclusion is a summing-up of the whole paper.Key words: abstract noun; equivalence; translation ski
7、lls 浅析英语抽象名词的汉译处理 学生： 班号：200411010412指导教师： 讲师摘要英语和汉语分属不同语系，两种语言差异涉及面很广。从词法层面上看，表现为英语的名词表现力特别强，呈现出名词占优势的特点，抽象名词的使用已成现代英语的一大趋势；而汉语则缺乏词汇形态变化，动词、形容词使用频繁，强调具体概念的形象表达。本文的探析基于这样一个事实, 即英语中存在大量抽象名词,而且使用极为灵活, 使用抽象名词已成一种趋势；相对而言,汉语则措辞具体,多用动词，形容词。正因英汉两种语言的显著差别，我们在翻译这类抽象名词时常常会出现思维阻隔。而翻译从本质上来说是把一种语言信息转变成另一种语言信息的活动
8、，从此种意义上来说，奈达的“动态对等”原则可作为翻译的理论指导和目标。为准确地传达英文抽象名词所包含的信息,同时兼顾表达符合汉语习惯, 在具体翻译实践中,掌握一些翻译策略和技巧是非常必要的。本文分为五部分：引言导出英汉种语言存在显著差别；第一章介绍了英语中抽象名词的构成特点及翻译的一般原则；第二章结合名译实例，讨论了常用的翻译技巧，其中包括转译法、增词（成句）法、借用修辞法等；第三章着重分析英汉语言在词法和句式上的区别，为上述翻译技巧提供理论支持；结语部分提出,在翻译英语抽象名词时,需进行从抽象到具体的转化,使译文更加符合汉语的表达习惯。关键词：抽象名词；对等性；翻译技巧； ContentsA
9、bstracti摘要iiIntroduction11. Derivations of English Abstract Nouns11.1 Derivation from Verb21.2 Derivation from Adjective22. Translation Principles and Skills32.1 Translation Principles32.2 Translation Skills42.2.1 Conversion42.2.1.1 Noun into Verb42.2.1.2 Noun into Adjective5a.A/an +Abstract Noun St
10、ructure5b.Of + Abstract Noun Structure6c.Suffixed Abstract Noun62.2.1.3 Noun into Adverb62.2.2 Addition72.2.2.1 Adding Concrete Noun.72.2.2.2 Adding Verb.82.2.3 Rhetoric Device83. Comparison between English and Chinese93.1 Semantic Difference93.2 Dissimilarity in Sentence Structure10Conclusion11Ackn
11、owledgements.11Endnotes13References14A Brief Analysis on the Translation of English Abstract Nouns浅析英语抽象名词的汉译处理Introduction It has long been noticed that English and Chinese differ a lot from each other in various aspects. Predominance of nouns in English is particularly one of the most distinctive
12、features from Chinese, which, is a language noted for the inclination of using reified words, like verbs and adjectives. This difference can be further stated as a fact that English tend to use abstract nouns for concrete entities, while, Chinese, on the other hand, has a preference to material word
13、s. Due to this contrast, it is likely to put one into trouble if a mere mechanical or word-for- word method is applied to the E-C translation of English abstract nouns. With this problem, the solution can be turned to certain translation techniques which mostly are obtained from a comprehensive comp
14、arison between English and Chinese, and also of course, the study of translation principles. Translation of English abstract nouns into Chinese is an old topic. There is no doubt about the fact that many domestic and foreign translators have been working on it from different angles and have made gre
15、at contributions. The author, far from being knowledgeable to open a new perspective in this respect, is trying to make a tentative probe into the translation skills regarding E-C translation of abstract nouns and hope to contribute a little to this field. 1. Derivations of English Abstract NounsUpo
16、n the comparative study of English and Chinese by predecessors, it can be verified that English is extraordinarily productive in creating nouns, especially abstract nouns; A fact which requires special attention is that English is rich in devices for forming abstract nouns, among which adding suffix
17、es like ness、 -tion、-ship、 -hood、-dom、-th、-al and-ment are the most common. According to the bases from which abstract nouns are derived, they can be classified into two categories: Derivation from verb and Derivation from adjective.1.1 Derivation from Verb Nouns obtained through verbal nominalizati
18、on are associated in meaning to these bases in a series of ways:1. -AGE, assemblage, blockage, breakage, stoppage, storage, wastage, etc.2. -AL, bestowal, betrayal, burial, committal, dismissal, portrayal, renewal, withdrawal, etc.3. -ANCE, acceptance, attendance, performance, dominance, observance,
19、 tolerance, etc.4. -ATION (-TION, -ION), action, production, protection, reaction, realization, reduction, etc. 5. -ENCE, adherence, coherence, insistence, occurrence, persistence, transference, etc.6. -MENT, discouragement, employment, retirement, etc.These derivations represent the process or stat
20、e of the corresponding verbs.1.2 Derivation from AdjectiveCases are as follows:1. -ABILITY (-IBILITY, -BILITY), ability, applicability, contemptibility, desirability, etc.2. -NESS, attractiveness, rudeness, sadness, sickness, ugliness, weakness, youthfulness, etc.3. -ISM, cynicism, extremism, intern
21、ationalism, modernism, nationalism, etc.4. -ITY, absurdity, brutality, creativity, curiosity, diversity, simplicity, superiority, etcThose abstract nouns，which are derived from adjectives by adding suffixes are closely related to them in meaning and usually represent a kind of quality or a certain i
22、dea.As listed above, many abstract nouns are formed by the addition of nominal marking derivative affixes to words. Langacker, the world famous cognitive linguist, points out that the nature of nominalization is the reification of an event and thereby “suspending sequential scanning, delimiting a re
23、gion of conceptual space, and construct a process temporally as an object or a thing”.1Derived from corresponding verbs or adjectives, the abstract nouns in English are very capable of expressing ideas in a simple and concise way. This marks the difference between English and Chinese and also partly
24、 is an explanation for the tendency of nominalization in modern English.2. Translation Principles and SkillsThis chapter is to introduce the principles of translation and focus much on the concept “equivalence” proposed by Nida. It is then to analyze many good examples from excellent translation mat
25、erials so as to find certain rules of translation in this topic. 2.1 Translation PrinciplesThe communication between people speaking different languages must depend on translation, without which the communication cannot be carried through effectively. The translation principle is by far an old topic
26、, on which many theorists proposed different viewpoints. According to Fu Lei, spirit is more important than form. He said, Our emphasis must be put on the closeness of spirit rather than of form. This principle is applicable to the E-C translation of English abstract nouns for the existence of diffe
27、rences between the two languages. Also Nidas definition to translation was that Translation is to reappear the information of the original in the version from semantics to style with the most appropriate and natural equivalent language.2 All these proposals focus attention on the expressiveness of S
28、L in the TL which is achieved by adoption of translation skills or strategies.Again, translation is a language activity in which the content of one language reappears in another language. This is the process in which the content of one language is changed into that of another while the message is we
29、ll-kept. The famous American translation theorist Eugene A.Nida holds that “Translation consists in the reproduction in the receptor language of the message of the source language in such a way that the receptors in the receptor language may be able to understand adequately how the original receptor
30、 of the source language understood the original message”2. He insists that anything expressed in one language can nevertheless be expressed in another language; People with different languages from different cultures can surely communicate with each other，by seeking equivalence，reorganizing the form
31、 and the semantic structure of the original message，in proper ways，of course. Translation thus can be considered not only a science with its own laws and methods but also a reproduction and re-creation. It should be noted that since translation involves different languages, cultures and different wa
32、ys of thinking; to translate means to convey the message in the source language into the target language, so it must be as equivalent as possible. However, what we call “equivalence” is but an abstract concept and an ideal aim, absolute equivalence is almost impossible in practical translation. Thus
33、, the task of translators, in a most general sense, is to reproduce the original contents by proper use of translation methods and skills, so as to achieve equivalent effect among the target readers.2.2 Translation SkillsThe following is to analyze many good examples from excellent translation mater
34、ials so as to find certain rules of translation in this topic. Conversion is a method very useful in translation to get the result of preciseness and smoothness. In translating the English abstract nouns, conversion of parts of speech can make the translation more natural and smooth since it takes i
35、nto account the grammatical rules and habitual expression modes of Chinese. Cases in which conversion should occur are as follows:2.2.1 Conversion2.2.1.1 Noun into VerbAn English noun possessing the property of a verb or derived from a verb is often transformed into a verb when translated into Chine
36、se. Lets take a sentence for example,E.g. The use of bacteriological weapons is a clear violation of the international law.使用细菌武器显然违反国际法。The Chinese version is quite natural. The words use” and violation in the original sentence are both nouns, but they are converted into verbs in the translation. I
37、f word-for-word translation method is applied, the version of 细菌武器的使用是一种国际法的明显违反is bound to be awkward and obscure in meaning.It is evident that the first version sounds natural due to effective use of the technique of conversion from English nouns into Chinese verbs.2.2.1.2 Noun into AdjectiveAs st
38、ated above，nouns contain a much wider meaning and are more frequently used in English than in Chinese. It is no surprise that some abstract nouns are closely related to their corresponding adjectives in meaning. If we，in our translated text，keep their word forms according to what they really are in
39、the original text，we are bound to get into trouble. In order to make our translation read more natural and conformable to the expression habits of the Chinese language，we can but make necessary adaptations in the light of specific conditions，that is，transform the above-mentioned nouns into adjective
40、s from which they are directly derived.a. A/an +Abstract Noun StructureThose abstract nouns, receded by an indefinite article are transformed into adjectives in our translation for a more appropriate and natural effect. E.g. It is often a great sorrow to me. 所以我时常觉得很难过。b. Of + Abstract Noun Structur
41、eThere is in English an “of + abstract noun ”construction，serving as the predicative of the original sentence, with the abstract noun indicating characteristics or qualities of things and being closely related to their same-rooted adjectives, often transformed into the corresponding Chinese “be + ad
42、jective” construction with the abstract noun in the original sentence transformed into a Chinese adjective.E.g. But it is of small importance. 不过这也无关紧要。c. Suffixed Abstract Noun Some abstract nouns，which are derived from adjectives by adding suffixes and closely related to them in meaning，are more o
43、ften than not transformed into adjectives，which on the whole makes the translation be in better keeping with the expression habits of the Chinese language and read more natural and fluent.E.g. There is such an expression of goodness in his countenance! Such an openness and gentleness in his manner.
44、他的面貌那么善良，他的风格那么文雅。E.g. We are deeply convinced of the correctness of this Policy and firmly determined to pursue it. 我们深信这一政策是正确的，并有坚定的信心继续奉行这一政策。2.2.1.3 Noun into AdverbE.g.:I have the honor to inform you that your request is granted 我荣幸地通知您，您的请求已得到批准。E.g.: The new mayor earned some appreciation by
45、 the courtesy of coming to visit the city poor. 新市长有礼貌地前来访问城市贫民，获得了他们的一些好感。This conversion is adopted to make the version conform to the idiomatic Chinese expression. Though the conversion of English nouns into Chinese adverbs is far from being a universal Phenomenon in translation，nor is there any
46、great necessity for doing that. Some excellent translations，however，demonstrate to us that the transformation of English nouns into Chinese adverbs sometimes makes a more natural and smooth translation.2.2.2 Addition Addition is another commonly used method in translating. The so-called addition mea
47、ns to add some appropriate words or phrases in order to conform to the modes of expression of the target language. The precondition of addition is to keep the original meaning and at the same time make the version more precise and smoother. As Yan Fu argued that “if the idea of the original is profound and cannot be easily understood, we must make the necessary alterations or amplifications”.4 This method is o
