English Translation Of Huang Di’s Classics On Internal Medicine-Ling Shu (Excerpt)

ObjectivesBy translating some key articles of Huong Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu, this paper aims to, on the basis of practical translation experience, analyze the concrete application of different translating skills derived from different kinds of translation theories and the suitable rendering methods for different grammatical units (for example, word elements, words, phrases and sentences and so on). At last, this paper is also trying to summarize a set of applicable translation pattern for classic works of Traditional Chinese Medicine (hereafter referred as TCM) so as to effectively combine two disciplines, namely, English translation (the writer’s major in college) and TCM in order to transmit the most orthodox TCM to other countries of the world.Methods1. Inclusion CriteriaArticles included in this paper are mainly selected from abridged teaching materials published for national higher education of Traditional Chinese Medicine major, including the Lecture Notes of Huang Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu (published by People’s Medical Publishing House Co., Ltd. in the year of 2002) and other two versions of the Selected Reading Materials of Huang Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu published by China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the year of 2003 and by Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publisher in the year of 2010. Referential books of both Chinese and English versions involved in this paper include the following listed, namely, Explanation and Notes to Huang Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu (edition of 2010, published by Zhonghua Book Company), Notes and Expansion of Huang Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu (edition of 2007, published by Xue Yuan Publishing house Co., Ltd.), Understanding to Huang Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu (published by People’s Medical Publishing House Co., Ltd. in the year of 1984), Kang Xi Dictionary (published by Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House in the year of 1996), Notes to Analytical Dictionary of Chinese Characters’Origin (published by Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House in the year of 1988), A Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine (published by People’s Medical Publishing House Co., Ltd. in the year of 2002), A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary of Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Medicine (published by People’s Medical Publishing House Co., Ltd. in the year of 2011), English-Chinese & Chinese-English Dictionary of Chinese Medicine (published by Hunan Scientific and Technical Publisher in the year of 1995) and Chinese-English Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine (published by Guangdong Scientific and Technical Publisher in the year of 1986) and so on.2. Translation methods2.1 Translation PatternsAs a whole, one paragraph of Chinese is followed by its corresponding English translation, that is to say, the source language and the target language is going to be presented alternatively. Nevertheless, given the fact that the language and grammar styles in Huang Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu differ greatly from those of current literature, it is quite necessary for the writer to break them down sentence by sentence. First of all, the translator must have a deep and thorough understanding about the source language from the perspective of a reader and then find out core words, most of which are culture-loaded words so that the central meaning of the sentence still exists in the translated sentence; second of all, the source language should be rendered as accurate as possible; finally, the translator should evaluate, from the view of a target language reader, whether the central meaning or extending meaning of the core words are dynamically equivalent between the source language and the target language and whether the context is coherent and logical in general. At last, to sum it up, the translation pattern should be from "reader of the source language---translator between two languages---reader of the target language" (please refer to the following diagram).2.2 Translation MethodsTranslation for culture loaded words of classic works in TCMConsidering that most of the core words in classic works of TCM are also known as cultured loaded words (for example, Qi, Yin Yang, Tian Gu-i and so on) to which there are no equivalent words to correspond in target language. With the spirit of protecting TCM from losing its original characteristics and of avoiding the double distortion of messages contained in the source language, the translation method of "spelling translation+footnoting" is applied here so as to show all the readers a unique culture and thinking pattern of TCM. Translation for sentences of classic works in TCMThere is no doubt that the final purpose of translation is to achieve obstacle-free exchange between two different kinds of languages and cultures, so in order to guarantee the readability of the translation, the rendering of sentences should be done in a reader-oriented way by mainly applying the method of foreignization. Translation for paragraphs and articles of classic works in TCMCompared with Chinese which has a parataxis oriented feature, English presents itself as a hypotaxis oriented language which emphasizes on structural coherence and formal completeness among sentences and paragraphs, which makes it necessary to rely on various types of connective methods among grammatical parts. So in the process of translating Chinese into English, the dynamic equivalence and logical consistency of the whole article could be achieved by applying such methods as amplification and omission or adding conjunctions when necessary.ResultsGiven the fact that the language and grammar styles in Huang Di’s Classics on Internal Medicine—Ling Shu differ greatly from those of current literature, there is no easy way to offer a generalized translation method for different grammatical parts of classic works in TCM. Instead, it requires different rendering techniques for different grammatical parts and a multilevel translation pattern should be established from such different perspectives as core words, sentences, paragraphs and then articles when it comes to rendering classic works in TCM. Only by doing this, the TCM culture could be transmitted to other countries of the world in its true color.1. Translation method for culture loaded words of classic works in TCM: spelling translation plus footnoting to offer an orthodox TCMLike what has been mentioned earlier, the translation method of "spelling translation+footnoting" is applied to render culture loaded words of classic works in TCM so as to protect TCM from losing its original cultural features while being transmitted overseas. This kind of rendering method also boasts a highly economic and effective function in that when certain word is rendered this way for the first time, it actually establishes a given condition that this word should be translated the same way in following text and no more explanation is required. Meanwhile, this type of method is also in line with the spirit of the science of Linguistic Culturology where words with deep national or cultural marks are generally translated by way of loan translation so as to maintain its original natures.2. Translation method for sentences of classic works in TCM: foreignization oriented for readers’benefitWhen transmitting one kind of language and culture into another kind of language and culture, it is reasonable and recommended to render it in a grammatical pattern which has been accepted by readers of the target language so that its message contained in source language could be understood and received in a better way. So, under the premise that the key feature of Chinese medicine won’t be misread, distorted or twisted, the translation method of foreignization should be mainly applied for the benefit of target language readers in order to prevent the translation from being obscure and difficult to understand. Only by doing this, the purpose of obstacle free exchange between two kinds of languages could be achieved.3. Translation method for paragraphes and articles of classic works in TCM:hypotaxis oriented for logical consistencyChinese is a language which is parataxis oriented and emphasizes the completeness of the content and its implied meaning so it turns out to be concise while English presents itself as a hypotaxis oriented language which emphasizes on structural coherence and formal completeness among sentences and paragraphs. So in the process of translating Chinese into English, the function and meaning of certain sentence should be analyzed thoroughly before regrouping the structure and pattern of target language. And dynamic equivalence and logical consistency of the whole article could only be achieved via such methods as amplification and omission or adding conjunctions when necessary.