Sign Translation: From A Perspective Of Functionalist Approaches

In modern society, the economic development and international exchanges have given rise to a growing need for signs and their translation. Things are especially true after Beijing became the host city for 2008 Olympic Games and thus China began its campaign of correcting and standardizing translation on signs throughout the country. However, the current situation of sign translation in China is far from satisfactory. Traditional equivalence-based translation theories and corresponding strategies seem increasingly inadequate. Previous researches on the Chinese-English translation of signs largely focused on the micro-level of primary data-enumerating and specific error-correcting, often failing to work out a feasible theoretical guidance on a macro level. Literal translation, especially word-for-word translation is a frequently employed strategy at present, leading to English signs of poor readability and almost incomprehensibility. Studies of systematic and feasible theories that can be applied to sign translation leave much to be desired.Taking functionalist approaches as the framework and adopting the methodology of Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), the thesis seeks to open up a new perspective for the C-E translation of signs by providing an insight into the practical application of such theories and establishing a set of systematic methodologies, from pre-translating analysis, while-translating reverbalization, to after-translating quality assessment and monitoring. The methodology adopted for DTS analysis features a two-stage procedure: discovery and justification. The functionalism is characterized by its purpose-orientedness since it gives top priority to the achievement of intended function of the target text in the target culture. Within the framework of functionalist approaches, the translator is entitled to choose whatever feasible and flexible translation strategies they think appropriate to achieve the Skopos of the translation. Therefore, starting on the pragmatic level of identifying the intended function of the translation, a functionalist approach advocates a top-down model in a descriptive way.The starting point of the thesis is a large yet systematic collection of sign translations from both China and abroad, on the basis of which our discussion proceeds into a linguistic study and a functional typology analysis of signs as a specific text genre with unique functions. Signs are characteristic of conciseness, directness, and intertextualtity, with prompting, directing, referential and appellative functions. Linguistically, signs, as a text genre, include such text types as expressive, informative, and operative, though functionally they all belong to the instrumental translation according to Nord's translation typology. Thus the aim of sign translation is to produce a text that achieves the prospective function or Skopos of the target text in specific situation and cultural background. And then, based on a detailed analysis of collected data to identify the problems in current C-E sign translation, which is in line with the key steps in the justification stage of the DTS, the thesis sets out to introduce the application of functionalist translation theory to sign translation with special reference to the Skopostheorie, translation brief, source text analysis (the theories of text typology, and functional typology) and translation quality assessment—all on the basis of the function of signs. Under the guidance of these theories and rules, the thesis presents a clear picture of the pre-translating analysis, while-translating decision-making as well as after-translating evaluation, and points out that the whole process is an intricate function-oriented intercultural communication for the translator, who is supposed to be a bilingual and bicultural expert and adopts various strategies of any feasibility in pursuit of a successful translation. With the functionalist approaches as the overall guidance, the thesis generalizes such translation strategies as equivalent translation, formulated translation, omission, the use of pinyin and various flexible translation skills. Each translator is expected to produce a functionally appropriate translation by selecting flexible translation strategies since"the end justifies the means"(qtd. In Nord 29). At last, the thesis makes some suggestions on translation quality assessment and standardization of sign translation in China.