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Functionalist Approach To The C-E Translation Of Public Signs

Posted on:2011-08-13Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:G W ZhangFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360308980812Subject:English Language and Literature
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Public signs use terse and explicit words, sentences, and even photographs that are closely related to daily life, production, ecology and professions so as to direct, prompt, restrict, warn, or even compel the public. Public signs are of significance in regulating social behavior, adjusting individual relationship, enhancing productivity and some other social aspects. Therefore, countries and organizations all over the world attach great importance to their directing, prompting, restricting, regulation and application. Public signs have compelling functions. The signs are usually concise, conventional, consistent, conspicuous, and convenient. According to different criteria, public signs can be classified in various ways.The thesis introduces the concept of public sign, then the significance of public signs translation, and the current study on the translation of public signs is also reviewed. Taking German school of functionalist translation theory as the theoretical foundation of the research, and describes the application of functionalism to public signs translation. Subsequently, applying some corresponding strategies at the three levels are proposed for improvement in C-E sign translation.Firstly, according to Reiss's text typology, public signs can be classified into operative text in whose translation the readers'communicative need and their reaction are the most important factors determining the translation strategies. Secondly, the author proves that communicative translation and equifunctional translation are suitable in guiding the practical texts of public signs. In addition, according to Vermeer's Skopostheorie, Skopos rule is the top-ranking rule which can be taken as the principles of public signs translation and when the three rules are applied to public signs translation, the coherence rule and fidelity rule should conform to the Skopos rule. Thirdly, there are some problems in present public signs translation. The author classifies these problems into pragmatic problems, cultural problems, and linguistic problems. In addition, the author gives suggestions on these problems by applying the strategies and principles of Functionalist. In one word, functionalist approaches are more practical and effective in directing public signs translation, and can help produce more functionally appropriate translations.
Keywords/Search Tags:public signs, Chinese-English translation, functionalist translation theory, translation strategy
PDF Full Text Request
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