Analyses On The Errors In C-E Translation Of Public Signs

“Public Signs” refers to a special typological form of writing which is intended to offerthe public the information that is helpful to them; it has been widely used in sectors in dailylife functioning as warning, publicity, noticing, inspiration and indication. Public signs is theintegral part of the language environment and cultural environment in internationalmetropolis and of international tourist sites. Translation of public signs, in a sense, is of greatimportance to a city in improving its reputation.Since the implementation of opening-up policy, China has speeded up its pace ofeconomic development, and as the acceleration of globalization, China has improved itslanguage environment for international communication. As more and more people from thecountries outside China choose to visit, work, study and live in China, more and more publicsigns in English are used in public places in the country. Public signs has been perceived asone of the major sources for foreign people to get help in acquiring information concerningaccommodation, travel, purchase and entertainment.Unfortunately, many problems like wrong translation, non-standardized translation, etc.occurred in the translation of public signs, which, to a certain extent, jeopardized theintended function of public signs and even deteriorated the image of a city. In recent years,the problems in public signs translation have drawn the attention of linguists and scholars inthe circle of translation studies. Researchers conducted analyses on the errors as well aspossible elements resulting in these errors in public signs translation, and proposed to adoptappropriate strategies for the translation of public signs with an aim to improve the quality ofpublic signs translation.After a brief introduction to the typological characteristics of public signs andcontrastive studies on the errors occurred in the translation of public signs, this thesisproposed a series of strategies for the C-E translation of public signs based on functionalequivalence as proposed by E. A. Nida. In the first chapter, the thesis introduces the researchbackground, research questions and significance of the research, followed by an introductionof the definition, characteristics and functions of public signs. The thesis then introduces thebasic concept and principle of Nida’s functional equivalence theory, and explains why the thesis chooses Nida’s theory for the translation of public signs. In the following chapter, thethesis makes a detailed analysis on the errors occurred in the C-E translation of public signsas well as the factors causing such errors, and proposes the principles and techniques for theC-E translation of public signs based on functional equivalence theory. The thesis alsopresents the limitation as existed in the present research as well as the proposals for furtherstudy.