Abstract:With the rapid pace of global integration and the increasingly active international academic exchanges,the English translation of scientific papers is becoming more and more important. The English title of Chinese scientific and technological papers is the first “scenery line” for foreign readers, so it is significant to do a good job in the English translation of scientific and technological papers. Based on the analysis and comparison of the English titles of sci-tech journals at home and abroad, this paper summarizes some common problems in the English translation of sci-tech journal titles, and discusses the solutions based on the translation practice, in order to be helpful to the English translation of sci-tech paper titles.
Keyword:Scientific papers; englishtitle; language habits; translation problems;
“碳匯”很容易望文生義錯譯成“carbon collection”,其專業詞匯卻是“carbon sequestration”;不具備專業知識的人很容易把自然保護區譯為“natural protection area”,可其專業對應詞匯卻是“nature reserve or natural reserve”。
此外,如調梢taper-set,劃線下鋸pattern line sawing,套裁配制sawing with various size products well concerted,合理下鋸best opening face這類專業詞匯,若不懂專業,則很難翻譯正確。在中文期刊中,將調梢錯譯為“shoots controlling”,將劃線下鋸錯譯為“linesawing”,將合理下鋸錯譯為“reasonable under sawing”等因專業知識不足導致的錯譯比比皆是。
2 中英文知識功底不厚導致的死譯
如“公路街道化”,譯為“road streetnized”,可謂簡單明了,但是英文里雖然有modernize,revolutionized,localized,etc.等詞,根本就沒有streetnized這個詞,完全是中式思維導致的錯譯。若譯為“the road is like an ordinary street with bad traffic condition”,就能較為貼切地表達中文意思。又如“三甲醫院”,根據字面意思很容易譯成“Grade III/TertiaryClass A hospital”,字面意義對,但翻譯得太死,不符合外國人的語言習慣,外國人可能看不明白,不如譯成“top level hospital”更達意。
正確的科技論文英文標題中,冠詞常常被省略[1]。以下列國外科技期刊的英文標題為例,冠詞均未出現在標題中。“Western Hardwoods:ValueAdded Research and Demonstration”“Analytical Methods for Determining Fire Resistance of Timber Members”“Bending and Twisting Tests for Measurement of Corrugated Board”“Experimental and Analytical Protocol for Ignitability of Common Materials”“Recent Advances in the Organization and Regulation of Lignin Peroxidase Genes of Phanerochaete Chrysosporum”“Biosystematic Studies on PhlebiaAcerina”“Analysis of Plant Cell Walls”“Review of Buckling Mode and Geometry Effects on…”“Environmental Aspects of Biosulfite Pulping”[2]
4 不符合英語國家的語言文化習慣
在科技論文標題的英譯中,我們經常見到“Preliminary Study (or Discussion etc.) of…”這種形式的表達,在中國人看來該表達是一種謙虛的美德,可在英文使用國家除作者特別強調此項研究只是初步階段勉強使用外,在英語標題中一般不用;因為此類表達形式容易給讀者造成一種研究不深的錯覺。本來是一篇研究有深度、水平很高的論文,卻由于標題英譯處理不當而可能而被人忽視。
5 正副標題的處理不當問題
漢語中,正副標題分兩行寫的結構,用途甚廣。在我國科技期刊中,作者在標題翻譯時經常按照漢語的習慣形式將中文科技論文正副標題,如“Reasonable Layout of Forest Road——Quickening Transformation of Forestry Industrial Enterprises”“Haitong Large Bridge——Analysis to some Technical Problems on the Design in the Interchange Construction”“Xianyou County Comprehensive Foodstuffs Market——Some Problem Approach on the Structural Design”等極為常見。
“Biopulping:An Overview of Consortia Research”“Bacterial Association with Decaying Wood:A Review”“Predictor Sort Sampling and Analysis of Covariance:Theory,Tables,and Examples”“Recycled Newspaper Fibers as Reinforcing Fillers in Thermoplastics:PartⅠ——Analysis of Tensile and Impact Polypropylene”[2]
6 因計量單位使用不正確導致的錯誤
因中英文在計量單位上存在差異,在中文英譯過程中經常出現錯用或誤用英文中的計量單位。如Ton及tonne在英語中有著本質區別,據《朗曼當代英語詞典》,1tonne=1000kg=0.984(long)ton[3]。國內期刊標題“木橋100噸負載試驗Test of Timber Bridge with 100 ton Loads”中的Ton為錯誤詞匯,應使用tonne,正確翻譯應為Performance Test of Timber Bridge with 100 tonne Loads。
7 有關etc.之類詞的用法易錯問題
英文etc.拉丁語et cetera的縮寫形式,其漢語意思是“等等”,etc.=and so on。試看一例:“Timber Bridge Constructed of Cottonwood Lumber:Design,Construction,Evaluation,and etc.”在該例中,etc.之前的“and”是多余的。
這類詞的用法錯誤不僅見于標題中,更常見于科技論文的正文中。例如:“Granite is composed of feldspar,quartz and mica,etc.It…”在這個例子中,存在兩個錯誤:是mica之前的and應改為“,”;二是“etc.”應改為“etc..”。其第一個“.”是縮寫符號,第二個“.”是英文句號。這個句號最容易丟掉,應予以特別注意。
參考文獻
[1]張道真實用英語語法[M].北京:商務印書館, 1984.
[2]u.s. Department Agrcuture, Forest Service and Forest Produts Laboratoy, Dividends from Woo ResearchJ, Madson. wisconsin.1995-1997.
[3]Longman Group Ltd. Longman Dctionany of Conemporary EnglishM] Harlow and London Great Brtain at the Pitman Pess,1978.