A tentative study of the differences between Chinese-translated and non-translated English

杨乐

（西安外国语大学，陕西西安710061）

A tentative study of the differences between Chinese-translated and non-translated English

杨乐

（西安外国语大学，陕西西安710061）

Translated English is a distinctive variety of English with some special traits absent in non-translated English.This paper is an attempt to investigate the unique properties of Chinese-translated English,and categorize them in three aspects,namely, semantic,stylistic and syntactic,each of which is defined in light of non-translated English,and illustrated with proven data.

Chinese-translated English,semantic,stylistic,syntactic.

一、Introduction

Chinese-translated English (CTE) is a form of English that conform spartly to the norm sand patterns of the Chinese language and partly to those of English.Its differences from Non-translated English (NTE)are to be classified under three categories,namely,semantic, stylistic and syntactic.The first refers to the quantity and quality of semantic meaning;the second covers two carriers of the style of a passage;the third addresses distinctions at the sentential and textual level.

二、The three categories of differences

（一）Semantic Differences

The same quantity of meaning tends to be expressed adequately or even excessively in Chinese than in English.For example,the English language briefs"time is money",while the Chinese declaims"一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴".From this follows that semantically"CTE speaks more radiantly with prof use images and messages than the more ordered and compact manner of NTE." (Chen,1994).

Though the semantic substance is similar in the above case,the semantic quality is not,as the Chinese one contains more in form at i on. Supposing it is back-transl at ed into English,it is certain that the translation will be more worded than the cited English one.Evidently, NTE excels in terseness while the"CTE offsets it for the retention of inform at ion."

（二）Stylistic differences

"A singular mark of text style is the variety and complexity of its vocabulary"(Li u,1990).Since CTE uses more basic and generalized words and t hen specifies them with adjectives and adverbs while non-transl at ed English uses more accurate words to nail the exact meaning,the style of CTE is thus more simplified and colloquial.

Figure of speech is another determiner of style.The Chinese language employs parallelism,pairing and couplet to lay emphasis where the English simply adopts short,tight structures or the imperative tone. Thus,when transl at ed,common Chinese figures of speech will sound shallow and redundant.Al so,the creative language uses are often norm alized during translation,rendering the CTE further stiff and mechanical.

（三）Syntactic Differences

Differences in this respect center upon the sentential structure and the textual layout."Since sentence is widely accept ed as the smallest translation unit,the majority of translators handle translation by sentences" (Baker,2000).Reflected in translated works is the close resemblance between CTE and NTE on the sentential level.

On the textual level,however,the differences are more obvious. For example,"Anglo-Americans follow a linear development in their essay writing while Asians pursue an indirect and inductive approach" (Jiang,2008).This mentality leads to different passage organization,which,preserved rather than rearranged during translation,makes the CTE more Chinese-like on the discourse level.

三、Conclusion

Through the above analysis,the paper concludes that CTE does have its unique properties due to both the influence of oriental culture,mentality,language habits,and the meaning-oriented, fragmentary translation strategy.These properties manifest themselves to different degrees in the three mentioned angles,among which syntax at the sentence level is the least affected while that at the textual level is the most affected.

[1]Baker,M.(2000).Towards a methodology for investigating the style ofa literary translator.Target,12(2).

[2]Chen,H.H.(1994).The contextual analysis of Chinese sentences with punctuation markers.Literary and Linguistic computing,4.

[3]Jiang Yajun.,Ren Zaixin.(2008).Translated English and universals of translation.English Today.

[4]刘振江.关于英语语言风格的几个问题[J].外语学刊,1990(05).

H315.9

A

1005-5312（2015）29-0252-01