Research on the Translation of Public Signs from Inter-Cultural Perspective

Northeast Electric Power University,Jilin,China Email:2534536487@qq.com

[Abstract]Public signs,as indispensable components,play an irreplaceable role in political,economic and cultural communication worldwide.However,there exist quite a few mistranslations hither and thither as a result of the differences in modes of thought,psychological reflections and aesthetic orientation between China and western countries.To some extent,it can reflect the defect and underachievement of the translation of public signs.Accordingly,this paper will probe into its translation research and some feasible translation strategies of public signs from inter-cultural perspective.

[Keywords]public signs;translation research;inter-culture

Introduction

It cannot be repudiated that public signs,one of the most significant elements of external publicity,are of the utmost importance.Therefore,the accurate translation proves to be far-reaching ever so much.Currently,with the increasing connection between China and other countries in the world,the number of bilingual public signs is accumulating as well.And more and more linguistic scholars tend to study the relevant issues of the translation of public signs home and abroad;and there are also increasing academic perspectives to study and analyze the translation.

Same with other linguistic forms,public signs are deeply rooted in the given cultural background,reflecting fixed cultural expressions and national public traits.Consequently,the analysis and research of the translation of public signs can be done from inter-cultural perspective,which then can lay a solid foundation for the translation of public signs as well as the correlative translation research.

Impact of Cultural Differences on Translation of Public Signs

The internal cultural factors of language restrict the linguistic application; thus the translation of public signs is also firmly influenced by inter-cultural factors from the aspects of translators’cognition and comprehension,the form of expressions and the psychology of target-language audience and other factors.Therefore,issues such as translators’cognition on the difference of pre-cultural structure between source language and target language,psychological reflection towards the translation of public signs and principle of politeness in the translation of public signs are all the core research of the translation of public signs.

Impact of Pre-cultural Comprehension on the Translation of Public Signs

In the process of translating public signs,the vital key of qualified translation is also the accurate interpretation of public signs.Translators’pre-cultural structures prove to be foundation of interpretation undoubtedly as well as to render the correct influence for translation practice(Wu,2016,pp.251-252).If the translators only have the unilateral interpretation prior to the pre-structure of their mother languages,the misunderstanding and mistranslation of the culture could be caused.For example,there is a board at the train station saying“伤残旅客须使用升电梯”,and the translation is“Passengers who are disabled must use lift”.Apparently,the original expressions in Chinese is reasonable and understandable,which cannot produce ambiguity at all;however,the translator used“must”according to his or her own interpretation influenced by his mother language,giving audience sense of command,even making disabled persons feel discriminated and compelled.

Impact of Cultural Psychology on the Translation of Public Signs

Technically,language never fails to reflect the dynamic characteristics of the interaction between human beings’inner psychology and objective matters.In the inter-cultural communication,one item in different cultural environments can have stimulated different psychological reactions,and different psychological reactions can continue to create different linguistic demonstrations.In the process of translation of public signs,various mistakes could be made if translators ignore the inner cultural differences of the languages.For example,the public sign in the park“芳草青青，请勿打闹”is always translated into“The grass is green,please don’t step on it”,which cannot show a logical relationship for the foreigners.So it is better translated as“Keep off the grass.Thank you”,thus can fully deliver the public information smoothly.

Impact of Principle of Politeness on the Translation of Public Signs

The application of polite expressions is a distinctive trait for a nation’s culture,and there are quite a few public signs presented by polite expressions.To some extent,it can alleviate social disharmony and misunderstanding.Leech once put forward Principle of Politeness,which can be generalized as:minimizing the impolite expression to the least and maximizing the polite expressions to the most under the same circumstance(Principles of Pragmatics,1983,p.84).This principle can also be applied in the translation of public signs.For example,“禁止吸烟”is always translated into“No Smoking”directly from the surface connotation,lacking kind of politeness.And according to Leech’s theory,the better version should be“Thank You for Not Smoking”,which can not only achieve the aim functionally,but let the audience feel comfortable at the maximum level.

Feasible Strategies for the Translation of Public Signs from Inter-cultural Perspective

Based on the above elaboration,we may easily find that it is a better way to notice the translation mistakes interculturally.So some doable strategies can be found to solve the translational problems accordingly.

Firstly,we may draw on the theory of translation ecology,and this theory is from German Professor Michael Cronin’s Translation and Globalization.In China,the forerunner of translation ecology is Hu Gengshen(2008),and he introduced Darwin’s ecology theory into China by using some of Michael Cronin’s theory.The translator should adapt for the choice activity of translation ecology(Choice of Translation,2008,p.10).He believes that the target language should reflect the interaction of language,communication,culture,society,writer and translator(Hu,2004,p.209-210).The value of translator is always irreplaceable,which cannot be neglected.Meanwhile,more attention needs being attached to regional cultural characteristics so that the ambiguity in the translation of public signs could be avoided.The purpose of translating public signs is to strengthen ties and cooperation with an expectation to achieve the harmonious society,and thus moving towards a community of shared future for mankind.

Secondly,given the public signs are closely linked to people’s daily life,the expression of language is also very different.Therefore,it is obliged to cultivate the translators’spirit of humanities,which means the qualified translators should have basic global outlook instead of isolating other cultural elements.The translators should have a better consciousness of the selection of domestication and foreignization to avoid cultural barriers.Domestication refers to the target-culture-oriented translation in which unusual expressions to the target culture are used and turned into some familiar ones so as to achieve the translated text intelligible and easy for the target readers.The merits of domestication are letting the foreigners understand the meaning without any obstacles,which proves to be an easy way for the target readers.So the translation of public signs can be applied according to the principle of domestication.When domestication is not feasible,the translator should resort to foreignization as a supplement method.Foreignization refers to a source-language-oriented translation which strives to preserve the foreign flavor as much as possible in order to transfer the source language and culture into target one.By taking this way to finish the translation of public signs,the culture of source-language country can be well understood and translated to some extent.Much as the translation of external publicity is a little strange for some foreigners,yet we cannot deny its function of culture transmission.For example,if the translator translates“顾客是上帝”into“Every client is God”directly without any changes,that will make foreigners feel embarrassed and confused,for Chinese cognition of God is very different from the west.And the better translation should be“The client is our priority”,which can not only express the original information accurately and faithfully,but in accordance with western cognition and comprehension.As a result,the translator should go to great length to enable the translation to conform to the western aesthetic.

Thirdly,as there are large numbers of audience to be influenced by the public signs,the appropriate type of expressions should be accurate and concise.During the translation,the translators should understand and get familiar with the target-language emotions and requirements,sharing the same cultural psychology.For example,the public sign“请给老弱乘客让座”is translated into“Please give seats to the aged and infirm”,which proves to be lack of impoliteness and impertinency to some extent.But the version“These seats will be appreciated by the aged and infirm”is better than the former.Consequently,the polite expressions and the euphemism are encouraged to be used in the translation of public signs.

Fourthly,the specific techniques of translation should be applied reasonably so that the accuracy in translation could be improved.Translators need to lay more emphasis on the application of translation techniques in the field public signs.Not only unerring translation must be ensured,but more importantly,the cultural characteristics should be retained as much as possible.Therefore,the strategy can be chiefly resorted to certain methods of translation such as the compensation translation method.And at the same time,a special concern should be given to the skills which target to the translations of customs sentences,characteristic words and idioms and proverbs.

Lastly,set up a special translation agency and train professional translation talents.Due to the cultural history of many countries and ethnic groups,each country has its own culture,history and religion,and accordingly miscellaneous study of foreign cultures and their modes of thought before the translation.The translators should be conscious in discovering and analyzing the difference and characteristics home and abroad,and deal with the translation in accordance with the target readers’aesthetic.At the same time,it is also very indispensable to improve translator’s professionalism.The most important thing is foster a qualified translation team,which may a solid foundation to the practice of public signs.Meanwhile,to enhance translators’sensitivity of inter-cultural difference is also very significant,which means the translators should not only understand foreign culture,but also understand native culture.

Implications and Conclusion

From what has been shown above,it is very significant to do the translation research on public signs is very significant.The impact from pre-cultural comprehension,cultural psychology and principle of politeness are analyzed,which can show the translators some enlightenment to deal with the translation of public signs from the inter-cultural perspective.And based on those elaborations,there are four feasible strategies of the translation of public signs shown.It is hoped that the future translation of public signs can be qualified and precise with the significance of inter-culture.