OnBusinessNegotiationInterpreting.pdf
i Contents 摘要1 Abstract2 1.Introduction3 2.Brief Introduction of Functionalism4 2.1 The Skopos Theory4 2.2 The Functionality plus Loyalty5 3.Brief Introduction of Business Negotiation Interpreting6 3.1 The Features of Business Negotiation7 3.2 The Difficulties of Business Negotiation Interpreting8 4.Guide to Business Negotiation Interpreting from Functionalism Perspective10 4.1 From the Skopos Theory Perspective11 4.2 From the Functionality plus Loyalty15 5.Conclusion16 摘要 随着经济的发展与科技水平的进步，中国与世界其他国家贸易合作变得越来越密切。继中国成为世界第二大经济体之后，在国际贸易中占有举足轻重的地位，那么商务谈判也就成为了重中之重。由于各国之间还存在着语言和文化等方面的差异，口译人员在涉外商务谈判中扮演着重要角色。他们用自己的双语知识、跨文化知识、涉外商务和涉外法律等方面的专业知识帮助不同国家的企业谈判人员进行沟通并达成共识或签订合同。口译人员翻译时应根据谈判所要达到的目的，使用符合商务谈判特殊环境下的表达方式，使译文符合目的语接受者的表达习惯。功能主义翻译理论认为译者应根据不同的翻译目的采用相应的策略，这恰好满足商务谈判特殊的环境以及其确定的目的。功能主义翻译理论包含目的论和忠实原则两部分，这不仅为译者提供了灵活的翻译理论基础，使沟通更加顺畅，同时也约束译者忠实于谈判者的意图，从而使商务谈判顺利进行。因此，唯有在功能主义理论的指导下，方可避免或者减少由语言障碍和文化差异给商务谈判口译带来的实际困难，从而最终促进商务谈判成功，达成合作，实现利益的最大化。关键词：商务谈判；商务谈判口译；功能主义翻译理论；语言障碍；文化差异 Abstract With the rapid economic development and the improvement of science and technology,trade cooperation and communication spring up frequently between China and other countries and regions.After China has been the second economy,it holds a significant position in international trade and commerce,thus,business negotiation will be far more important.However,due to language difference and cultural distance among the major countries,interpreters,who help negotiators with their bilingual knowledge,cross-cultural knowledge,professional knowledge of international business and legal affairs to reach agreements or enter into contracts,are indispensable in business negotiation.According to business negotiation,interpreters have to apply proper ways that comply with business negotiation to maketarget language listeners understand what they have said.Functionalism theory gives us a means that interpreters can vary their strategies with their purposes of translation,which exactly meets the needs of business negotiation and completes these goals.Functionalism theory contains two parts:the Skopos Theory and the Functionality plus Loyalty.Thus,functionalism theory provides business negotiation interpreting with various translation theories,making communication easier,and prevents interpreters from going against the negotiators,leading to smooth progress of the negotiations.Only with the guidance of functionalism theory,can we reduce or even avoid the difficulties that come from the interpretation because of language barrier and cultural difference,which will promote business negotiations successful and reach agreements,maximizing the benefits.Key Words:Business Negotiation;Business Negotiation Interpreting;Functionalism Theory;Language Barrier;Cultural Difference On Business Negotiation Interpreting from the Perspective of Functionalism 1Introduction The cooperation of international trade that prompts business negotiation becomes the newly-developed profession.Besides,in business negotiations,interpreters need to convey the main information from one party to the other party smoothly and correctly in order to complete the negotiation,so they must be equipped with keen responses,experienced translation ability and excellent command of cultural background knowledge.Nevertheless,due to various restrictions and the imperfection of traditional translation theories,interpreters manage to deal with a lot of difficulties without theoretical support.Fortunately,the rise of Functionalism Theory in the 1970s,deals with all those problems almost.Functionalism Theory includes two essential parts:the Skopos Theory which is the core part and the Functionality plus Loyalty as an important supplement.Its core holds that translation is a purposeful activity and that translation end justifies the means,which provides a sound reason for interpreters to be free to take the initiative on employing any appropriate strategy,if their particular purposes could be realized and make any readjustment;if it is needed to recognize the intended target text function(Huang Yun,2011).Nowadays,most of the researches on business negotiation interpreting are discussing the advantages and disadvantages of strategies or methods,which are taken in business negotiation(Wang Jianhua,2007).However,in this paper,according to the two specific problems or issues in business negotiation interpreting:language barrier and cultural difference,the author will explore how to adjust methods to solve the difficulties and improve the quality of business negotiation interpreting from Functionalist approach perspective.As there is lacking in researches on the combination of Functionalism and business negotiation,the author hopes that this paper is a good example and will effectively deal with the two challengelanguage barrier and cultural difference.2.Brief Introduction of Functionalism 2.1 The Skopos Theory As we have mentioned in the above part that Functionalism has experienced four periods.In the first period,German translator Reiss first put forward Text Functionalism Theory as a criterion for translation criticism.She thought the concrete translation should be provided in case for special demand(Jia Xue,2013).We can get the point that translated texts are translated or interpreted by the restriction of the purpose of the source text.Afterwards,H.J.Vermeer showed his approval to this idea and came up with the Skopos Theory which was totally different from the traditional translation theories.He held the ideas that the function of translation or interpretation was that the target texts and source texts would do the same impact on and get the same reaction of receivers.Moreover,translation was a communicative activity with some kind of purpose,which meant translation end justifies the means.(Nord,2001：112).That is totally separated from the traditional translation theories,especially the Equivalence Theory.In addition,Mantari built the Theory of Translation Action.It looks upon translation as a more complicated activity and proposes a series of influential roles such as interpreters,initiators,and readers(or receivers)(Jia Xue,2013).Her view further explains that peoples action is implied with a certain purpose in a specific occasion,which indicates that the Theory of Translation Action helps us avoid limiting in the information of source text and to pay more attention to all relevant parts.When the target text is intended to achieve a purpose or function other than everything of the original and when the target text addresses audiences which are different from the intended readership of the original,the Skopos Theory is the best choice for business negotiations to achieve their goals that are realizing benefit maximization.In other words,adequate translation should be“adequate to”the requirements of the translation brief.Within the framework of the Skopos Theory an adequate translation is goal-oriented determined by the skopos of the translation.Thus,the Skopos Theory can guide the business negotiation interpreting effectively,which will finally accomplish the goals of business negotiations.3.Brief Introduction of Business Negotiation Interpreting Since its entry into the WTO in 2002,our country has quickened the pace of stepping in line with international standards in such fields as economy and trade.A developing China will,as always,generate cooperation opportunities with other countries around the world for achieving win-win situation,thus,business negotiation becomes more and more important.We have to improve the quality of business negotiation interpreting so as to promote cooperation and maximize profits under the direction of Functionalism Theory.However,business negotiation is a volatile and complex process,so translators or interpreters have to reorganize their language in order to adjust their translation to the target text.Successful business negotiation is the result of both parties performed well with the language that interpreters apply in every appropriate way to express negotiators real intention.Therefore,they should know well how to deal with unpredictable challenge but the common situation,and to manage the two difficulties:language difference and cultural distance,in business negotiation.3.1The Features of Business Negotiation In brief,business negotiation is a process that in order to coordinate the relationship between business and meet their needs,people try to find a final settlement of the dispute and reach an agreement and sign the contract through the consultation and the dialogue(Pu Lijing,2011).Moreover,Business negotiation is a collection of policy,technology and artistry in social and economic activities,so the author thinks that it can be characterized in the following five aspects based on its definition.First,it is a process of compromise.In a business negotiation,there must be some conflicts and contradictions as both the parties stand for different interests.Only when they adjust their own needs and interests,can they reach an agreement with concessions and compromises.Second,business negotiation is a contradictory unity on both cooperation and conflict.Without conflicts,there is no negotiation between both parties.Thus,the success of business negotiation is good for both parties,a win-win situation.In business negotiation,any party of them will consider their own interests firstly.And they have to sacrifice their own interests appropriately in order to achieve cooperate on above promise.Third,business negotiation benefits both parties without equality.It is true that there are many rivals,so the negotiators have to use their strengths to get the best interests.And they should have professional qualities that help them to in charge of the negotiation.Fourth,the purpose of the business negotiation is to enter into contracts or cooperative relationship.As a matter of fact,its ultimate goal is that negotiators gain the maximization of economic benefits,so they take the price negotiations as the central task of the business negotiation.Therefore,they will try their best to maximize the greatest interests.Fifth,for interpreters the most difficult part in business negotiation is that time is limited and urgent.In business negotiation,negotiators would like to fight for their benefit with any chance and to reach agreements with their partners as soon as possible,gaining the best value.Based on the above five,we can figure out that the most difficult challenges on business negotiation interpreting are that interpreters must deal with language barrier and cultural difference in complicated and volatile business environment as soon as possible.Thus,we will further discuss the two difficulties of business negotiation interpreting in the next part.3.2 The Difficulties of Business Negotiation Interpreting The essence of business negotiation is that interpreters use language that receivers could have a better understanding to convey the main ideas or attitude of speakers,resulting in win-win situation through their interpreting.Thus,interpreters need to master the features of business negotiations so that they can adjust their ways to accomplish their tasks,which will help to make business negotiation go smoothly and enter into agreements.Business Negotiation interpreting is an act of intercultural communication,and a more complicated form of communication,because during the process the content of one language is transferred into that of another which contains different cultures.Not only linguistic barriers but also cultural gap will come into existence(Wang Lingjun,2010).In other words,business negotiation interpreting is not only the transference from one language to another,but also a form of special communication the interpreter coordinates exchanges between participants with different languages and cultures.Besides,as we all know,interpreting to some degree is more practical than translation,especially business negotiation interpreting because of the characteristics of business negotiation.Although Functionalism Theory provides a solid theoretical orientation,the process of a business negotiation is quite complex,unpredictable,and could be impacted by large amounts of factors.Thus,it is very difficult for interpreters to overcome the two difficultieslanguage barrier and cultural difference during business negotiation interpreting.Language is a kind of tool that people can not only express ideas,but also convey emotions,so language serves as a crucial link between both parties in a business negotiation.And languages are based on the concepts,experiences,and views and so on.Thus,language barrier is inevitable in any interpreting,as different languages have formed their own features,such as pronunciations,syntactic structure,institutionalized expressions,and so on,and which will have a great influence on business negotiation interpreting.The most difficult part is that business negotiation interpreting is greatly professional.The language of business negotiation includes linguistic form,vocabulary,and content,which are closely related to its profession.Besides,business negotiation language emphasizes simplicity and formal specification,embodying international commonality(Chu Yanshan,2014).Nevertheless,negotiators can be easily broken down due to a lack of mutual understanding of language,while Functionalism Theory will motivate the interpreters to fight for better results in business negotiation.Specially,cultural difference is very difficult as it is impossible to acquire through exercises.Culture is so complex and ubiquitous that almost every aspect of human life is touched,shaped by culture.One of the widely received definitions of culture was formulated by the English anthropologist Edward Taylor,which is used in Encyclopedia Britannica(1983).“Cultureis that complex whole includes knowledge,belief,art,law,morals,custom,and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”(Wang Lingjun,2010)Thus,Culture is reflected in communication practices,and at the same time,communication practices shape cultural life,that is,we can find out that business negotiations interpreting and culture cannot be separated from one another because each influences each other.Culture can influence negotiating styles in different ways,because negotiators from another nation are different in language,belief,behaviors manners,and way of thinking,value and attitudes and so on.Different cultures express different ways of doing business(Pu Lijing,2011).And it is much more difficult than language barrier,as it contains so many aspects of social life and is affected by those.However,Functionalist approach provides a solid theoretical basis for solve the two problems of business negotiation interpreting.As interpreting is a re-creative process,on the basis of Functionalist approach,listeners are the decisive factor.Like that in business negotiation interpreting,the other party of business negotiation is the fa
