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1、On Translation of WTO DocumentsCONTENTSABSTRACT iCHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION11.1 1.1 Background Information21.1.1 The World Trade Organization 2 1.1.2 The WTO Documents31.1.3 China and the WTO61.2 Significance of the Translation of the WTO Documents81.3 Study Methods 8CHAPTER TWO AN INVESTIGATION OF TR

2、ANSLATION THEORIES92.1 The Current Theoretical Controversy92.2 Traditional Chinese Translation Theories 102.3 Current Western Translation Theories 112.4 A New Approach to Translation Studies13CHAPTER THREE FEATURES OF THE WTO DOCUMENTS153.1 Lexical Features 153.1.1 Preference for Formal Words 153.1.

3、2 Common Words with Special Meaning 173.1.3 Frequent Employment of Archaic Words193.1.4 Employment of Loan Words and Phrases213.1.5 Employment of Acronyms and Initialisms223.2 Semantic Features253.2.1 Frequent Use of Synonyms and Parallel Structures253.2.2 Preference for Nominalization273.3 Grammati

4、cal Features293.3.1 Frequent Employment of Long Complicated Sentences293.3.2Preference for Modal Verbs313.3.3Constant Use of Notes and Footnotes33CHAPTER FOUR TRANSLATION SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES354.1 Criteria for WTO Translation354.2 Literal Translation and Liberal Translation364.3 Giving Priority to

5、Literal Translation374.4 Techniques in Translation of the WTO Documents38 4.4.1 Repetition 394.4.2 Amplification424.4.3 Omission 434.4.4 Conversion 444.4.5 Inversion464.4.6 Division 484.4.7 Negation 504.4.8 The Change of Voices 53CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION 55BIBLIOGRAPHY57ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 58摘要中国加入世界贸易组

6、织已近三年，其间既有冲击也带来了机遇。与此同时，全国上下掀起了一阵翻译热潮，国民对于翻译WTO文件的要求与日剧增。本文分析研究WTO文件的语言特征，着眼于为WTO文件的翻译提供系统的翻译技巧框架。 本文共分五章。第一章为简介，介绍世界贸易组织的背景，WTO文件的内容，本课题的研究意义以及研究方法。第二章概述翻译理论。第三章重点分析WTO文件的语言特征。第四章讨论翻译的标准以及八项翻译技巧在WTO文件翻译中的应用。最后一章为整篇论文作出结论。关键词：世界贸易组织，文件，翻译，特征，技巧ABSTRACTThe past three years after Chinas accession to t

7、he WTO has witnessed both the impact and the opportunities for this nation. At the same time, the demand for translating the WTO documents has surged in the nation wide. This thesis investigates the linguistic features of the WTO documents and aims to present a systematic frame of techniques for the

8、 translation of the WTO documents. It consists of five chapters. Chapter One is a brief introduction, which presents the background information about the WTO, the categories of the WTO documents, the significance of the translation, and study methods. Chapter Two is devoted to an investigation of tr

9、anslation theories. Chapter Three focuses on the linguistic features of the WTO Documents. Chapter Four discusses the criteria for translation and eight techniques in the translation of the WTO Documents. The last chapter draws a general conclusion for the whole thesis.Key Words: WTO, documents, tra

10、nslation, feature, techniqueChapter 1 IntroductionOn 11th December 2001, 30 days after notifying the Director-General that it had completed domestic ratification of its accession package, China became the 143rd member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Just as Mike Moore, WTOs ex-Director-Genera

11、l, commented, “This is a historic moment for the WTO, for China and for international economic cooperation”. The past three years after Chinas entry into the WTO has witnessed both the impact and the opportunities for this nation. At the same time, the need of the WTO documents translation has gone

12、through an upsurge. Scholars and translators in this field have been loaded down with the task. Admittedly, that is an arduous task, since an authorized Chinese version is elementary not only for the government but also for the enterprises, even for civilians. With the translated version, the govern

13、ment will accordingly amend and draft laws and regulations; the enterprises will adjust its managing style and operating strategies; the civilians will pay attention to the economic activities in their daily life. As a result, China will deepen its reform and open wider to the rest of the world. In

14、turn, this economy “is bound to enhance global economic cooperation”1 Mike Moore, November 2001 1.So far only a few books can be counted for authorized translated legal texts in this field, and fewer still, if any, has made study on relevant translation skills. One of them is The Legal Texts: The Re

15、sults of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, published by Law Press in October 2001. The title of this book indicates that WTO documents are mainly legal texts in respect of trade and economy. That has imposed great difficulties on translators. A study on the unique features of the

16、 WTO documents and the translations techniques is no doubt helpful to the important task of translating such documents. And that is exactly what this paper is meant to do based on the above-mentioned authorized works.1.1 1.1 Background Information1.1.1 1.1.1 The World Trade OrganizationThe World Tra

17、de Organization came into being in 1995 as the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) created in the wake of the Second World War. Both the GATT and the WTO have helped to create a strong and prosperous trading system contributing to unprecedented growth. The system was devel

18、oped through a series of trade negotiations, or rounds, held under GATT. The early rounds dealt mainly with tariff reductions but later negotiations included other areas such as anti-dumping and non-tariff measures. The Uruguay Round, from 1986 to 1994, led to the WTOs creation.In brief, the World T

19、rade Organization is the only international organization dealing with global trade rules between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.2 刘光溪，张学森主编，Selected Readings on the WTOWTO英文选读，P. 22Decisions in the WTO are typically taken by c

20、onsensus among all members and they are ratified by members parliaments. Trade friction is channeled into the dispute settlement process of the WTO, focusing on interpreting agreements and commitments, and on ensuring that trade policies in those countries confirm with them. In that way, the risk of

21、 dispute spilling over into political or military conflict is reduced. By lowering trade barriers, the system also breaks down other barriers between peoples and nations.At the heart of the system-known as the multilateral trading system-are the WTOs agreements, negotiated and signed by a large majo

22、rity of the worlds trading nations, and ratified by in their parliaments. These agreements are the legal bases-rules for international commerce. Essentially, they are contracts, guaranteeing members trade rights. They also bind governments to keep their trade policies within agreed limits to everyon

23、es benefit. The agreements were negotiated and signed by governments so as to help producers of goods and services as well as exporters and importers conduct their business. The goal of the WTO is to improve the welfare of the peoples of the member countries and regions.3 刘光溪，张学森主编，Selected Readings

24、 on the WTOWTO英文选读，P. 331.1.2 1.1.2 The WTO DocumentsMost of the details of the Organizations work are recorded in the official documents of the councils, committees, working groups etc. Generally, WTO documents include the following three parts:1.1.2.1 1.1.2.1 Pre-WTO Legal TextsIn the period from

25、1947 to 1986 there were a number of agreements which developed the basis for international trade relations. The original General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which incorporated relevant sections of the Havana Charter, was negotiated in 1947 and came into force in 1948. Subsequent years saw a seri

26、es of eight negotiating rounds under the GATT, until the launch of the Uruguay Round in 19864 From www.wto.org4. They are as follows:Havana Charter The United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment, held in Havana, Cuba, in 1947, adopted the Havana Charter for the International Trade Organizatio

27、n which was meant to establish a multilateral trade organization. For various reasons, the charter never came into force.GATT 1947 Pending the entry into force of the Havana Charter, a mechanism was needed to implement and protect the tariff concessions negotiated in 1947. To do so, it was decided t

28、o take the Chapter on Commercial Policy of the Havana Charter and convert it, with certain additions, into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. To bring the GATT into force quickly, a Protocol of Provisional Application was developed. Thus, the GATT was born. The GATT 1947 Agreement was broug

29、ht into the Uruguay Round agreements by GATT 1994.Tokyo Round Codes The Tokyo Round negotiations (1973-1979) developed agreements on anti-dumping measures, government procurement, technical barriers to trade and other non-tariff measures which were known as “codes”.Kennedy Round Codes The Kennedy Ro

30、und negotiations (1964-67) produced an agreement, also known as a code, on multilateral rules for anti-dumping.Decision on Differential and More Favorable Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries (Enabling clause) 1979.1.1.2.2 The WTO Legal TextsMost of the WTO agreeme

31、nts are the result of the 198694 Uruguay Round negotiations, signed at the Marrakesh Ministerial Meeting in April 1994. There are about 60 agreements and decisions totaling 550 pages.5 From www.wto.org5Negotiations since then have produced additional legal texts such as the Information Technology Ag

32、reement, Services and Accession Protocols. New negotiations were launched at the Doha Ministerial Conference in November 2001.The Uruguay Round agreements The “Final Act” signed in Marrakesh in 1994 is like a cover note. Everything else is attached to this. Foremost is the Agreement Establishing the

33、 WTO (or the WTO Agreement), which serves as an umbrella agreement. Annexed are the agreements on goods, services and intellectual property, dispute settlement, trade policy review mechanism and the plurilateral agreements. The schedules of commitments also form part of the Uruguay Round agreements.

34、Uruguay Round Ministerial Decisions and Declarations Decisions adopted by the Trade Negotiations Committee on 15 December 1993 and 14 April 1994.Understanding on Commitments in Financial ServicesGATT 1947 The original agreement dealing with trade in goods, now incorporated into GATT 1994 (Cf. 1.1.2.

35、1)Post-1994 Goods Agreement (Information Technology Agreement)Post-1994 GATS ProtocolsThese are additional agreements negotiated after the Uruguay Round and attached to the General Agreement on Trade in Services. There is no “First Protocol”.Post-1994 Accession Protocols These are the negotiated ter

36、ms of membership for countries joining the WTO after it was created on 1 January 1995. They include each new members schedules of commitments -commitments made by individual WTO members allowing specific foreign products or service-providers access to their markets. The schedules are integral parts

37、of the agreements. In the print version these schedules comprise about 30,000 pages for all WTO Members.Preferential Treatment for Least-developed Countries Decision on Waiver, 19991.1.2.3 Official RecordsThis part consists of Annual Reports, Minutes, Notifications and other regular documents.1.1.3

38、1.1.3 China and the WTOLets look back on Chinas 15-year long march to WTO membership.July 1986: China, a founding member of GATT in 1947, asks to be re-admitted to the organization it left after the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949.October 1987: First meeting of the working group ch

39、arged with examining Beijings bid for accession to the WTO at its headquarters in Geneva.December 1994: China fails to become part of GATT before the target date of January 1, 1995 set for being a founding member of the WTO.May 1995: China opens discussions with the new WTO. Thirty-seven countries a

40、lso ask to hold bilateral negotiations with China, including Japan, the United States and the European Union, Chinas top trading partners.July 1995: China attains status of observer.March 1999: Prime Minister Zhu Rongji revives the process by announcing China is ready to grant greater concessions to

41、 the US to gain WTO entry.April 1999: Washington rejects the concessions made by Premier Zhu during his visit to the US.May 1999: Bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade by NATO. China freezes negotiations with the US and the EU.July 1999: China agrees to the terms of its WTO accession with Japan

42、 during a visit to Beijing by the then Japanese Premier Minister Keizo Obuchi.September 1999: Resumption of Sino-US negotiations after a summit between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and US President Bill Clinton in New Zealand.November 1999: US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky reaches a bila

43、teral agreement with China on its WTO membership.May 2000: China and the EU finally come to agreement on a bilateral trade deal.2001June 9th: China and the US announce they have reached an agreement on details of Chinas WTO accession, as China agrees to a lower limit on agriculture subsidies.June 20

44、th: The EU says it has reached an agreement with China overcoming differences in areas such as telecommunications, removing one of the final obstacles for the bid.Sept. 13th: China and Mexico conclude bilateral negotiations on Chinas entry into the WTO, completing the 37th and final such accord need

45、ed for China to join the global trading body.Sept. 17th: China and its major trading partners reach a formal agreement on the Asian giants WTO membership.Nov. 10th: China is officially accepted as a WTO member. A meeting of 142 WTO members in Qatar accepts by consensus a proposal for China to join t

46、he organization. Chinese officials deposit articles of ratification signed by President Jiang Zemin with the WTO secretariat immediately after the decision.Nov. 11th: Chinese Trade Minister Shi Guangsheng signs the agreement papers.Dec.11th: After an agreed 30-day waiting period, Chinas WTO membership is due to com