大学英语课程中的翻译教学研究_马会灵.docx

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1、 声明 本学位论文是我在导师的指导下取得的研究成果。在本学位论文 中，除了加以标注和致谢的部分外，不包含其他人己经发表或公布过 的研究成果，也不包含我为获得任何教育机构的学位或学历而使用过 的材料。与我 _同工作的同事对本学位论文做出的贡献均己在论文中 作了明确的明说。 学位论文作者签名： _ 签 名 日 期 ： 丨 年 ft 月 日 学位论文使用授权声明 上海外国语大学有权保存学位论文的电子和纸质文档，可以借阅 或上网公开本学位论文的全部或部分内容，可以向有关部门或机构送 交并授权其保存、借阅或上网公布本学位论文的全部或部分内容。对 于保密论文，按保密的有关规定和程序处理 teaching

2、model should be discarded. So is that in translation teaching. In the traditional translation teaching model, teachers tend to present on the platform and students have to listen on their seats. In such a kind of lecture-like model, students spend much time taking notes and little time discussing or

3、 communicating with teachers or classmates, let alone having time to think by themselves before getting the answers. This kind of mechanic teaching mode, to a great extent, weakens students? initiatives and limits their improvement in translation skill. There is really a great need to establish a st

4、udent-centered teaching model. The fiinctional approach maybe the right choice for this teaching model. Functional approach, which is also called communicative approach, is one of the important teaching approaches to cultivate students communicative competence. “The terms communicative and functiona

5、l group together a variety of approaches to translation. Sometimes loosely used and not always defined, they broadly represent a view which refiises to divorce the act of translating from its context, insisting upon the real-world situational factors which are prime determinants of meaning and inter

6、pretation of meaning.” There are “three main strands of thinking which have influenced this perspective on translation” ： first， “the functionalist views of the British tradition in linguistics, stemming from J. R. Firth and continuing in the work of J. Catford, Michael Gregory, Michael Halliday and

7、 others” ； second， “the notion of communicative competence developed originally by Dell Hymes in response to the Chomskan view of language competence” ； third， “within translation studies， a tradition stemming from Karl Buhler, which sees judgments about the communicative purpose/skopos (Reiss and V

8、ermeer) or set of functions of the act of translating as lying at the root of translators? decisions. ”(Baker 2004:29) Functionalists think that language is used to express functional meaning. A certain language form can express different fiinctions and a certain fiinction can be expressed in differ

9、ent language forms. Therefore, what the students should master is the communicative fiinctions of the language. Functional approach is usually student-centered, which is a great advantage to improve students5 translation competence. Therefore, translation teaching can follow these five principles. T

10、he first one is “communicative principle”（ Shu Dingfang， Zhuang Zhixiang, 1996: 24; my translation). The ultimate purpose of learning English is to communicate (including the input and output of message). In terms of translation teaching, communicative competence also refers to the transforming abil

11、ity of message. What a translator transforms is not only the grammar and structure, but also the fiinctional and communicative meaning. This principle requires that the students should be put in the real communicative situation to learn translation. The second one is “cultural principle” (ibid: 25;

12、my translation). Learning a foreign language itself is a cross-cultural communication. Getting a deep insight into another culture can help students to better understand the source language. The third one is “system principle”（ ibid: 24; my translation). Language is an integrated system, so is trans

13、lation teaching. What we should think over is how to set down scientific syllabus and improve translation teaching efficiency. The fourth one is “recognition principle”（ ibid: 25; my translation). When learners accept new knowledge， they will usually adopt different strategies based on their own rec

14、ognition traits and thinking habits, so learners? individual characteristics should be considered in translation teaching in order to design those activity models that can inspire their communicative motivation and interests. The last one is “emotion principle”（ ibid: 26; my translation). English te

15、achers should adjust and correct students? attitudes towards translation as good attitudes and motivations can stimulate students to learn faster and more enjoyable. In practice, teachers can select some typical or complicated sentences from the texts to let students analyze and translate first, and

16、 then make a comparison between several translations from the students with the help of relevant translation techniques. In this way, students can improve their ability in English-Chinese translation. On the other hand, when explaining the new words and phrases, teachers can let students do Chinese-

17、English translation and then introduce relevant translation techniques. Besides, teachers should spend some time on the exercises after text. If time permits, teachers can also provide some supplementary materials for students to practice after class. The most important is that teachers should make

18、proper comments and give feedbacks on students? exercises in time. 4.5 Setup of Optional Courses in Translation Theory and Practice We have, as above, elaborated on the importance and necessity of translation practice teaching. Now, we come to a discussion about why it is important and necessary for

19、 non-English majors to learn translation theory. 4.5.1 The Importance and Necessity of Translation Theory Teaching For any new course, what we should first make clear is: what aims should the course reach? This constitutes the starting point and foundation for teaching activities and reform efforts

20、involved. According to the latest College English Curriculum Requirements published in July 2007, the College English teaching of translation in HZNU should meet the intermediate requirements: “With the help of dictionaries， students should be able to translate on a selective basis English literatur

21、e in their field, and to translate texts on familiar topics in newspapers and magazines published in English-speaking countries. The speed of translation from English to Chinese should be about 350 English words per hour, whereas the speed of translation from Chinese to English should be around 300

22、Chinese characters per hour. The translation should read smoothly, convey the original meaning and be, in the main, free from mistakes in understanding or expression. Students are expected to be able to use appropriate translation techniques.”（ the English version by 教育部高等教育司 2 7: 2： 2) The above re

23、quirements give the criteria both in students， translation speed and their translation qualities. Besides, the ability to use appropriate translation techniques in translating is also required. Then, what are translation techniques? Generally speaking, translation techniques are specific translation

24、 methods based on generations of translators? practice and research. They are valuable in guiding translation practice. Beginners as well as junior translators can benefit a lot through sufficient practice based on the top-down approach. Moreover, the translation purposes, translation criteria, targ

25、et text, target text type, etc. are indispensable in carrying out translating activities in the age of globalization. How about translation theory? Is it necessary for non-English majors to spend time on translation theory? Maybe some will insist that non-English majors dont need such abstract theor

26、y at all, which only matters for those English or translation majors. Before we make a conclusion, let us take a look at what translation theory is for and the relationship between translation theory and translation practice first. In Peter Newmark Approaches to Translation, he stated what translati

27、on theory is about. Translation theory main concern is to determine appropriate translation methods for the widest possible range of texts or text categories. Further, it provides a framework of principles, restricted rules and hints for translating texts and criticizing translators, a background fo

28、r problem-solving.(Newmark 2001a: 19) “Lastly, translation theory attempts to give some insight into the relation between thought, meaning and language; the universal, cultural and individual aspects of language and behavior, the understanding of cultures; the interpretation of texts that may be cla

29、rified and even supplemented by way of translation/Xibid) Also, in his A Textbook of Translation, he said, uin a narrow sense, translation theory is concerned with the translation method appropriately used for a certain type of text, and it is therefore dependent on a functional theory of language.

30、However, in a wider sense, translation theory is the body of knowledge that we have about translating， extending from general principles to guidelines， suggestions and hints” (Newmark 2001b: 9). uWhat translation theory does is, first, to identify and define a translation problem (no problem - no tr

31、anslation theory!); second, to indicate all the factors that have to be taken into account in solving the problem; third, to list all the possible translation procedures; finally, to recommend the most suitable translation procedure， plus the appropriate translation.(ibid) From the above description

32、 on translation theory, it is not difficult to conclude that translation theory is of great importance for translation practice. Generally speaking, those who are engaged in translation practice usually tend to attach little importance to translation theory. It is not the fault on the part of those

33、translators who place stress on practice. After all, “translation theory is pointless and sterile if it does not arise from the problems of translation practice, from the need to stand back and reflect, to consider all the factors， within the text and outside it， before coming to a decision”（ ibid).

34、 But it is not correct to despise theory at all. A better way is to balance theory and practice. The theory coming from practice and experience can be used to guide practice. “Fedorov stresses that translation theory is an independent linguistic discipline， deriving from observations and providing t

35、he basis for practice.(Newmark 2001a: 9) Peter Newmark said that 4the theory demonstrates the possible translation procedures and the various arguments for and against the use of one translation rather than another in a particular context.”（ Newmark 2001a: 19) “Translation theory covers a wide range

36、 of pursuits, attempts always to be usefiil, to assist the individual translator both by stimulating him to write better and to suggest points of agreement on common translation problems.”（ ibid) Some translation workers may insist that they can do translation well without translation theory. In fac

37、t， “the translators first task is to understand the text， often to analyze, or at least make some generalizations about his text before he selects an appropriate translation method(ibid: 20). At this moment， “it is the business of translation theory to suggest some criteria and priorities for this a

38、nalysis,(ibid: 20), including “the intention of a text”， “the intention of the translator， “the reader and the setting of the text”， and “the quality of the writing and the authority of the text”（ ibid: 20-21). In short, 4what translation theory can do is to show the students all that is or may be i

39、nvolved in the translation process and to offer principles and guidelines, after considering which, he makes his choices and decisions. Further, translation theory can stop him making howlers like translating the title of a periodical or mistakes of usages like translating a laymans term by a techni

40、cal term.， (ibid: 36) Of course, translation theory is not almighty. uIt cannot make a bad translator into a good one. It cannot make a student intelligent or sensitivetwo qualities of a good translator. In fact, is someone is sensitive to language as well as his own language and pursues facts as we

41、ll as words, he can do without translation theory, just as an actor sensitive to his art can do without training. Translation is an art as well as a skill and a science, and translation theory cannot teach anyone to write well, although it can expose bad writing as effectively as translation itself.

42、(ibid: 36) Xie Tianzhen， a Chinese translation scholar once stated to the effect that “one of the long-standing mistaken ideas about translation studies and translation theory is that translation theory should be practical, or applicable to translation; otherwise, it is an empty theory divorced from

43、 reality. This kind of pragmatic attitude towards theory limits the scope of translation theory, considering that translation theory is only concerned about “how to translate”. As a matter of fact， however， translation theory can not only give us guidelines to practice, but also help us get to know

44、practice, deepening the recognition of language and translation.”（ Xie Tianzhen 2002:50-52;my translation) Therefore, students and translation practitioners should strengthen their theory study. Those who are good at translation practice should particularly be encouraged to summarize their experienc

45、e， and then the summarized experience should be upgraded into theory; on the other hand, translation theory should be vastly tested in translation practice. Only in this way, can translation cause be developed further. 4.5.2 What Should Be Imparted in Translation Theory and Practice Course? It is no

46、t suitable or feasible to teach non-English majors translation theory in the same way we do English majors. After all, their time and energy cannot afford. So the most practical way is to impart some simple as well as basic applied theories. For example, what are translation criteria? What are trans

47、lation purposes? What is the of translation process? How is a text analyzed? What is literal translation and what is free translation? These are essential for better translation practice. In terms of translation techniques， this Author just lists some we commonly use in translation: “domestication a

48、nd foreignization, amplification and omission, simplification and specification, division, compensation, conversion, hybridization, paraphrase, loan translation, etc.?, (Chen Gang 2004: 379-396) Of course, these translation theory and techniques should be conveyed together with appropriate practice.

49、 As for the practice materials, the form should not be too unitary. It should begin from word level to sentence level, then to sentence group level, and lastly to discourse level. The translation at sentence level should include simple, long, and complex sentences. Finally, teachers can also give a brief introduction to the translation characteristics of various text types, such as literature translation, business translation, legal translation, sci-tech translation, news translation, advertising translation,