《环球时报》在英文报道翻译中的翻译偏差研究(6)
4.2 Analysis by Methods
The features of translation deviation in reprinted news discourse can also be classified in terms of the methods adopted during the course of the deviation, mainly intentional deviations. The means used for intended deviation can be further categorized into three methods: deletion, expansion and modification.
4.2.1 Deletion
Deletion is one of the most commonly used methods of intentionally caused deviations. For example, in a report with the title of 英媒质疑保障房建设有问题(the 6th page of the Global Times, October 15th, 2011), the following part is deleted:
(7) The surge in construction has been compared by a few commentators to Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward of the late 1950s, when local governments vied with one other in their increasingly implausible claims of soaring output. “This kind of farce is showing signs of making a comeback”, said a columnist in Panyu Daily, a newspaper in the southern province of Guangdong. (the Economist, October 15th, 2011)
The part shown above is deleted due to the fact that it mentions the period of Great Leap Forward of the late 1950s, which still remains a forbidden topic in the political atmosphere today. Regardless of the cause of the deletion, it can be observed clearly from this example that deletion is often conducted to ignore politically sensitive content.
Deletion can also be conducted in order to get rid of irrelevant content and help to save the already limited space of the page, thus making for a better and clearer layout. The content deleted due to this reason is often found to be some background information added in the article to keep the readers further informed and to allow for a more vivid report, which certainly has its own use but can be omitted without influencing the main topic of the report.
4.2.2 Expansion
Expansion is another commonly adopted way to modify the report. As is shown in a report, the concluding sentence of the report is expanded in meaning and structure in order to lead to a better understanding and better localization:
(8) Original text (the South China Morning Post, October 19th, 2011): That is their single happiness.
Translated text (the Global Times, October 19th, 2011): 单身女性，独并快乐着。
In this example, the sentence is obviously expanded. Due to the fact that simple English words may contain more meanings than can be seen from the surface, sometimes it is wise and necessary to expand it in order to fully express its hidden meaning. This example adopts an idiom from the Chinese language to convey the meaning of a simple English sentence, which not only fully exploits its hidden meaning, embellishing the whole report with a succinct and vigorous conclusion, but also adds a humorous effect which makes for easier understanding as well.
4.2.3 Modification
Modification is undoubtedly the most frequently used means of intentional deviation. The modification can be done thoroughly, which means the complete alteration of its whole structure as well as lexical meanings, or done partially, which means the modification of several words or minor structure. The former is vividly illustrated in a report, as is shown below:
(9) Original text (the Financial Times, November 8th, 2011): With the market shrinking, China factories are eying cheaper labour overseas.
Translated text (the Global Times, November 10th, 2011): 随着市场的紧缩，中国工厂正日渐难以被替代。
As can be seen from the example, the main structure as well as the meaning of the sentence has been changed into another irrelevant form, without obvious connections to the original text. The reason for this is that the substance of the main topic is to talk about the fact that China is increasingly becoming irreplaceable for local investors. The changing of this sentence properly corresponds with the main idea of the report, thus elevating itself into a new height and making the negative aspect of being disloyal to the original text ignorable.
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