语类观照下商务语篇类型的翻译研究——以一则汉语“谅解备忘录”的英译为例

Translation of a Business Text Type from the Perspective of Genre Theory: A Case Study of the English Translation of a Chinese Memo of Understanding

本文基于功能语言学的语类理论,以一则汉语"谅解备忘录"的英译为例,揭示出汉语"谅解备忘录"的语类结构,并从标题的翻译、常用介词的翻译、常用句式的翻译、语旨的传达、行业话语的翻译等几方面对汉语"谅解备忘录"如何英译成符合英语商务语篇类型的情景特征进行了讨论。文章认为,译者从事翻译,首先要知其然,即要知道如何翻译语篇类型的词汇语法结构;其次要知其所以然,即要知道每个语篇类型在语类观照下如何演绎出自己的语类结构,并将语域的情景特征同整个语篇类型配置和协调起来。只有这样的译文才有望成功实现交际目的。

This paper presents a case study of the English translation of a Chinese memo of understanding. Based on the genre theory in functional linguistics, it works out the generic structure in the Chinese text and explores the ways of translating such elements in a memo as the title, prepositional phrases, commonly-used expressions, tenor and jargons into idiomatic English. It argues that in doing translations, a translator should of a memo into English and then, more importantly, know how firstly know how to translate the lexical-grammatical elements these elements are translated in such a way to ensure the transference of the generic structure of source text with reference to the register variables and text type. Only with register variables and text type meshing together well can a translation be expected to achieve the communicative puruose of a memorandum.