从英汉语言特点看公示语翻译

Translation of public signs in the view of the different characters of Chinese and English

公示语是指在公共场所等处书写或设置的各种标牌或警语。随着中国经济的快速发展,城市公共场所的双语标识也越来越多,作为一种特殊的交流媒介,人们对于公示语这个能够展现中国国际形象,体现城市文明水平的窗口也越来越重视。本文从英汉语言的特点和差异出发对英汉公示语的表达方式的异同进行比较分析,旨在说明公示语翻译背后的语言文化影响以及探索公示语互译的策略与技巧,为汉语公示语的英译提供合理思路。

Public signs are meant for the public to see the language or image of instruction or warning in public places.As a crucial communication media,the public signs exhibits its growing importance in the worldwide communication.With the development of the economy in China,bilingual public signs are more and more used in public places such as hotels,restaurants,airports,shopping centers and so on.In addition,people are paying more attention to the use of public signs and regard them as a window to the world.This article concertrates on issues relating to the comparison of the different ways to express and use public signs both in Chinese and English and the linguistic and cultural elements behind it and comes up with the principle for the proper translation for public signs from Chinese to English.