正确对待词典在翻译中的作用

Proper Understanding of the Role of Dictionaries in the Process of Translation

仅用一本词典,查出原文词语的意思,就能够做好翻译是对翻译的一种误解。翻译过程涉及因素较多,了解原语的基本词义只是对原文解读的一部分,而且词典意义具有静态的性质,而语言的使用则是动态的,因此,对词典意义的把握虽然有助于对原语意义的理解,但不能决定翻译的质量。从人们对词典在翻译中的作用的误解入手,阐明了如何正确对待词典与翻译的关系,从而提高翻译的质量。

It is believed by some people that good translation can be achieved by getting the meaning （s） of the words of the source text from a dictionary. However, it is definitely a misunderstanding. In fact, translation process involves quite a lot of elements, of which getting the meaning （s） from a dictionary is only part of it. In addition, meanings from dictionaries are static while the use of language is always dynamic. Therefore, although meanings from dictionaries are helpful for the comprehension of the source text, they do not play a decisive role in the process of translation. The paper, based on the misunderstanding of the role of dictionaries in translating, intends to expound the way of how to deal with the relations between dictionaries and translating with the purpose of establishing correct translation outlook.