语域视角下中医双语词典中的中医术语英译对比研究

Comparative Study on the Terminology Translation in TCM Bilingual Dictionaries from the Perspective of Register Theory

中医术语的英译一直是中医英译的难点,中医双语词典中收录了大量的中医术语,而各词典对中医术语的英译在英译原则与方法方面不尽相同,以致于造成译文的差异。故以3本中医汉英词典为准,试图从系统功能语言学提出的语域概念进一步厘清中医术语英译的问题所在,指出中医术语英译在中医双语词典中体现出的差异是译者针对不同的语场、语旨和语式在词汇层面进行选择的结果。鉴于中医药双语词典作为工具书的功能,建议中医术语译文应突出中医语域特点,构建中医语域标志,区分正式用语和非正式用语。

The translation of TCM terminologies remains a difficulty in the course of the English translation of TCM. A great number of TCM terminologies are collected in TCM bilingual dictionaries, yet their equivalent English translations are found different due to the various translation strategies and methods. Therefore this paper attempts to make the problems which resulted from the differences clearer based on the three TCM bilingual dictionaries from the perspective of the register theory proposed by the system-functional linguistics. Eventually this paper points out that the translation differences are the result of choices made by the translators on the word level in terms of filed, tenor as well as mode in discourse. In view of the referential function of the TCM bilingual dictionaries, this paper proposes that the English translation of TCM terminologies should highlight the characteristics of TCM register, construct the register marker of TCM as well as distinguish the formal and informal modes in the target language.