文化视阈下中医术语英译的原则与策略

Principles and Strategies of Translating TCM Terms from a Cultural Perspective

中医术语英译难以标准化的原因在于中西医学文化的巨大差异。本文从中西方哲学和语言差异入手,指出中医术语具备历史性、哲学性和文化性,并参照翻译研究文化转向的相关理论,提出中医英译的目标是传播中国文化,中医术语英译原则是在传递医学信息的同时尽可能体现中医术语的文化性。本文认为,应发展一种抵御以译入语文化价值观为主导的翻译理论,不可因求"通顺"而丧失文化特性,反对以英美为中心的归化策略,提倡异化,并举例说明如何在中医术语英译中宁可"存异",也不"求同"。

It is difficult to standardize the English versions of Traditional Chinese Medicine( TCM) terms due to the immense cultural differences between TCM and its Western counterpart. Based on a thorough analysis of the philosophic and linguistic differences between China and the West counties,this paper articulates the philosophic and cultural features of TCM terms. By referring to relevant theories put forward by various leading scholars who made enormous contributions to the cultural turn in translation studies,this paper argues that the goal of TCM translation should disseminate Chinese culture in the West by embodying the philosophic,historical and cultural features of TCM theories while conveying TCM information. Also,this paper asserts that a different approach should be applied to counter the target-language-value-oriented theories,so that cultural characteristics are not sacrificed for the sake of smoothness. Several typical examples are cited towards the end of this paper to illustrate the value of foreignization strategy.