功能翻译理论视角下公示语翻译研究——以武汉市为例

A Study on the Translations of Public Signs at the Perspective of the Functionalist Translation Theory—Taking Wuhan City as an Example

公示语作为在公共场所向公众传达信息的语言文字,在营造良好的国际语言环境中发挥着至关重要的作用。然而,不少城市公示语的翻译却频频出现错译、漏译等问题,从而未能实现其应有的功能。具体而言,公示语文本所预期实现的功能主要有指示与告知、提醒与警告两大类,即信息功能和感染功能。据此,可将公示语文本根据其预期功能分为信息型和感染型两大类别。本文以功能翻译理论的目的原则、连贯原则及忠实原则为指导,结合武汉市公共场所公示语翻译的现状,针对上述信息型和感染型两种不同文本类别,详细阐释适用于城市公示语翻译的两条规范:译本需确保语言层面信息点的准确传达以及语用层面感染力的有效实现。

As a language conveying information to the public, public signs play an important role in creating a favorable international language environment. However, errors and omissions are frequently seen in the translation works of urban public signs. As a consequence, those signs usually fail to fulfill their due functions. Generally speaking, public signs are mainly intended for information- providing, instructing and cautioning, from which the expected functions can be concluded as informational and appellative. Hereby, the texts of public signs can be respectively categorized as informational text or appellative text in accordance with their functions. Under the guidance of the Functionalist Translation Theory comprising skopos rule, coherence rule and fidelity rule, an analysis is made on the basis of the status quo in Wuhan City. And the norms applicable to the translation of the two types are concluded—that is, to ensure the accurate communication in language level as well as the appellative function in pragmatics.