商务英语的语言特点及其翻译.docx

1、商务英语的语言特点及其翻译商务英语的语言特点及其翻译Language Features and Translation of Business English摘 要近年来，随着经济全球化的发展，商务翻译在国际贸易中的重要性日益突显。它不同于文学翻译等其他形式，具有自身的特点。本文通过对商务英语语言特点进行分析，提出一些翻译的原则和策略，对解决商务翻译的一些问题有一定的指导意义。文章先从三个语言学角度分析商务英语的语言特点：词汇角度、句法角度、语篇功能角度，其次针对其特点提出几点翻译原则与策略，并在此基础上对大量的商务英语实例进行了翻译，对常见错误进行修正。事实证明，掌握好一定的技巧及方法后翻译

2、出好的商务译本是完全可能的。本文旨在提高商务英语的翻译质量，促进贸易双方的沟通及交流。正文将分为五个章节来阐述论题。第一章为引文。第二章系统地介绍商务英语的语言特点,其中从三个语言学层次上进行分析研究。第三章由其特点引出对商务英语进行翻译时应掌握的一些原则和策略,其中包括真实性原则、对等性原则、精确性原则、连贯性原则。第四章主要分析一些翻译中的常见错误并提出对译者的一些要求。最后一部分为结论。关键词：商务英语; 语言特点; 翻译AbstractIn recent years, with the development of economic globalization, business tr

3、anslation has become more and more important. Business translation is different from the literary translation and other forms since it has its own characteristics. This thesis analyses the language features of business English from three linguistic levels: the lexical level, the syntactic level and

4、the textual level, according to which several translation principles and strategies are proposed. On basis of the principles and strategies, some examples are analyzed and some common mistakes are corrected. The thesis aims at improving the quality of business English translation and promoting the u

5、nderstanding and exchange between two trading parties.The thesis will be divided into five parts. Part One introduces the topic. Part Two analyses the linguistic features of business English from three linguistic levels. Part Three presents some translation principles and strategies based on the abo

6、ve language features including faithfulness, equivalence, exactness and consistency. Part Four deals with an analysis of some common mistakes and then makes some requirements for translators. Last part comes to the conclusion.Key words: business English; language features; translationContents. Intro

7、duction1. The Language Features of Business English.3A. Language features from the perspective of function.3B. Language features from the perspective of style.41. Elementary view of the features of business English.42. Detailed feature analysis of business English.6a. Lexical level. .6b. Syntactic l

8、evel.8c. Textual level.10. Specific Principles of and Strategies for the Translation of Business English.13A. Faithfulness principle in the translation of business English.131. Faithfulness is the fundamental requirement for business English translation.132. Equivalence of the concept can assure the

9、 fidelity to the original text14B. Exactness principle in the translation of business English.15C. Consistency principle in the translation of business English.15. Some Problems Existing in Business English Translation and the Requirements for Translators.17. Conclusion.20. Notes.21. Bibliography.22

10、. Acknowledgements.24. IntroductionSince the economic reform and opening up to the outside world in China, our business communication with other countries has become more and more frequent. The scope of economic exchange has also extended and more people are engaged in the work of business English t

11、ranslation. From ancient times to the present, abundant fruits have emerged in translation research in China, for instance, Yan Fus “faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance”, which gained popular influence in China, Lu Xuns “rather be faithful than smooth”, or Xu Yuanchongs “notion of rivalry”, “t

12、he notion of transcendence”. However, what almost all the fruits focus on is literary translation and all the efforts are made to render perfect literary translation and achieve the harmony between the form and the content of literary translation. Eugene A. Nida once made comments on the current sit

13、uation of translation in China: But unfortunately too many Chinese theorists and practitioners have focused primarily on elegance and quite naturally they concentrated their efforts on literary texts.1Though translation gets its appropriate treatment as an academic pursuit in China for a long histor

14、y, it is not true of business translation. The traditional Chinese translation theories lay too much emphasis on literary translation, which results in great limitation. Particularly for business translation, whose features are greatly different from those of literary translation, traditional transl

15、ation theory is not so suitable. However, business translation has for a long time remained only a business translation in a functional view and been ignored by Chinese academic field. It is only recently that it has become the focus of attention. The input from academic endeavor will certainly give

16、 an impetus to the theoretical development of business translation practice by selecting from among many frameworks of translation theories the most suitable one for business translation.Up to now, there are not as many books or theses studying business translation as those that concern other kinds

17、of translations in China, though there is rapid development in this area. But there are still many famous scholars who have made tremendous contributions to business translation in recent years. Professor Jia Wenbo published a book named Pragmatic Translation with a Functional Few and one of its cha

18、pters is contributed to business translation; there is also one chapter in Professor Fang Mengzhis A Coursebook on Pragmatic Translation discussing business translation; Professor Liao Ying also published several books centered on many aspects of business translation. And there are a number of paper

19、s and discussions in many periodicals concerning business translations in recent years. However, there are few books that offer systematic researches and concentrate on business translation and few theories are applied in business translation; consequently, the systematic research on business transl

20、ation and its suitable theories is urgent in China.Therefore, in the following parts of this thesis, the author will discuss the translation of business English on the basis of its own language features. The Language Features of Business EnglishA. Language features from the perspective of functionFu

21、nctions of language are closely related to translation, and so are the language features of business English. Translation is the art of language. People use different words for different purposes and effects, which are exactly the functions of language. A translator therefore should first of all be

22、able to recognize the functions of language in different texts or contexts and then tries his utmost to choose an equivalent sentence or discourse in the translation, which has the same language function as the sentence or discourse of the original. Thus functional equivalence is achieved.As Nida sa

23、id in his book Language, Culture and Translating, language has two types of functions, one is psychological function, the other is sociological function. The psychological functions may be described as the means by which people negotiate with reality, and the sociological functions can be said to be

24、 those ways by which people negotiate with other persons. And the sociological functions may be regarded as external and interpersonal. Business English is a kind of pragmatic English, whose main features are external and interpersonal. Therefore the analysis of the language features of business Eng

25、lish can be started from the angle of sociological functions.The primary sociological functions of language, according to Nida, contain the following types: interpersonal, informative, imperative, performative, and emotive. However, in view of the purpose of business English, the language in this sp

26、ecial register may have the following two main functions, that is, interpersonal and informative functions. The reason why the rest of the functions (the imperative, the performative, and the emotive) are not listed here in business English is not that they are unimportant, but that they can be invo

27、lved in the two functions emphasized: the interpersonal function and the informative function.The interpersonal function of language primarily involves the ways in which people negotiate and/or maintain social status, in other words, how they make use of language to help establish themselves in the

28、social “pecking order” and how they maintain these relations with other persons. In most languages there are quite distinct levels or registers, including ritual, formal, informal, casual, and intimate speech.2 In business English, the interpersonal relationship is essential to the success of a busi

29、ness transaction. If you negotiate with your counterpart, you should know how and when to use polite language, vague language or logical language, which are used according to different registers. The use of these various registers depends primarily upon the purposes of power and solidarity.3 Just as

30、 Mark Ellis said in his book Teaching Business English, the most important characteristic of exchanges in the context of business meetings, telephone calls, and discussions is a sense of purpose. Even used in phatic manner, business English can obtain interpersonal function. But unlike in EGP regist

31、ers, in business English the speaker is often pressed time at business meetings, so it is impossible to keep on chattering cleverly about inconsequential matters.The most obvious function of language is informative, the use of speech or writing to influence the cognitive content or state of other people. In business English, this function is especially obvious. Information has to be conveyed with minimum risk of misunderstanding, and t