英语论文网

vely uniform sentence structures, there is slight possibility of any alternatives. 3.Comparison Between the Chinese and English Public Sign Both share similarities, of which, the language styles are concise, convenient and conspicuous; moreover, the figures of speech are often adopted. Yet, a series of differences still exist. Such stylistic analysis focuses more on its functional significance in the sign translation than on the formal features of texts for its own sake. •Word Order As thinking modes vary in two cultures, the centre of power reflected in Chinese and English is strikingly different. The Chinese sign is highly implicit by placing the focus at the end of a phrase; on the contrary, the English sign emphasizing the point at the beginning. For instance, ﹡油漆未干 Wet Paint ﹡无汞（电池） Mercury-Free •Diction Practice Differences are also seen in diction practice. Verbs are usually employed in Chinese to perform such functions as warning, restricting and compelling, whereas the nouns and gerunds quite common in English. For instance, ﹡严禁穿行 No Trespassing ﹡不收手续费 No Commission Charge •Mood Unlike English signs which sound euphemistic and implicative, Chinese signs are more direct and straightforward, even with a touch of authority. English signs often display the allowable aspect instead of aiming at the prohibited audience. For instance, ﹡闲人免进 Staff Only ﹡送客止步 Passengers Only •Voice English signs generally use passive voice; Chinese signs, however, are more of active voice. Hence, sign translators should take into account the target reader’s acceptability and identification. For example, ﹡禁止携带犬只入内 Dogs Not Allowed ﹡戴好防护镜和安全帽 Safety Glasses & Hard Hats Required 4.Skopostheorie Skopostheorie, advocated by Hans J. Vermeer, is the core theory of functionalism, which is a broad term for various theories focusing on the function or functions of texts. According to Skopostheorie, the prime principle determining any translation process is the purpose (Skopos) of the overall translational action. Thus, the top-ranking rule for any translation is “Skopos rule”, meaning that a translational action is determined by its Skopos; that is, “the end justifies the means” (Nord, 2001:29). The framework of Vermeer’s Skopostheorie is as follows: Any form of translation action, including therefore translation itself, may be conceived as an action, as the name implies. Any action has an aim, a purpose…The word Skopos, then is a technical term for the aim or purpose of a translation…an action (which) leads to a result, a new situation or event, and possibly to a “new” object. (Nord, 2001:12) A translational action may involve a variety of Skopos, or purposes, which may be related to each other in a hierarchical order. We can distinguish between three possible kinds of purposes in the field of translation: •the general purpose aimed at by the translator in the translation process; •the communicative purpose aimed at by the target text in the target situation; •the purpose aimed at by a particular translation strategy or procedure. 5.Principles for the Translation of Public Signs The language structures and expressions present diversity, triggered by the differences between the two cultures in social systems, values, and thinking modes. Based on the Skopostheorie, the A-B-C approach (模仿-借用-创新模式) , which has a clear functional orientation, is a well-te