How-to-Translate-English-for-Science-and-Technology(EST)-Materials.doc

How to Translate English for Science and Technology(EST) Materials

Contents

I. Brief introduction of EST translation

II. Features of EST in Vocabulary, Sentence, and Grammer and the specific translating methods

III. The conclusion

I.Brief introduction of EST translation
1.1 what is translation
Translation,essentially,is the faithful representation,in on language,of what is written or said in another language.(摘自钟述孔著，英汉翻译手册（增订版）)
1.2. Principles of Translation
The main principles of translation are faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance which were first proposed by Yan Fu. The English for Science and Technology (EST) emphasizes particularly the principles of faithfulness and elegance.
1.3. The Characteristics of EST Translation
1.3.1The principle of EST Translation:
The translation target of EST is scientific documents. The scientific materials are characterized by preciseness. So EST translation is marked by objectivity, standardization, distinctive feature in literary form, regular syntax.
Objectivity means that the translator cannot change the original ideas, neglect the information or put own comments in the process of translation. He must translate the original into Chinese version accurately.
standardization means that we should always use some professional expressions like technical terms. As we know, newly created technical terms are pouring into English for science and technology. The accumulation of new words is quite important. The characteristics of EST will be discussed in following chapters.
1.3.2 The Characteristic Vocabulary of EST:
The most remarkable characteristic of EST is extensive use of technical terms. A great number of them come from the words used commonly in our daily life. But they have strict technical meaning in EST. EST borrows words in common use to explain the professional technical concepts.So during the translation we must pay attention to those common words.
1.4 The requirements for EST translator
1.4.1 lingustic prficiency: the translator must be good at both the English and Chinese. To cite a saying “ A good translator reads a foreign language but thinks in his own.” We have to bear always in mind that Chinese and English are two entirely diffenent languages, each having its own usage and idiom, its own grammar and stylistic devices,own cultural and social background.
1.4.2 encyclopedic knowledge: we all know that EST is different from generaly English for it has lots of technical terms, and relates to science and technology which is not familiar to us.Only when we have encyclopedic knowledge, can we fully understand the original material.
1.4.3 Having a konwledge about the features of EST Science material unlike essay ,narration,or any other kind of style has its own features, which we must bear in mind. Having a grasp of the features of EST will do good to EST translation.
II.Features of EST in Vocabulary,Sentence,and Grammer
The general features of EST is objective,accuracy,conciseness.In order to achieve such kind of features, there are some special devices such as general use of nominalization ,extensive use of the passive voice ,long and complicated sentences
,as well as more non-finite forms of verbs ,that we al should pay special attention during our translation.
2.1 Features of EST in Vocabulary,
2.1.1 As we have talked before some features of vocabulary before, now let us talk about the specific translation methods of EST vocabularies.
Generally, there are two methods in the translation of EST vocabularies: literal translation and free translation. The literal translation includes transplant, transliteration and pictographic translation, etc. The free translation includes deduction, extension and explanation, etc.
2.1.2 General Use of Nominalization
Another striking feature of EST vocabulary is the gereral use of nominalation. Then, what is nominalizationn? In linguistics, nominalization is the use of a verb or an adjective as a noun, with or without morphological transformation, so that the word can now act as the head of a noun phrase.
As we all know,English is static, and nouns are frequently used to replace verbs, while Chinese is dynamic, using more verbs in a single sentence.
Compared with general English, noun phrases are more frequently used in EST. This is because scientific literature contains more abstract concepts such as definitions, principles, laws, conclusions, etc., and manifold modification and restriction are required to elaborate these concepts or ideas. As the semantic meaning of a noun phrase that consists of several words is usually complicated, the translation should go beyond the surface structure.
There is a variety of nominalization ,for example:
a. Lexical nominalization
For example:
计算机在数据和信息处理中的应用
PC applications in data and information processing
声音识别设备
voice recognition equipment
b. Expanded Noun Premodifiers
水 泵 阀
例：water pump valve
3. 1) verb-noun
The paper analyzes the problem and solves it.
The paper gives an analysis of the problem and offers a solution.
2)adjective-noun
It is doubtful how accurate the results are.
The accuracy of these results is doubtful.
3) sentence-noun
Thus, we should have specific methods of translating in terms of differend kinds of nominalization.Usually ,we have some methods,as follows:
1.translate Nominalization into verb
All substances will permit the passage of some electric current, provided the potential difference is high enough.
只要有足够的电位差，电流便可通过任何物体。
Television is the transmission and reception of images of moving objects by radio waves.
电视通过无线电波发射和接收活动物体的图像。
2.translat Nominalization into V-O constructure
As a small-scale illustration of the artificial modification of physical weather processes, take the frost prevention in an orchard.

对天气的物理过程进行人工影响”。此句译为：我们可举果园中防霜作为说明对天气的物理过程进行小尺度人工影响的例子。
3.translate Nominalization into independent –clause
The slightly porous nature of the surface of the oxide film allows it to be colored with either organic or inorganic dyes
氧化膜表面具有轻微的渗透性，因此可以用有机或无极颜料着色。
2.2 How to translate Passive Voice
Probably one-third of the verbs in EST writings are in the passive voice. The tense of these passive verbs is the Present Simple or the verb is used with modals.Scientists and engineers use the passive much more frequently than most other writers.
2.2.1 Why does the passive most ferquently occur in EST
First,it is clearer in meaning.Since scientists are more interested in action and facts than the actors and,many references to people are unnecessary and confusing.Second ,it allows scientists to introduce the most inportant information at the beginning. Third, passive sentences are usually shorter and more concese than acctive ones.
2.2.2 The function of the passive voice
a.Stating rules or general principles.Examples:
All matter is made up of atoms
b.Describing procedures.Examples:
c.Passive infinitive is particularly used for reporting news and expressing simple statement of fact.Examples:
The new factory is said to be opened next month
d.The passive with modals is particularly common in written instructions,warnings and notices.Examples:
All library books should be returned by the end of June.
2.2.3 The specific methods
a.Change to Active Voice in Chinese Version
<1>. The Original Subject Unchanged
Sometimes, in English-Chinese translation of EST, the Chinese verbs can express the passive voice without using the passive structure and the subject of the original sentence will be unchanged in Chinese version. E.g.:
(1)The same mould can be used over and over again.
同一模具能够反复（被）使用许多次。
(2) The water pollution should be paid attention to.
水污染问题应予以重视。
(3) The world health organization estimates that 1.7 billion people are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 世界卫生组织估计有17亿人感染上了肺结核。

b.Changing Original Subject into Object
In some cases, the passive sentences should be changed into the active voice in Chinese version to make it readable in Chinese. The subject of the original sentence is changed to the object in the translated text. The agent (the performer of the action), prepositional phrase as adverbial modifier and other phrases in the original sentence will be translated into the subject accordingly. E.g.:
(1) Three-phase current should be used for large motors.
大型电动机应当使用三相交流电。（将状语译为主语，原句主语译为宾语）
(2) In chemistry, symbols are used represent elements.
化学用符号代表元素。
c. Adding a Proper Subject to Make the Chinese Version Smooth
Some Chinese verbs cannot be properly used in the passive voice. In this case, the subject of the original sentence is changed to the object of the translated sentence with added subject. E.g.
(1) Bulb is known to be sometimes filled with an inert gas.
大家都知道灯泡有时会充入惰性气体。（增译泛指主语）
(2) Gases are frequently regarded as compressible, liquid as incompressible.
人们通常认为气体是可以压缩的，而其体则不可以压缩。
d. The Passive Structure Converted Into the Sentence with No Subject
The original subject is changed to the object in the translated version. and there is no subject in the translated sentence. E.g.:
The quality of heat which is radiated must be determined.
必须确定辐射出的热量。（译成无主语）
e. The Passive Structure Remaining Unchanged
In this conversion, there are two circumstances:
First, in order to emphasize the original passive meaning, the original passive sentence will keep its passive voice in Chinese version. We should add some words which carry passive meaning, such as “被” “受” “得到” “以” “加以” “予以” “为…所…” and so on. E.g.:
Not everything in wastewater is trouble, and thus is not removed.
废水中的物质不全是有害的。因而也不会全部被清除掉。E.g.
Attention must be paid to environmental protection in developing economy.
发展经济必须注意保护环境。
f.Sentence in form of “It … that…”
This is particular sentence structure used commonly in EST, which became the remarkable characteristic in the comparison with other kinds of English languages. It can be foreseen that… (可以预料出…), it cannot be denied that…(不可否认…). This kind of sentence could be translated into无人称或不定人称active sentence. E.g.
It seems that these two branches of science are mutually dependent and interacting.
看来这两个科学分支是相互依存，相互作用的。
g.sentence can be translated into “…的是…”或“…是…的”句式
E.g.
Most scientists believe that crude oil is formed by the decomposed remains of billions of tiny plants and animals which lived in the sea millions or hundreds of millions of years ago.
多数科学家相信，石油是由数亿年前亿万个生活在海洋里的微小动植物遗体的分解物形成的。
2.3 How to translate Long and Complicated Sentences
2.3.1 Extensive Use of Long and Complicated Sentence in EST
When dealing with the complex concepts, the long and complicated sentences are used more frequently in EST than the general English. This is decided on the characteristics of EST. Because, the EST’s target is to state a logic and describe an process. The definition, laws, theorems, concepts or the techniques in EST must be accurate and precise. So the sentence in EST has many modifiers, qualifiers and additional elements. This makes the sentence long and complicated.
2.3.2 specific methods
a. The prerequisites for correct handling of long and complicated sentences in English-chinese translation lie in the correct comprehension of the logic and structure of the original sentences.
b.subordination(分清主从法)
Subordination,the method of differentiating,and handling,of the principal and subordinate parts of a complex sentence in the process of translation, is essential to achieveing adequacy in translation.The diffenentiation and correct handling of the principal and subordinate parts is very important in English-Chinese translation.
Subordination is essential to comprehension and representation
E.g.
“Where weight is the major consideration,aluminium is used.A material's ability to conduct electricity slaso depends on its dimensions”In translating these two sentences,one should pay attention to the relationship between them.The sentences should be rendered into “凡是在重量是最要考虑因素的场合，就要用铝。这是因为材料导电的能力还取决于材料的尺寸。”
In Chinese the principal part of the sentence should normally be placed after the subordinate part.
E.g.
There is air all round us though we cannot see it with the naked eye.”should preferably be rendered into “虽然我们用肉眼看不见空气，但我们的周围到处都是空气。”
C．Division
Division ,as a translation technique, means the necessary splitting of a long sentence into shorter sentences.
To split a sentence at will is definitely a mistake in translation.But that does not mean splitting the sentence is absolutely impermissible.Before we split sentences,we shoulde know (a)what the author is driving at (b) what his arguments or views are and what logic sequence there is in the original (c) what grammatical relations there are regarding the three ,four,five or even more modifiers in the long sentence to be translated.
There are a few rules to observe:
1. When the long sentence includes or implies the author's two or more steps of reasoning,or his arrangement of facts in acertain order
2. when the modifiers qualifying the subject are too long,generally speaking,these sentences can be properly rendered into Chinese by employing the techniques of division,amplification,and conversion.
3. when a clause in a long sentence functions ,in effect,as a transition to what is to follow.
E.g. The difficulties that(1) would have to be encountered by anyone who(2) attempted to explore the moon — assuming that(3) it was possible to get there — would(4) be incomparably greater than (5)
those that (6)have to be faced in the endeavor to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
任何试图探索月球奥秘的人──假定他们可能到达那里的话─—可能遇到的困难远非攀登珠穆朗玛主峰时遇到的困难所能比拟。
In the course of designing a structure, you have to take into consideration what kind of load to above mentioned structure would be subjected, where on the structure the said load will do, what is expected or applied by degrees.
在设计建筑物时，必须考虑到建筑物将承受什么样的荷载，在建筑物的什么地方荷载将起作用，以及这荷载是徒然是假的，还是逐渐施加的。
III.conclusion

The translation of English for science and technology is quite a challenge for learners of English.However,if we grasp some translation method and practice a lot, we should be confident that we can be a qualified EST translator.

Reference

（1）<<科技英语翻译技巧》 严俊仁 编著
（2）professeur Wan 's PPT