从目的论角度探讨旅游景区公示语的英译

2014届本科毕业论文从目的论角度探讨旅游景区公示语的英译姓名：系别：外语学院专业：英语学号：指导教师：2014年4月On C-E translation of tourism signs from the perspective of the Skopos TheorybyZheng PeipeiShangqiu Normal UniversityApril 2014摘要随着中国经济的快速发展，中国旅游业更加对外开放。

现如今，中国旅游景区公示语的英译越来越受到中外翻译家和广大游客的关注并日益成为社会的焦点。

本文首先叙述了旅游公示语的定义，分析了其主要功能，即指示性，提示性，限制性与强制性。

然后介绍了目的论及其三原则，最后基于目的论的三大法则，探讨中国旅游景区公示语的英译策略和技巧。

关键词：旅游公示语；目的论；英译，策略AbstractWith fasting development of Chinese economy, the reform of Chinese tourism industry becomes more and more wider. Nowadays, the translation of public signs in scenic spots is increasingly concerned by translators from home and abroad and tourists and gradually becomes a heated and highlighting topic in society. This paper firstly presents the definition of tourism signs and analysizes their main functions namely informative function, instructive function, regulatory function and warning function. And then it introduces the skopos theory and its three rules and finally discusses strategies and skilles of C-E translation of public signs in the places of interest, based on three principles of the skopos theory.Key words: tourism signs; the skopos theory; C-E translation; strategiesContents摘要 (I)Abstract (II)Contents (III)1Introduction (4)2Overview of Tourism Signs (4)2.1Definition of Tourism Signs (4)2.2Functions of Tourism Signs (5)3The Skopos Theory (7)3.1A Brief Introduction to the Skopos Theory (7)3.2The Skopos theory is a method of translation which was proposed by HansJ. Vermeer and developed in Germany in the late 1970s. It is the core theory of functionalist approach which breaks the limitation of “equivalence translation” and mak es translation more possible. The term “skopos”which comes from greece means goal, aim, purpose, intention,etc. The theory’s core concept is that translation is a kind of humane action which always has purposes and intentions. Therefore, the implementation of the translation behavior is in order to achieve a particular purpose or goal, even to produce results and influences in the target purpose that the translation behavior reaches determines the whole process of translation activity, that is to say, the end justifies the means. Rules of the Skopos Theory (7)4Translation Strategies Under the Guidance of the Skopos Theory (9)4.1Borrowing (9)4.2Imitating (10)4.3Recreating (11)5Conclusion (13)References (15)1IntroductionIn recent years, with the rapid development of Chinese internationalization and foreign tourism, more and more foreign tourists come to China for sightseeing the places of interest, who take public signsas an important way to get the information of scenic spots. The translationof public signs in scenic areas has an inestimable value on spreading Chinese culture and booming foreign tourism. As a famous translator says, the translation of tourism signs is language transformation in two kindsof cultural background and with cultural and commercial purposes. ( Nord, Christiane. 200l:10-12 ) Besides, tourism signs own distinct language features which are concise and criterional and sometimes with graphic representations. From the perspective of skopos theory, this paper, basedon the analysis of tourism text resources, discusses the translation strategies of tourism signs so as to build a good language environmentin scenic areas.2Overview of Tourism Signs2.1Definition of Tourism SignsTourism sign is “ the character and graphics symbol information open to and in the face of tourists in the scenic spots including all guide posts, the signs of public utilities and services, practical tips, notices, the of tickets and amusement services and various tips and warning signs which are designed and set to ensure the visitors tour in a clean, safe and orderly environment”. [translation mine](Xue Xiaocong, Liu Xue and Gao Li. 2011)2.2Functions of Tourism SignsPublic signs “are usually short and brief, aiming to inform, instru ct, compel or warn something that is closely related to our daily life, production, and existence. Signs are anything from the simple ways of informing to technologically sophisticated communication of messages. Signs influence everyone—tourists, drivers, shoppers, etc, whether in the course of business or entertainment” .(WangYing, LüHefa. 2007)根据这个定义，公示语有广泛的社会功能，，在社会政治、经济文化中发挥着管理、规范、协调、保障、稳定的作用。

旅游景区公示语是公示语的一部分，面对的人群更广泛，来自世界各地；具有特殊的目的，比如为游客提供便利，促进消费，传播中国特色文化，增大他们对中国名胜的喜爱欲望，产生呼吁、说服、劝阻作用.旅游公示语具有突出的功能。

Due to(1) informative rmative tourism signs usually show “static”sense and are used just to offer some relevant information of services to people without any coercion. For example: “Entrance (入口处) ”. Noticing this sign, tourists can enter a certain scenic spot. There are some other examples such as “Exit(出口) ”, “Tickets (售票处) ”, “Information (问讯处) ”, “Travel Service (旅游服务) ”.(2) instructive function. Instructive tourism signs have “dynamic”sense and give indications to tourists. They are used to attract people’s attention, give reference to them and instruct them to do something without any force. Tourists can take action according to the actual situation. For instance：the sign “Call 110 in Emergency(紧急时拨打110)”is often seen beside lakes, which usually indicates that there may be a danger. Tourists can call 110 to ask help when caught in emergency. Here are some more examples such as “Wet Paint(油漆未干)”, “Caution：Wet Floor(小心地滑)”, “Out of Use, Please Use the Other Doors(此门停用，请走侧门)”.(3) regulatory function of this kind of tourism signs is to impose some restrictions that is asking them to obey the rules or regulations in the scenic spots on tourists’ actions to some expression of such signs is usually in a straightforward way which commonly does not make tourists feel rude and offended. For example: “Keep Right(右侧行驶)”, “Free for Children under 12(12岁以下儿童免费)”, “Please protect public facilities(请爱护公共设施)”, “Be quiet please(请保持安静)”.(4) warning function. Warning tourism signs usually show an imperative tone and tell tourists what they must not do. Once people go against the information conveyed by this kind of signs, they would be fined or punished. Negative words like “No”, “Forbidden”, and “Prohibited” are usually used in these signs. When reading this kind of tourism signs, people would be forced not to do something. For example, “No Smoking(严禁吸烟)”, “No Entry(禁止入内)”, “No Fishing Here(此处严禁钓鱼)”, “Don’t Touch(禁止触摸)”.3The Skopos Theory3.1 A Brief Introduction to the Skopos Theory3.2The Skopos theory is a method of translation which wasproposed by Hans J. Vermeer and developed in Germany in the late 1970s. It is the core theory of functionalist approach which breaks the limitation of “equivalence translation” and mak es translation more possible. The term “skopos” which comes from greece means goal, aim, purpose, intention,etc. The theory’s core concept is that translation is a kind of humane action which always has purposes and intentions. Therefore, the implementation of the translation behavior is in order to achieve a particular purpose or goal, even to produce results and influences in the target purpose that the translation behavior reaches determines the whole process of translation activity, that is to say, the end justifies the means. Rules of the Skopos TheoryFrom the viewpoint of the skopos theory, translation should abide by three rules, namely skopos rule, coherence rule, fidelity rule.Skopos rule is the most important rule in the process of translation. According to Skopos theory, the prime principle determining the process of translation is “the purpose (Skopos) of the overall translationaction” (Nord, 2001. p27). The cardinal principle that all translation activities follow is "skopos rule" which is that thetranslation should be able to take effect in the situation and culture of target language and in a way that target language receivers anticipate. The skopos rule reads as follows: “translate/interpret/speak/write in a way that enables your text /translation to function in this situation in which it is used and with the people who want to use it and precisely in the way they want it to function” (Vermeer, Hans .Coherence rule means that the translation text should absolutely conform to the standards of intra - textual coherence, in other words, the translation text should own the readability and acceptability, can be understood by receivers and makes sense in the culture of target context and communicative context of using the translation. Just as Munday puts it: “the translation of target t ext must be conducted in such a way that is coherent for the target text receivers, given their circumstance and knowledge” (Munday, Jeremy. 2001) .Fidelity rule is put foreward by Christiane Nord, which refers that there should exist inter - textual coherence between source text and target text, that is, the translation should be faithful to the original (Nord, 2001). On the one hand, the translator should be morally responsibile for the target text receivers, and absolutely explain to them what he does and the reason for doing this. On the other hand, fidelity rule requires that the translator should be loyal to the original author. However, it is worthy to mention that the form and the degree faithful to the original depend on the purpose of the translation and the understanding of the translator for the original. (Nord,As is well-known, the aim of translating tourism signs is to convey the exact information and culture to tourists. The only function of theoriginal is applying the “information”(Hans J. Vermeer. 1996). According to the three rules, in order to realize the aim of the translation of tourism signs, the translator should choose translating skills on the basis of the expected functions of the translation, rather than the linguistic form and the function of the original.4Translation Strategies Under the Guidance of the Skopos TheoryThe main point of the skopos theory is that the purpose of translation determines translating methods and strategies. In order to bridge the gap of language and culture between eastern and western countries, the skopos theory combines language features and translation studies, and classified the tourism signs according to their different functions. Therefore, different types of tourism signs should adopt different translation strategies and methods. Some strategies will be discussed in detail in the following.4.1BorrowingAccording to the skopos theory, every translation has a purpose, the C-E translation of public signs in scenic spots is not only in order to give foreign visitors a better understanding for the information of scenic spots, but also to stimulate their interest in tourism and disseminate the culture of scenic areas. In order to reduce the loss of cultural elements, when it comes to the general international tourism signs, the best way is to borrow the expression that English countries usually use. For example, “Staff only (游客止步)” is the conventional expression in English nations. Compared with literal translation “tourists are prohibited to enter”, the expression of the borrowing public sign issuccinct and more tender in tone, which makes the target text receivers accept more easily. There are more examples such as（1）营业中 Open（2）今日特价 Daily Special（3）收费停车场 Pay Parking（4）凭票入内 Tickets only（5）注意碰头 Mind your head（6）园内草坪，请勿践踏 Keep off the grass4.2ImitatingWhat is called imitating refers to the translating method which borrows some fixed structures and frameworks in target language to convey the original meaning (WengFengxiang. 2007. P188). In terms of the English translation of tourism public language, imitation means to use indiscriminately the pre-existing and habitual expression of english-speaking countries, and to go on translating activities by adopting the simulating way, and to convey information in the expression way that target linguistic reader can accept customarily , so as to fulfill the communicative function. For instance, “No Smoking(禁止吸烟)” is a very native English expression, which accurately convey the warning function of tourism signs. Therefore, when translating this kind of tourism signs which convey the meaning “strictly forbidden”, the translator can apply mechanically the form “No + Vin g”. For example,(7)禁止攀爬 No climbing(8)禁止拍照 No photographin(9)严禁乱扔垃圾 No LitteringThere is another example. “Caution: Wet Floor(小心地滑)”is the idiomatic expression in English native countries, which delivers the target text readers the information of instructive function efficiently. There are many indications for unsafe conditions in scenic spots. When translating these signs, the translator can imitate the form “Caution /Beware /Warning /Danger + ‘concrete advanture situation’”. For example,(10)水深危险, 注意安全 Danger! Deep water.(11)危险, 小心落石 Caution: Falling stones(12)危险, 小心滑坡 Caution: LandslidesBesides, there are many proverbs that can be imitated in the practice of the translarion of tourism instance, East or West, Home is best. , the proverb which has been widely spread in English speaking nations means that no matter how beautiful and splendid the outside house is, home is the most comfortable place and where the heart is. Therefore, the best translation of the public sign in scenic spots “桂林山水甲天下” is “East or West, Guilin Landscape is best”. According to the skopos theory, this kind of translation highlights the “fidelity rule” maintaining the interlingual coherence, keeps its source language meaning and is in accord with thinking habit of the target text readers at the same time.4.3RecreatingIn line with skopos theory, the interactional pragmatic respects of translation should be stressed, and the translation process s the expecting function or purpose of the target text, rather than the source text, or its function to the receiver of source language. In addition,each language has its personalizing structures and styles of expression, especially Chinese with unique characteristics and cultural background. Sometimes it is absolutely not easy for translators to find the equivalent or similar expressions of some Chinese tourism public signs in English. If the translator adopts the method of literal translation, it will bring about misunderstandings to the foreign readers who have little background about Chinese culture, in consequence of the failure of cross-cultural communication. Under this condition, recreating is a wise choice to translate public signs in scenic areas. According to coherence rule and fidelity rule of the skopos theory, the translator firstly should understand the source text to be full and then try to express the meaning comfortably in the target language.For example, there are many restricting and compelling signs in scenery areas. If all the signs are translated in the form “No+ving”, tourists will feel the loss of freedom due to too many confines and have less interest in touring. if “禁止摘花” is translated as “No plucking flowers”, this expression is little rude, impolite and unacceptable to the foreign visitors. However, if the translator creatively makes the most of rhyme and rhythm and translates it as “Flowers so fair, needing your care”, the effect would be better. This kind of translation gives a deeper impression on target language readers because it reads and remembers easily.There is another example. “小草青青，足下留情”is creatively translated as “Please Give Me A Chance to Grow”. This translation utilizes the figure of speech of personification, which makes a vivid description that the grass lovely mercy for life, and is full of the sense of is well known that the translation of tourism signs should be able to keep tourists in happy mood. Proper sense of humor can make visitorsnot only maintain cheerful feeling but also leave a good impression on a certain scenic spot. Therefore, it would be a good and effect skill for translators to use humorous words without the lack of respect creatively.More examples are as follows.(13) 请保持车距Keep Distance, Don’t Kiss me(14) 痰纸一挥间，风度尽失矣 Once Spiting, No Grace(15) 来也匆匆，去也冲冲 Come with Rush, Go with Flush(16) 创一流服务，迎四海嘉宾 First class service to all guestsFrom the analysis of the above ,it is easy to know that , in the translation of tourism signs, recreating can improve the translation to achieve the expecting function of target text receivers.5ConclusionPublic signs in scenic spots is a window to let the world know China, the condition of whose translation represents the image of China. Only seriously studying functional meanings and language styles of tourism signs can the translator make full use of their positive effects and develop the quality of their translations to a higher level. As far as the skopos theory is concerned, translation is the process of textual manipulation based on the original, and according to the aims that public signs want to achieve in target language,the translator should adopt various and relevant translation strategies to guide the English translation of Chinese tourism texts. In order to satisfy the demands of foreign tourists and the development of Chinese tourism industry, translators should firstly consider the problem that what are theirrequirements and purposes in the process of translation, and try their best to present the native and high quality translation which can introduce the information of tourism resources to foreign visitors more effectively and spread the Chinese profound culture.For the sake of the beautiful image of China in the world, the C-E translation of public signs in the places of interest should be paid more attention to. 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