Classification of translation of public signs [on English translation of public signs]

The Present Situation, Causes and Countermeasures of English Translation of Public Signs

-Take the English translation of public signs in Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area in Hong 'an as an example.

Abstract: In the open international environment, China attracts more and more tourists for sightseeing. However, due to many factors, the English translation level of public signs is still unsatisfactory. Taking the problems existing in English translation of public signs in Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area in Hong 'an as an example, this paper analyzes the present situation and causes of English translation of public signs, and puts forward some suggestions. Keywords: English translation of public signs, functional classification, causes and countermeasures

Brief introduction: Public signs include instructions, tips and warnings on the signs of scenic spots, as well as various "notices" posted at the entrances of scenic spots and scenic spots, as well as public signs on traffic, catering and other related public places around tourist attractions. It can point out the direction for tourists, or remind them to act, or tell them the relevant rules of the scenic spot. Nowadays, with the deepening of international communication, more and more foreign tourists come to China to travel, so it is urgent to improve the English translation of public signs. This paper attempts to analyze the present situation of English translation of public signs, analyze the reasons and put forward corresponding countermeasures.

Definition and classification of public signs

Public signs refer to written and graphic information open to the public, as well as notices, instructions, tips, displays, warnings and signs closely related to their lives, production, life, ecology and undertakings.

Public signs can meet the social, behavioral and psychological needs of foreigners working and traveling in China, and have four indicative application functions in practical application: indicative, suggestive, restrictive and mandatory. According to their functions, they can be divided into the following four categories:

(1) Indicative public signs: Indicative public signs reflect thoughtful information services, without any restrictions or emphasis on meaning, and their purpose is to provide some relevant information to the public. Such as: ticket &; Tourist center ticketing and tourist center, public toilets, etc.

(2) Prompt public signs: Prompt public signs have no specific meaning, but only serve as reminders. Please pay here, please pay here. The height limit is 3m.

(3) Restrictive public signs: Restrictive public signs put forward restrictions and constraints on the behavior of the relevant public. The language is straightforward, but the tone is weak, which will not make people feel tough, rude and unreasonable. For example, disabled people only, disabled people's access, and construction sites are forbidden to enter.

(4) Mandatory public signs: Mandatory public signs require the relevant public to take or not take any action, and the language is straightforward, tough and non-negotiable. For example, it is forbidden to take photos, and it is forbidden for tour guides to explain the situation of the group.

2. Current situation and analysis of English translation of public signs

The research on Chinese-English translation of tourism public signs in China started late, but the current situation of translation of tourism public signs in many cities is not satisfactory. There are many mistakes in the English translation of public signs of scenic spots all over the country, which not only destroys the scenery, but also leaves a bad impression and a laughing stock for Chinese and foreign tourists. Moreover, they fail to play their due role, become useless furnishings, and sometimes even mislead foreign tourists, which greatly affects the role of public signs and even weakens the image of the city. Therefore, the standard brigade

It is a necessary and urgent task to use public signs in translation, correct all kinds of mistakes in translation and solve the problems in translation of public signs.

The author conducted a field survey in Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area in Hong 'an, and made the following analysis on the English translation of public signs found in it.

2. 1 error conversion

2. 1. 1 word for word translation

Word-for-word translation is a blunt translation of Chinese into English, which easily gives the public the impression that public signs are wrongly translated. At the entrance of Tiantai Mountain Natural Scenic Area, the English public sign "Welcome to Tiantai Mountain" was actually "Welcome to Tiantai Mountain". Not to mention the English translation of Tiantai Mountain, the usage of the word "welcome" also does not conform to English collocation habits. I think it is better to translate it into "Welcome to Tiantai Mountain" which is more acceptable to the public. As for the translation of Tiantai Mountain, the author will reflect it in the following.

2. 1.2 Use of Pinyin

Pinyin is widely used in many translated works, but it is often used in the translation of names and currencies. According to the analysis of the collected data, it is found that improper use of pinyin is also an important reason for mistranslation. Above, for foreign tourists, the Chinese pinyin "mountain" can't convey any image of "mountain", but only the common words about mountain in daily life can help them understand the scenic spot, so it is more reasonable to translate it into "Tiantai Mountain" here. In addition, in this scenic spot, we found that the corresponding translation of "Gong Shi Lan Scenic Spot Discount Ticket" is "Gong Shi Lan Scenic Spot Discount Ticket". Let's put aside the translation of other parts, and just say that it is unacceptable to translate the publicity column directly in Pinyin, let alone foreign tourists. When translating public signs, we need to consider the target of translation, and we can't simply use pinyin without knowing how to translate it.

2.2 Terminology mismatch

In the translation of public signs, the mismatch of translation terms will not only make the translation achieve the expected effect, but also lead to mistranslation. During the real-life tour of Tiantai Mountain, the signboard "Millennium Cherry" was translated into English as "Century Cherry". Since it is a Millennium, the word "century" here seems to be somewhat poorly translated, more accurately, it is a mismatch of terms. When it comes to the translation of Millennium Development Goals, the author thinks that it is more accurate to translate Millennium Cherry into Millennium Cherry. In the translation of public signs, we should pay more attention to the accuracy of translation, rather than blurring the translation object, especially in the translation of public signs, we should pay more attention to the matching of terms.

2.3 Cultural incompatibility

Considering the differences in cultural backgrounds of different nationalities and countries, English translation of public signs should pay attention to respecting different cultural habits and traditions. The main reason for cultural incompatibility lies in the translator's misunderstanding or even ignorance of different cultures. Take the dragon as an example. Although it exists in both Chinese and western cultures, its symbolic meaning is quite different. In China, dragon is a commendatory term. It is not only a symbol of power, nobility and honor, but also a symbol of luck and success. However, westerners' association and views on dragons are quite different. Dragon is a derogatory term in the west and a symbol of evil. The word "abnormal" appeared in the column of scenic spot ticket discount. It has been verified that the English definition of the word "deformity" in the English-Chinese Oxford Advanced Dictionary is "a part of the body is in an abnormal shape due to injury, illness or improper growth", but all western readers feel insulted.

Taste, and in western countries, people are very sensitive to the words that mean "disability", so they need to be more rigorous and pay more attention when using them.

2.4 the tone is not harmonious

The disharmony of tone is caused by the information in the translation of public signs being too strong or too weak, or by improper pragmatics. In the publicity column clause of scenic spot ticket discount, the public sign of "elderly people with retirement certificates" is translated as "elderly people with retirement certificates". Obviously, the translation given by the staff in the scenic spot is illogical, and it is slightly discordant to use "old people" to represent the elderly. Just like the old, weak, pregnant and disabled seats that people often see on buses, we should try our best to coordinate the tone of these special words in the process of publicity and translation. The author believes that using "senior citizens" to represent the elderly shows respect and has a more harmonious tone.

In addition, it is found that there are still some minor problems in the translation of public signs in Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area, such as capitalization errors and inconsistent translation names, among which the most obvious are three different translations of the word "scenic spot" on the same billboard. The author thinks that in order to better serve foreign tourists, we should also pay attention to the English translation of these seemingly insignificant public signs.

3. Standardize the translation strategies of public signs

Countermeasures In view of the present situation of English translation of public signs in China, it is urgent to save the deteriorated English translation of public signs. How to solve this problem efficiently and timely, I think we should start from the following aspects.

3. 1 Standardize the English translation of public signs in scenic spots

In order to let foreign tourists know the contents of public signs more clearly, it is urgent to standardize the English translation of public signs in scenic spots. In the process of English translation of public signs, we should avoid word-for-word translation, use less pinyin translation, avoid terminology mismatch, and strive for cultural compatibility and harmonious tone. We should try our best to have evidence to follow, and study and scrutinize the translation of difficult public signs repeatedly, so as to be accurate and standardized.

3.2 Strengthen the understanding of English translation of public signs

Nowadays, many non-professionals do not have a correct understanding of translation, let alone the translation of public signs, and many people think they know English, and some even think that they can engage in translation after CET-4 or CET-6. However, this is not the case. Translation is extremely delicate, which requires a large number of translators, especially English translation of public signs. Deepening the understanding of translation from all walks of life will help improve the level of social translation, and the translation environment of public signs will really sublimate.

3.3 Increase the training of translators of public signs.

As we all know, there are only a handful of professionals engaged in translation in China, and even fewer people are engaged in the translation of public signs. Therefore, it is urgent to strengthen the training of public signs translation professionals. In this regard, the state should give more encouragement to the training of public signs translation and relax the conditions appropriately, but the situation should still be strictly controlled to avoid confusion.

3.4 Strict implementation of translation quality management

In view of the present situation of China's translation market and translation quality team, it is necessary to further standardize and manage the implementation of translation quality. Although the state has made some efforts to standardize the use of Chinese language, such as the promulgation and implementation of the Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) on Common Language and Characters, there is no corresponding policy on the regulations on the use of foreign languages and characters. If the relevant management regulations can be formulated separately, translators will naturally be more careful and earnest in the process of translation, which is of great significance to translation.

It is also very important to standardize the English translation of public signs.

4. Concluding remarks

Globalization, modernization, urbanization and informatization put forward urgent expectations and strict requirements for the research and translation of public signs in China. Especially in the increasingly close communication between China and the international community, the English translation of public signs will face higher and stricter requirements and challenges. Accurate and standardized English translation of public signs is very important to the external image of a city and a country, and it will also play a decisive role in the lives of the public and tourists. We believe that China's English translation of public signs is bound to make a new breakthrough today when challenges and opportunities coexist.

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