Chapter 7 Amplification VS Omission I. Amplification in English-Chinese translation Amplification means to add necessary words phrases, clauses or sentences to the translated text in purpose of making it consistent with the target language in meaning grammar and culture connotation. Amplification does not add new information to the message and only help understand the text. In this part we will analyze how to use amplification to achieve equivalence in English-Chinese translation in these three levels, i. e. syntactic, semantic, and rhetorical
Chapter 7 Amplification vs. Omission • Ⅰ. Amplification in English-Chinese translation • Amplification means to add necessary words, phrases, clauses or sentences to the translated text in purpose of making it consistent with the target language in meaning, grammar and culture connotation. Amplification does not add new information to the message and only help understand the text. In this part we will analyze how to use amplification to achieve equivalence in English-Chinese translation in these three levels, i.e. syntactic, semantic, and rhetorical
1) Her tone was more friendly than David's(tone) 2 She sang her sweetest(song) 3 shall i write my name on above or below the line?
• 1) Her tone was more friendly than David’s (tone). • 2) She sang her sweetest (song). • 3) Shall I write my name on, above or below the line?
1 Syntactic amplification 1). Addition of noun after the possessive case Her tone was more friendly than david's(tone) 她的语气要比大卫的语气友好。 2). Addition of noun after adjective She sang her sweetest(song) 她唱了最动听的歌曲 3). Addition of noun after preposition Shall I write my name on, above or below the line? 我把名字写在线上,还是线的上方或下方呢?
• 1. Syntactic amplification • 1). Addition of noun after the possessive case • Her tone was more friendly than David’s (tone). • 她的语气要比大卫的语气友好。 • 2). Addition of noun after adjective • She sang her sweetest (song). • 她唱了最动听的歌曲。 • 3). Addition of noun after preposition • Shall I write my name on, above or below the line? • 我把名字写在线上，还是线的上方或下方呢？
4). Addition of the main verb after auxiliary They would stop if they could(stop) 如果他们能停的话他们会停下来的。 5. Addition of verb after infinitive At last he agreed to do what i asked him to do) 最后他同意去做我要他做的事 6). Addition of predictive after copula[ kopjula 连系词 I was scared as the children were(scared) too 我惊呆了,孩子们也给吓住了。 A7). Addition of subject and the main verb By birth he was an englishman by profession a sailor, by instinct and training a rebel 就出生说,他是英国人;就职业说,他是海员;就本性和 教育说,他是背叛者
• 4). Addition of the main verb after auxiliary • They would stop if they could (stop). • 如果他们能停的话他们会停下来的。 • 5). Addition of verb after infinitive. • At last he agreed to do What I asked him to (do). • 最后他同意去做我要他做的事。 • 6). Addition of predictive after copula[ 'kɔpjulə ] 连系词 • I was scared as the children were (scared) too. • 我惊呆了, 孩子们也给吓住了。 • 7). Addition of subject and the main verb • By birth he was an Englishman; by profession, a sailor; by instinct and training, a rebel. • 就出生说，他是英国人；就职业说，他是海员；就本性和 教育说，他是背叛者
2. Semantic amplification e Some borrowed terms are so semantical condensed浓缩 in the source language that they are required to expand in the receptor language. For instance, Jeep 吉普车 pizza 比萨饼 Sauna 桑那浴 neon 霓虹灴
• 2. Semantic amplification • Some borrowed terms are so semantically condensed浓缩 in the source language that they are required to expand in the receptor language. For instance, • Jeep • 吉普车 • pizza • 比萨饼 • Sauna • 桑那浴 • neon • 霓虹灯 •
Some words have complete meanings in English sentences such as intransitive verbs certain adjectives, abstract nouns. However, when translated into Chinese literally their meanings become incomplete so they must be amplified in order to meet the demands of Chinese grammar so as to be understood easily by the target eaders 1) she could knit when she was seven ·她七岁时就会织毛衣。 (Addition of noun after the intransitive verbs)
• Some words have complete meanings in English sentences, such as intransitive verbs, certain adjectives, abstract nouns. However, when translated into Chinese literally, their meanings become incomplete, so they must be amplified in order to meet the demands of Chinese grammar so as to be understood easily by the target readers. • 1) She could knit when she was seven. • 她七岁时就会织毛衣。 • (Addition of noun after the intransitive verbs)
2)Day after day he came to work---sweeping scrubbing, cleaning 他每天干活--扫地,擦地板,收拾房间 (Addition of noun after the intransitive verbs) 3 This type writer is indeed cheap and fine 这台打字机真是价廉物美 (Addition of noun before the adjectives) 4)He is a complicated man----moody, mercuria with a melancholy streak. 它是一个性格复杂的人-喜怒无常,反复多变,有些忧郁 寡欢
• 2) Day after day he came to work---sweeping, scrubbing, cleaning. • 他每天干活--扫地，擦地板，收拾房间 • (Addition of noun after the intransitive verbs)。 • 3) This type writer is indeed cheap and fine. • 这台打字机真是价廉物美。 • (Addition of noun before the adjectives) • 4) He is a complicated man----moody, mercurial with a melancholy streak. • 它是一个性格复杂的人--喜怒无常，反复多变， 有些忧郁 寡欢
5)The leader is not satisfied with our preparation 领导对我们的准备工作不满意 (Addition of noun after the abstract nouns) 6 We will help this region out of this backwardness ·我们要帮助这一地区摆脱落后状况。 Persuasion 说服工作 Preparation 准备工作 tension 紧张局势 Arrogance 自满情绪 madness 疯狂行为 Antagonism 敌对态度 (Addition of noun after the abstract nouns)
• 5) The leader is not satisfied with our preparation. • 领导对我们的准备工作不满意。 • (Addition of noun after the abstract nouns) • 6) We will help this region out of this backwardness. • 我们要帮助这一地区摆脱落后状况。 • Persuasion • 说服工作 • Preparation • 准备工作 • tension • 紧张局势 • Arrogance • 自满情绪 • madness • 疯狂行为 • Antagonism • 敌对态度 • (Addition of noun after the abstract nouns)
3. Rhetorical amplification The particle of mood is a peculiar rhetorica device in Chinese and is used in the middle and the end of sentences to indicate mood, such as 呢,吧,呀,吗,罢了,而已”etc. Different one plays different role in the sentence, like affirmative, interrogative, imperative, and so on But there are no particles of mood in English Therefore, when the english text is translated into Chinese the translator analyzes the original sentence carefully and adds the particles the implication and rhetorical color of the origina work has been transmitted to the readers faithfully. For example, Don't take it seriously. I'm just making fun of you ·不要认真嘛!我不过开开玩笑罢了。 As for me, i didn't agree from the very beginning 我呢,从一开始就不赞成
• 3. Rhetorical amplification • The particle of mood is a peculiar rhetorical device in Chinese, and is used in the middle and the end of sentences to indicate mood , such as, “呢，吧，呀，吗，罢了，而已”etc. Different one plays different role in the sentence, like affirmative, interrogative, imperative, and so on. But there are no particles of mood in English. Therefore, when the English text is translated into Chinese, the translator analyzes the original sentence carefully and adds the particles. The implication and rhetorical color of the original work has been transmitted to the readers faithfully. For example, • Don’t take it seriously. I’m just making fun of you. • 不要认真嘛！我不过开开玩笑罢了。 • As for me, I didn’t agree from the very beginning. • 我呢，从一开始就不赞成
I Ellipsis in English-Chinese translation Chinese, one of the concise languages in the world also has plentiful approaches to be terse and succinct. Ellipsis is one of them It functions enormously differently from that of the English language system Chinese generally omits those self-evident words Which will make the chinese redundant dull or violent to the habits of Chinese people if translated word for word as that of english original. Many English language elements may be omitted in Chinese, e. g i washed my face with my hand If it is translated into(我们用我们的手洗我们的脸。), the translation will make the chinese redundant dull or violent to the habits of Chinese people The following are a classification of those omissions
• Ⅱ.Ellipsis in English-Chinese translation • Chinese, one of the concise languages in the world also has plentiful approaches to be terse and succinct. Ellipsis is one of them. It functions enormously differently from that of the English language system. • Chinese generally omits those self-evident words which will make the Chinese redundant , dull or violent to the habits of Chinese people if translated word for word as that of English original. Many English language elements may be omitted in Chinese, e.g. • I washed my face with my hand. • If it is translated into (我们用我们的手洗我们的脸。)， the translation will make the Chinese redundant, dull or violent to the habits of Chinese people. The following are a classification of those omissions
