【作者】 杨雪莲；

【导师】 张健；

【作者基本信息】 上海外国语大学 ， 英语语言文学， 2010， 博士

【副题名】以《今日中国》的英译为个案

【摘要】 在传播学领域,所谓传播(communication)就是一个系统(信源)通过操纵可选择的符号去影响另一个系统(信宿),这些符号能够通过连接它们的信道得到传播,以达到一种信息的交流和共享(陈道德,1996:58)。传播是人类社会一种普遍的现象、活动或行为,其最基本要素是符号,包括语言符号和非语言符号,其本质体现为信息的共享、交流与传播。“对传播中所使用的符号的研究,对运作于这些符号的规则的研究,以及对于符号、规则使用者的研究,构成了传播研究的中心。”(齐沪扬,2000:16)。它是研究人类一切传播行为和传播过程发生、发展的规律以及传播与人和社会的关系的学问,即传播学是研究人类如何运用符号进行社会信息交流的学科(董璐,2008:15)。翻译的本体是语言符号,通过两种不同语言的转换实现信息的交流和传播,翻译研究同样离不开对语言、语言使用规则、语言使用者的关注。传播学与翻译有着共同的本质,即信息的处理和交流。传播学关注两大问题:一是所传播的信息如何能够从信息源到达受众(信宿),二是如何能够使传播过程达到传播者(信源或其媒体)的目的。从翻译的层面看,同样有两方面的问题,一是译者如何把原文的信息包括文本信息和作者意图传递给译文读者,二是如何能够使译文读者准确领会原文信息和作者意图,以实现翻译的目的。所不同的是,传播学一般研究对象是以同一文化、同一语言中进行的传播现象为主,而翻译则是跨语言跨文化中进行的传播活动;传播学中的传播主体即“谁”只有一个,而翻译活动中却至少有两个主体——原文作者与译者,这使翻译中的传播过程变得更为复杂,但并不影响传播学理论对它的指导意义。我们在给翻译学选择理论框架时,首先应对它的性质有一个明确的认识,清楚地知道这一学科所要完成的任务,并注意在完成这一任务中所涉及到的诸多要素,以及各要素在完成任务时所起到的作用,它们之间的相互关系,它们所遵循的规律等等(吕俊,1997:39)。吕俊提出,翻译是一种跨文化的信息交流与交换的活动,其本质是传播,无论口译、笔译、机器翻译,也无论是文学作品的翻译,抑或是科技文体的翻译,它们所要完成的任务都可以归结为信息的传播,是各种信息(自然信息、生物信息、社会文化信息、技术信息)的传播。人们对于传播的定义虽有所不同,但对其基本属性的看法是一致的:即传播是一种有意识有目的的社会行为,是一种信息交流和传播的过程,其过程表现出一种互动性,各要素之间组成一个系统、动态的有机整体。翻译同样具有传播学的一般性质,也是一种社会信息的传递。翻译过程实际上是原文作者、原文文本、译者、译文文本和译文读者因为信息的传播而组成的一个系统,该系统中的每一个环节相互影响、相互作用,而外界环境的变化也必然对这个系统产生影响,形成噪音。整个翻译过程就是在一定目的指导下,克服噪音干扰,利用反馈的作用,尽量不失真地传播信息,实现翻译目的、达到传播效果的过程。外宣翻译,其中心词是翻译,当然会遵循翻译的一般规律,其修饰词外宣,却没有引起足够的关注,这意味着其区别性特征没有得到恰当的识别。外宣,作为宣传活动,显然具有传播学的特性,所以,传播学与外宣翻译研究的结合应该是一个很有意义的尝试,而其传播本质也尚未引起译界专家学者的高度关注和研究热忱。在当前全球化背景下,外宣翻译研究的相对滞后与我国综合国力国际地位的提升不太相符,这种不平衡的局面更突显了外宣翻译研究的重要性和紧迫性。传播学理论和外宣翻译研究的结合,可以为外宣翻译研究提供较为全面、系统和具有实践意义的理论支撑和指导,为外宣翻译提供比较科学合理的理论依据和新的研究视角,对外宣翻译具有强大的解释力和适用性,能很好地解释外宣翻译策略和方法的选择问题,丰富和发展外宣翻译研究的内容,对拓宽和深入外宣翻译研究具有重要的现实指导意义。本研究在把握传播本质的基础上,没有具体地针对传播学中的某一个理论展开深入阐述,而是从宏观的角度进行整体描述,并通过这些宽厚的基础铺垫,借助传播学的视角对外宣翻译的本质、特点和原则等方面展开探讨。本研究由五章组成。第一章:绪论从选题背景、理论框架、研究的问题、研究的意义、研究的方法及论文的构成等六个方面对拟要展开的研究进行概述。第二章:传播学与翻译的传播学研究首先对研究的理论支撑即传播学的有关理论进行梳理和简要评述,主要以传播学的两大学派,三大来源,四大功能,五大奠基人为线索托出与本研究相关的理论,同时介绍了国内外学者对翻译所进行的传播学研究情况,确立翻译的传播学研究的可行性和合理性。美国主流媒体对于中国特色事物和概念的处理方法虽然没有明显地披上传播学的外衣,但其中却渗透着传播学的思想,对它的实证研究更利于我们从传播学的角度看待翻译问题。本章还从传播学的视角对翻译过程中的把关行为及读者角色展开阐述。第三章:外宣翻译的传播学视角首先对相关定义进行界定,厘清了宣传与传播,内宣与外宣,对外宣传与对外传播的概念和内涵。对外宣翻译的多种名称和译名进行归纳、分析,在此基础上尝试提出外宣翻译的传播学本质,即外宣翻译作为一种跨语言和跨文化的传播,首先应该在中外语言和文化之间架起一座连接你我,沟通彼此的桥梁,同时,在当今信息化、全球化的大背景下,更应该顺应时代的发展和要求,为中国文化的传扬搭建一座舞台,让世界听到中国的声音,从而促进世界多元文化和谐共存共生的局面的形成。此外,外宣翻译应该是中国与世界对话的一种方式,在对话和协商中寻求与世界文化特别是西方文化的平等交流。通过桥梁强调相同相通,通过舞台展示突出特色与不同,同时也体现出对舞台效果的追求,通过对话把握同与异的平衡。反映到具体的翻译策略上,就是双重策略的合理使用,即语篇层面上的归化和文化层面上的异化的动态协调。然后尝试总结出外宣翻译的五个鲜明特点:准确性、针对性、目的性、政治性和挑战性;最后提出外宣翻译应遵循两个基本原则:信息的信和效,信是指译文对原文信息的忠实度,具体体现为质的准确和量的充分;效是指信息的效果和有效性,体现为译文的可读性和可接受性,最终使传出的信息取得预期效果。第四章:个案研究:《今日中国》英译本章从我国对外宣传中颇有影响的近10种英语杂志中选取《今日中国》(China Today)作为个案研究,主要是基于以下考虑:《今日中国》是我国对外传播的先驱,其前身是《中国建设》(China Reconstructs),是我国建刊历史最长的英文刊物之一,近60年来,它报道和记录了中国在经济、社会、文化等方面的成就及变化,把一个多姿多彩、充满魅力的中国客观地介绍给世界,为中国树立了良好的国际形象,增进了与各国人民的交往和友谊,受到海内外读者和各界的广泛好评,被誉为中国对外传播的“窗口”和“桥梁”;它是一本进行民间交流的刊物,没有明显的政治和官方色彩;它的创刊宗旨和传统作风符合我国的外宣定位和目标,具有较强的代表性;它的报道主题以文化、社会和经济为主,其中不乏中国特色的事物和思想,为传播中国文化做出了重大贡献,对外宣翻译的研究和实践都有较大的借鉴意义。本章对2001至2007年期间的《今日中国》的中英文版本,从词汇和语篇两个层面进行梳理和比较,对收集的语料进行详细分析。笔者从中梳理出1,200多个具有中国特色和文化含义的词汇,发现它们的翻译以异化策略为主,主要通过完全音译、按照中文字面直译、直译音译并用、直译加注释、音译加注释等翻译方法把中国的特色语言和文化推向世界;在语篇层面上的翻译则进行了归化处理,表现出“篇本位”的特点,其目的是在照顾译文可读性和可接受性的基础上尽可能保留和传播中国的文化特色。具体方法有增,给读者补充相关的背景知识和文化内涵;简,包括删减和弱化;变,即适度改变原文的措辞或语篇结构,使译文更加符合外国读者的思维方式、阅读习惯和审美期待。第五章:结语本章由两大内容组成:讨论与总结,不足与展望。前文的论述引发了笔者的几点思考:外宣翻译的最低标准;外宣翻译的三元主体;系统、动态的外宣翻译观;外宣翻译的译德建设。最后是本文的总结,指出存在的不足,并对未来的研究提出设想。本文论述的主要问题和观点如下:1、传播学视角对外宣翻译研究的可行性和意义何在?外宣是一种以民族、地区、国家为主体而进行的跨语言跨文化信息交流与沟通,外宣翻译的本质和基本任务可以归结为跨语言跨文化的信息传播,是对外传播的重要途径。作为一种传播,它首先具有一般传播行为的性质,遵循传播的一般规律。传播学是研究人类如何运用符号进行社会信息交流的科学,对传播中所使用的符号的研究,对运作于这些符号的规则的研究,以及对于符号、规则使用者的研究,构成了传播研究的中心。传播学的视角跳出了语言与文学两个方面或译语与原语的两极的局限,把翻译的性质定性为一种跨语言跨文化的信息交流与传播,顺应当今信息化、全球化的潮流及时代的发展要求,以一种更宽阔的眼光看待外宣翻译活动。传播学的视角不仅着眼于微观的外宣翻译过程,即具体的翻译方法的使用,还着眼于外宣翻译对整个人类社会文化交流和发展的意义,把翻译活动放到了一个战略的高度。传播学理论与外宣翻译研究的结合,可以为外宣翻译研究提供较为全面、系统的理论支撑和指导,为外宣翻译提供一个新的研究视角,对外宣翻译具有强大的解释力和适用性,能很好地解释外宣翻译策略和方法的选择问题,丰富和发展外宣翻译研究的内容,对拓宽和深入外宣翻译研究和实践具有直接的指导意义。2、传播学视角下外宣翻译的本质是什么?译者应该通过怎样的翻译策略体现其本质特征?传播学视角赋予外宣翻译跨语言跨文化信息交流与传播的性质,具体体现为外宣翻译不仅要发挥桥梁作用,更要发挥舞台作用,寻求与世界不同文化之间的对话与交流。一直以来,我们都倾向于把翻译定位为桥梁,想方设法填补不同语言和文化之间的鸿沟,又因为西方英语文化的强势地位,我们在译介中国文化和文明时往往表现出一种顺从。反映在翻译策略上就是尽可能地归化,让馒头穿上面包的外衣塞给外国读者,这几乎成了译界的一条共识,个中原因是多方面的;但是,要实现中国文化的传播及不同文化之间的平等、顺畅交流,局限于桥梁的定位和作用是不够的,外宣翻译更应该为中国文化的传扬搭建一座舞台,把悠久灿烂的中国文化推向世界,展现在世人面前,同时注重舞台效果,毕竟如来佛和上帝还是不一样的,龙就是龙,它不是虎。所以,在处理中国文化时,可以大胆地采用异化策略,尽可能保留原汁原味的文化特色,让世界听到中国的声音,了解一个具有异域特色的真实的中国,这是时代的要求,也是外宣翻译的使命;然而,归化不是言听计从,异化也不是唯我独尊,外宣翻译应该成为与世界对话的方式,这样才能实现信息的有效交流与传播,任何一方的独白或者失语都无法保证对话的顺畅进行,因而在翻译中需要采用双重的翻译策略,即语篇层面上归化和文化层面上异化的合理平衡。从一定程度上讲,也为中国英语(China English)的客观存在找到了依据。概言之,从传播学的角度看,外宣翻译应该有所为有所不为,有所为是指语篇上采用归化为主,尽量照顾外国读者的思维方式和阅读水平,有所不为是指文化上不被外国读者牵着鼻子走,坚持以异化为主,把中国的文化和文明推向世界的舞台。3、传播学视角下外宣翻译具有哪些特点?翻译中应遵循怎样的原则?从传播学的角度看,外宣翻译表现出这样五个特点,即准确性、针对性、目的性、政治性和挑战性。“外宣翻译是一种门面工作,其中的错误与缺陷会被放大来看。可以毫不夸张地说,外宣翻译是一个国家对外交流水平和人文环境建设的具体体现。”(黄友义,2005:31),这是对准确性的要求;针对性即要清楚“对谁传播”,其对象是处于不同语言和文化背景下的、对中国了解不多甚至存有偏见却又渴望了解中国、需要了解中国的外国读者;目的性即“传播效果如何”,传播是一种有意识有目的的社会行为,其最终目的是取得良好的传播效果,实现预期的目的,外宣翻译应该服务和服从于我国外宣工作总体目标的实现;外宣工作的阶级性决定了外宣翻译的政治性,不管我们是否承认,对外宣传的政治性是客观存在的,无论哪个国家、哪个阶级、哪个政党,它们的对外宣传都是要为自己的利益服务的,均存在或多或少、或明或暗的政治色彩,因而在外宣翻译中要特别注意译者的政治立场和用词的政治分寸;在信息化全球化的今天,新事物新观念层出不穷,又常常因为时间上、语义上的新鲜性而无法在已有的词典或其他资料中找到现成的译文,“孤立无援”的情况下我们仍然不能退却,因为这是我们的使命,加上西方媒体和民众对中国社会发展的密切关注,准确向世界译介中国特色的事物和文化对于传播和弘扬中国文化,有效实现跨文化交流具有迫切性和必要性。回避绝对不是办法,反而会招致更多的误解或猜疑,更多时候往往都得迎难而上,这就是挑战性所在。基于这些特点,外宣翻译应遵循两个基本原则,即信息的信和效,这里的信息是一个组合体,是由多种信息组成的集合,包括原文的文本信息、文化信息和原作者的交际意图等等,信是指译文对原文信息的忠实,体现为质上的准确和量上的充分;效是指效果和有效性,体现为译文的可读性和可接受性,最终使信息的传播取得预期效果。4、传播学视角能否对外宣翻译研究与实践中不可回避的问题如翻译的主体,翻译的标准等提供新的观点和解释?翻译的主体问题是翻译学研究关注的重点,译界对这个问题的讨论由来已久,至今仍没有达成一致看法。许钧学者曾对这个问题进行了归纳,他说,“从目前我们搜集到的国内外有关资料看,对谁是翻译主体这一问题,大致有四种答案:一是认为译者是翻译主体,二是认为原作者与译者是翻译主体,三是认为译者与读者是翻译主体,四是认为原作者、译者与读者均为翻译主体”(许钧,2003:10)。传播的过程模式虽各有不同,也各有长短,但都非常直观地显示出原作者、译者和译文读者的互动和连动关系,而且译者是传通各环节的关键,从而确立了翻译活动中以译者为中心的三元主体关系:原作者(sender1)作为信息的源头,掌握着传播的内容,并启动传播过程;译者兼任三重角色(receiver1, effect1, sender2),接收原作者通过原文发出的信息,对信息进行解读和加工,然后通过译文把信息发送出去,开始了第二阶段的信息传播;读者(receiver2, effect2)通过译文接收来自译者的信息,并对信息做出反馈,至此传播的一个过程才算完整。原文作者、译者和译文读者是整个系统、动态的传播过程中的三大主要因素,彼此之间既密切联系,又互相作用。翻译标准是翻译活动必须遵循的准绳,是衡量译文质量的尺度,也是翻译工作者应努力达到的目标。翻译标准是翻译理论的核心问题,但是翻译界对此还没有完全一致的定论(林煌天,1997:167)。传播学的视角突出了翻译过程的整体性和动态性,翻译过程各要素之间的互动性。同样,翻译中某一要素的变化都会引起其它要素的变化,而这些变化又应以整体原则为指导。有人想以一条原则来确定翻译的标准,其结果是十分困难的,也是徒劳的,因为它缺乏对于动态变化的针对性(吕俊,1997:42)。奈达也指出,“翻译中最不可思议的矛盾是从没有十全十美或永恒不变的译文,因为语言和文化都在不断地变化着”(Nida,1993:5)。因而,只限定一个翻译标准显然不够科学,最高标准的设立也是可望不可及,而多重翻译标准的存在又会带来诸多不便,这使外宣翻译最低标准的建立成为必要和可能,即不违背知识的客观性;理解的合理性与解释的普遍有效性;符合原文文本的定向性(吕俊、侯向群,2006:238)。不违背知识的客观性,即信息的信——质的准确和量的充分;理解的合理性和解释的普遍有效性即信息的效——信息的可读性和可接受性;符合原文文本的定向性即译者对原作的充分尊重,包括对原作语言和异质文化的尊重。最低翻译标准的建立体现了动态与稳定的相对统一,主观与客观的有机结合,体现的是一种继承与发展,既建立了翻译规范,又给译者留下了发挥主观能动性的空间,是对原文本的尊重,又是对译者的一种适度宽容。这些标准并没有背离传统译论所遵循的“信、达、雅”,而是结合历史的发展和时代的要求把它们更加具体化,使之更具有实践性和可行性。而且,传播学的视角可以为严复先生对“信、达、雅”标准的践行提供合理的解释,翻译的价值最终应该体现为它为社会所带来的成效,传播学视角考量的是翻译过程发生了什么,又带来了什么的问题,使翻译研究的道路越走越宽。5、美国主流媒体对中国特色事物和概念的处理对外宣翻译有何启示?近年来,外报外刊对中国特色词语的英译处理颇受国内翻译爱好者和研究者的关注。通过文献研读,我们发现美国主流媒体在处理中国特色事物和概念的词汇时主要采用以异化为主的翻译策略,这似乎有悖常理和正常的逻辑。其实不然,这中间渗透着他们的传播思想。本文认为至少有四点值得思考。一是它们的读者意识,不管他们的策略是针对中国读者还是西方读者,其根本是他们都把读者纳为重要的考虑因素,因为这关系到传播效果的实现;二是他们大胆的异化策略表现为文化上的异国情调和语言上的新鲜满足了不同文化读者求异求新的好奇心理,容易引起读者的阅读兴趣,较好地吸引读者的注意力;三是对异质文化因素的处理带有明显的政治意识倾向,翻译作为一种跨语言跨文化的传播是有目的的;四是异化为主的翻译策略的大量使用表明了外国读者对异质文化的心态更加包容更加开放,因而中国文化原汁原味走向世界是可能的也是可行的。时代在发展,历史在前进,我们所面对的读者也随着时代的发展而经历着各种变化。今天的中国日新月异,在国际上的地位和影响力也不断提高,在这样信息化、全球化的大背景下,我们的外宣媒体在面对中国语言和文化特色时应该更加自信一些,“走出去”的步伐可以更加稳健和快速。6、被誉为我国对外传播先驱的《今日中国》对外宣翻译有何启发?《今日中国》被誉为中国对外传播的“窗口”和“桥梁”,受到海内外读者和各界的广泛好评。本文选取这本具有较强代表性的对外宣传期刊进行个案研究,通过对2001至2007年期间《今日中国》中英文版本的比读,从词汇和语篇两个层面进行梳理、比较和分析。笔者从中梳理出了1,200多个具有中国特色或中国文化含义的词汇,发现它们的翻译以异化策略为主,主要采取完全音译、按照中文字面直译、直译音译并用、直译加注释、音译加注释等翻译方法;语篇层面上的翻译则进行了一些归化处理,如增、简、变等,其目的是在照顾译文可读性和可接受性的基础上尽可能保留和传播中国的文化特色。其成功之处主要在于语篇层面上的归化和文化层面上的异化这双重翻译策略的合理平衡。本研究在学习、总结和分析前人所做研究的基础上,尝试着从传播学的视角对外宣翻译展开深入探讨,希望能为外宣翻译研究提供较为全面、系统的理论支撑,拓宽研究的视野,丰富研究的内容,并对外宣翻译实践产生直接的指导意义。当然,由于笔者学识水平、研究能力、时间、精力的限制,谬误或遗漏之处在所难免,祈请各位专家学者批评指正。更多还原

【Abstract】 In Communication Studies, communication is a process in which a source system produces an effect on its target system by manipulating the selectable symbols, either linguistic or non-linguistic. These symbols are transferred and exchanged, aiming to realize the sharing and communication of information. Communication is a common phenomenon in our society and it is in essence a sharing and exchanging of information. Communication Studies focuses its research on the use of symbols, the rules of using symbols and the users of the symbols in communication. In other words, Communication Studies hopes to discover what occurs in human communication and how it is accomplished by means of certain symbols. With the development of our society and the deepening of our understanding about translation studies, translation is essential for the exchanging and communication of information when employing different languages, and translation studies are indispensable to the language, the language use and the language users. In this sense, translation has a strong bearing on Communication Studies.Communication and translation share the nature of the dissemination and exchanging of information. The two major questions in Communication Studies are how to convey the source information to the target receivers and how to make the senders’intentions realized through this process. We also face a similar situation in translation. What are special lies in the fact that communication in a general sense is often intra-lingual and intra-cultural, while translation as a special communication is inter-lingual and inter-cultural. Thus there is only one main sender in general communication, while translation involves at least two senders. All these differences make translation as a mode of communication more complicated, yet the theoretical framework of Communication Studies still manifests a strong feasibility and reasonability in translation studies.According to Lv Jun, professor at Nanjing Normal University, a very clear idea about the nature, the task and all the factors involved in translation is a must for selecting a theoretical framework for translation studies. In his opinion, translation is a special kind of communication, a cross-cultural communication by nature. Translation, no matter in what form, is for sharing and exchanging of information. It aims at effective human communication. In Communication Studies, communication is a purposeful social activity; it is a process of information exchange during which all factors including sender, channel and receiver etc., correlate with one another and form a dynamic, integrated system. Translation is of the same character as communication. It is actually a system of information exchange involving the author, the source text, the translator, the target text and the reader. All these elements interact with one another on one hand and are open to the context on the other hand. From the perspective of Communication Studies, translation is a purposeful communication that overcomes the interruption of noise and thus achieves the expected communication effect among the receivers.C-E translation for global communication (CETGC for short) is first of all a type of translation, which will definitely follow the rules of translation in general. However, the features that distinguish it from translation for general purposes have not received enough attention. With communication as its ultimate goal, CETGC can find a solid foundation and strong support in Communication Studies. The combination of these two should provide a very meaningful and enlightening approach. With the acceleration of globalization and flourishing international communication, CETGC has attracted more attention from people in this field, and the demand for CETGC has risen considerably. Relevant papers or works on this topic however are very limited. The significance of a comprehensive and systematic study of CETGC is self-evident.This dissertation proposes a perspective of Communication Studies on the study of CETGC, with the hope of providing a relatively comprehensive and systematic theoretical framework for CETGC and offering pragmatic guidance for its practice. This perspective provides a good answer to many questions about what, how and why, and thus enriches and deepens the study of CETGC. This dissertation borrows the general ideas from Communication Studies on a macro level to form a good foundation for the further development of this study. Based on an overall picture of Communication Studies and the related research done at home and abroad, this dissertation expounds upon the nature, the features and the working principles of CETGC. This study is based on qualitative and quantitative methods, and the quantitative analysis helps to justify the discussion and points addressed.This dissertation comprises five chapters. Chapter One gives a brief introduction to the research background, theoretical framework, the major questions to be addressed, the significance, the research methods and the layout of the study. It is a bird’s eye view about the dissertation.Chapter Two begins with a literature review of communication studies including the two major schools, the three principal sources, the four social functions and the five important contributors to this field. The following overview of the subject by various experts at home and abroad and the translation strategies on the China-specific words and cultures by the American mainstream media (e.g., Time and Newsweek) justify the feasibility and reasonability of a communicative perspective on translation study. The gate-keepers and the readers in translation from a communicative approach are also discussed.Chapter Three is a communicative perspective on C-E translation for global communication. Certain terms such as propaganda, publicity and communication, domestic publicity, foreign publicity and international communication are clarified. By summarizing various English versions of Waixuan Fanyi, C-E translation for global communication (CETGC) is suggested as its English counterpart. This chapter further defines CETGC as a special communication—inter-lingual and cross-cultural. More specifically, CETGC should play the role of not only a bridge but also a stage, and it should be done through a dialogue mechanism. The languages and cultures of China and West are so different that we need to build a bridge to link the two. Owing to the strong force of English language and culture, we tend to adapt ourselves to the expressions and images known to westerners so that the bridge will work smoothly. So in building a bridge, we try to find out the likeness or similarity between each other. However, with the coming era of information and globalization, we both Chinese and westerners, belong to a global village. We are more open-minded to various different or unfamiliar cultures, and we are ready for freshness and innovation. More importantly, with the deepening reform and opening-up to the outside world, China has taken on a new look and played an important role in the world arena. There are more and louder voices for getting to know China. Therefore, it is an urgent call as a platform for China to manifest herself to the rest of the world. As a Chinese saying goes, if there is no common ground, a single word is a waste of breath. To be more exact in the translation strategy of CETGC, there should be a proper balance between domestication and foreignization—domestication at the discourse level and foreignization in cultural contexts. Next an attempt is made to point out the five distinctive features of CETGC, i.e., being accurate, reader-oriented, purposeful, politically-conscious and challenging. Finally two basic working principles for CETGC are advocated—fidelity of information (accuracy in quality and adequacy in quantity) and validity of communication (readability and acceptability in form and content). All these efforts lead to a desired communicative effect.Chapter Four conducts a case study on China Today, a pioneering model of English periodicals in China’s international communication. We take this magazine as our study subject because we hold that 1) China Today ranks in the list of“big brother”in the field of China’s international communication. It originated in 1952 with English as its working language and has enjoyed a very good reputation among overseas readers ever since. 2) China Today is published by a non-governmental organization—China Welfare Institution, and the folk color and taste are more popular with foreigners from a communicative perspective. 3) China Today focuses on the subjects of economy, society and culture, and there are many Chinese-specific words or culture to be covered. It seldom touches upon the topics of politics in a bold and evident way, which wins itself more readers. 4) The strong reader-consciousness, as well as the open-mindedness of the staff members and their great contributions to the exchanging of Chinese cultures in international communication deserves our attention and a second thought. This chapter develops at both a lexical and discourse level, seeing the trees and the forest as well. Words are the minimum meaningful unit in our communication, and they also act like a mirror reflecting the characteristics and changes of the society in a most straightforward way. The organization of discourse, on the other hand, makes all the words or phrases a complete picture. By summarizing a little more than 1,200 words or phrases carefully selected from among China Today issues between the year 2001 and 2007, it is found that most of them are treated in a manner of foreignization so that the original Chinese flavor can be retained as much as possible, i.e., transliteration, literal translation, combination of transliteration and literal translation, transliteration plus annotation or literal translation plus annotation. At the discourse level, the translation is discourse-based for the sake of readability and acceptability in form and content so that some adaptation in domestication is easily seen. The adaptation includes amplification, simplification, and variation in wording or structural organization.Chapter Five concludes the dissertation. Based on the discussion in the previous chapters,further thinking about CETGC is first proposed, such as the fundamental translation criteria, the three leading subjects, a systematic and dynamic approach and the code of ethics. The present study is then summarized, pointing out the existing limitations and expecting a plan for further research.The major questions and points to be addressed are as follows:1. What is the significance and feasibility to base the study on Communication Studies?C-E translation for global communication (CETGC) distinguishes itself from other types of translation by highlighting the nature of communication and aiming at an expected communication effect. As an important way to carry on international communication and a special kind of communication, CETGC follows the general rules of Communication Studies. This perspective is supported by the background of information and globalization and gives a broader view on CETGC. It is an inter-lingual and inter-cultural communication of strategic significance, which should and will contribute to the exchange and development of different cultures. Through this perspective, it is hoped to provide a more comprehensive and systematic theoretical framework for CETGC and to offer a pragmatic guidance for its practice. This perspective provides a good answer to many questions about“what, how and why”, and thus enriches and deepens the study of CETGC.2. What is the nature of C-E translation for global communication? How is it reflected by translation strategies?From a communicative perspective, CETGC is the dissemination of and exchange between Chinese and western cultures, and it is an inter-lingual and cross-cultural communication. To be more specific, it should play the role of not only a bridge but also a stage; it should be a dialogue rather than a monologue. Owing to the strong force of the English language and culture, we tend to use domestication in CETGC, but it is far from satisfactory in the era of information and globalization. Chinese-featured language and culture should be objectively manifested to the rest of the world. To make the voice from China loud enough to be heard and Chinese culture known to the world is the requirement of this era and the responsibility of the translator as a culture messenger. So the present study proposes a balance between domestication in discourse organization and foreignization at the cultural level. In a sense, China English finds a good use in CETGC. In a word, there are both“to do”and“not to do”rules in CETGC from a communicative perspective.“To do”is to be in line with the rules of English language use, and“not to do”is not to be blindly controlled by foreign readers in the dissemination of cultures but to retain the Chinese characteristics as much as possible.3. What are the striking features of CETGC? What translation principles shouldbe followed to achieve the expected communication effect? The present study attempts to summarize the five features of CETGC—being accurate, reader-oriented, purposeful, politically-conscious and challenging. First of all, CETGC can be referred as a face project, and any mistake or flaw is rather vulnerable to exaggeration, so accuracy is critical. Being reader-oriented requires a clear idea of the audience. The more we know about the audience, the better effect we can achieve in communication. Intentionality stresses the point that CETGC is a purposeful activity, and top priority is given to the expected effect. Political consciousness means that we should always be politically alert in wording and remember the firm standpoint when talking about politics-related topics. Challenges come from the fact that new things and ideas are arising every second in the world. The freshness in meaning and time, however, makes it impossible to find an English counterpart in a dictionary or other reference books. Yet in no way can we give it up. In view of these features, two basic working principles for CETGC are advocated—fidelity of information (accuracy in quality and adequacy in quantity) and validity of communication (readability and acceptability in form and content), aiming at a desired effect in cross-cultural communication.4. What explanations or implications can this perspective provide for some unsettled questions such as the subjectivity in translation and the criterion of translation, etc.?The subjectivity in translation is a heated topic in translation study. There are many discussions about it but no consensus has yet been reached. Professor Xu Jun at Nanjing University has summarized the opinions into four categories—the author; the author and the translator; the translator and the audience; and the author, the translator and the audience. The communicative perspective justifies the three leading subjects in CETGC, namely, the author, the translator and the audience. They interact with one another and form a dynamic and integrated system.Translation criterion lies in the core of translation study. Many criteria have been put forward so far, such as Yan Fu’s faithfulness, expressiveness and gracefulness; Fu Lei’s likeness in spirit; and Qian Zhongshu’s sublimation, to name just a few. They all have their own reasons for existence and popularity, yet they seem to be too demanding and abstract to be realized in CETGC. This dissertation proposes to define the fundamental criteria for it, i.e., the objectivity of information, the reasonability of understanding, the validity of the explanation, and the respect for the status of the source text. These workable criteria see the integration of stability and development, subjectivity and objectivity, and principle and flexibility. They are critical to what occurs in the process and what comes in the end.5. What insights can be gained from the translation strategy on Chinese-specificwords or culture by American mainstream media such as Time and Newsweek? Nowadays there is stronger interest among us Chinese in the translation of Chinese-specific words or culture by foreign media. Through a brief pragmatic analysis, it is found that foreignization is frequently seen in the publications, which seems contradictory to the norm. But that is not the case; in fact, this strategy can find a good support in communication theories. These American publications are reader-oriented, politically-conscious and open-minded. By way of foreignization, they try to get closer to the audience and to arouse their curiosity and interest by the freshness and uniqueness of language and culture. By doing so, they attempt to make their intentions realized. Along with the raging trend of globalization, people are more open-minded to different languages and cultures. China has shown to the world her significant role and indispensable contribution to the development of the human being. It is the right time for China to speed up her pace in relationship to the whole world. Language form can be different, while the amount and flavor of Chinese culture should remain unchanged as much as possible. There is much to be done in CETGC, combining the strengths of domestication and foreignization.6. What can China Today tell about international communication?This present study presents a case study on China Today, a pioneer publication in China’s international communication. This study is conducted at both the lexical level and the discourse level. By summarizing a little more than 1,200 words or phrases carefully selected from among China Today issues between the year 2001 and 2007, it is found that most of them are treated in a manner of foreignization so that the original Chinese flavor can be retained as much as possible, i.e., transliteration, literal translation, combination of transliteration and literal translation, transliteration plus annotation or literal translation plus annotation. At the discourse level, the translation is discourse-based for the sake of readability and acceptability in form and content so that some adaptation in domestication is easily seen. The adaptation includes amplification, simplification, and variation in wording or structural organization. By doing so, the communicative demands can be well met. China Today owes its success to the proper balance of domestication in discourse organization and foreignization in cultural contexts. The case study provides valuable reference for further study on CETGC.In summary, this dissertation is based on the efforts and achievements of other experts and scholars. It proposes a communicative perspective on CETGC, with the hope of giving a relatively comprehensive and systematic theoretical framework to CETGC and providing some pragmatic guidance for the use. However, the wide and sophisticated scope of Communication Studies and translation study pose great challenges for the author, so this dissertation is only a“brick”thrown out to attract the“jade”from other master-hands. Any critical ideas or constructive suggestions would be highly appreciated.更多还原