谈商务英语信函的词语汉译.doc

论文编号：

华南师范大学增城学院

本科毕业论文（设计）

题 目： 谈商务英语信函的词语汉译

姓 名： 张 彬
学 号： 060114106
系 别： 外 语 系
专业班级： 商务英语A班
指导教师： 翁 涛

2010 年 04 月 16 日

On Chinese Translation of English Words in Business Letters

A Thesis Submitted
to the Department of Foreign Languages
Zengcheng College of South China Normal University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

By Zhang Bin
Tutor：Weng Tao

April 16, 2010

Contents

Abstract i

中文摘要 ii

1 Introduction 1

2 Literature Review 2

2.1 An overview of business communication 2

2.2 The current studies of business English letters translation 3

3 Reviews of Studies on Lexical Features 3

4 Translation Method and Technique 6

4.1 Literal translation and free translation 6

4.2 The ways to determine the meaning of a word 6

4.3 Different words with the same translation 7

4.4 Chinese translation of English words in business letters 7

4.4.1 Chinese translation for trade terms 7

4.4.2 Chinese translation for words with different meanings 7

4.4.3Chinese translation for synonyms 12

5 Conclusion 12

Bibliography 14

Acknowledgements 15

Abstract

With China’s entry to the WTO, business English letters have received frequent usage and played an increasingly important role in foreign trade. Therefore, the Chinese-translation of Business English gradually arouses the attention of scholars, such as Zhang Xin-ming, Li Ming, Chang Yu-tian and so on. For the reason that powerful words have a great effect upon a major aspect of communication, the thesis focuses on Chinese translation of English words in business letters. The author firstly learns the main lexical features of business English correspondence from the relevant studies and has a further study on words translation methods and techniques among which the suitable one can be chosen for translation according to the lexical features. The purpose of the thesis is to raise awareness of the key features of English words in business letter and improve its Chinese-translation skills.

Key words: Business English letter; lexical features; Chinese translation of English words

中文摘要

随着中国加入世贸组织，商务英语信函在对外贸易中的使用越来越频繁，作用越来越重要。因此，商务英语翻译逐渐引起各学者的关注, 如：张新红、李明、常玉田等。而在商务信函中，強有力的詞語是影响交际效果的一个主要方面。本文主要研究商务英语信函的词语汉译。首先，作者参照英语词汇特征理论，了解商务英语函电的词语主要特点；进而研究词语的翻译技巧，并结合商务英语词语的特点选用适当的翻译技巧。本文研究的目的是：加深对商务英语函电的词语主要特点的了解，提高对商务英语信函的词语汉译能力。

关键词：商务英语信函；词语特征；词语汉译

1 Introduction
As international business activities including foreign trade, international finance, foreign-related insurance, international transportation and overseas investment have been increasing, business English has been widely used. As the saying goes, need determines demand. It leads to in-depth study on the translation of business English. Nowadays, some domestic scholars have expounded their views on it. Zhang Xin-hong & Li Ming (2003) proposed that as for business English, translators should be proficient in Chinese and English, have a good understanding of their cultures and master translation skills. Besides, it was a must to gain a wide knowledge of business and know linguistic features and useful expressions in the field of business English. When Chang Yu-tian (2005) spoke of the principle of the translation, he thought that the basic task of translation was not to convert language, but convey meaning, messages and content. It was so-called semantic equivalence, which concerned not only common meaning, but special meaning related to industrial characteristics. This helped to explain why business English translation is different from literary translation, and other stylistic translations. However, few associates lexical features with the word translation of business letter. In order to raise awareness of the key features of English words in business letter and improve its Chinese-translation skills, the thesis focuses on Chinese Translation of English Words in Business letters.
To give a general idea of the thesis, it will show the layout as follows.
Chapter 1 serves as the introduction. Firstly, it gives a brief introduction to the current study of business English translation because the subject of the thesis falls within the scope of business English translation. Secondly, it specifies the aim of the study. Lastly, it provides an explicit logical order of the thesis.
Chapter 2 gives a brief literature review related to the definition, classification and functions of business correspondence. It lays emphasis on the importance of business letter in foreign trade.
Chapter 3 is based on the studies on lexical features. In terms of words, it concerns not only the lexical features in general English but also the distinctive lexical feature in the field of business English. A great number of frequent words in English business letter are given as examples to show lexical features.
Chapter 4 is the key for this thesis. At the beginning, it lists the Chinese translation methods and techniques of words, namely literal translation & free translation of a word, the skills of choosing the proper meaning of a word and different words with same meaning. Under the guidance of the translation techniques from lexical level, the author deals with the translation problems caused by homonymy, polysemy and synonymy phenomena which appear widely in business English vocabulary and applies to the Chinese translation of technical terms and common words with business meaning in English business letter. The purpose is to facilitate the translator to create a perfect Chinese business letter.

2 Literature Review
2.1 An Overview of Business Communication
With the constant development of electrical technology, business communication in the international trade has changed. In the past, telegram was the most common method of communication. It was a brief message which could be sent to most parts of the world through the telegraph wires in a cable that lay on the bed of the sea or ocean (Gan Hong, 1996:63). Besides, a telex was a useful method of business communication because of its efficiency. It was a piece of message which could be sent or received through a teleprinter (Gan Hong, 1996:75). At present, both cables and telexes are hard to find. Instead, business correspondence today mainly refers to business letter, fax and E-mail. Business letter is the professional writing, which records the progress of import & export business (Zhang Xin-hong & Li Ming, 2003:159). Fax machine can transmit a copy of document in an electronic form along telephone wires and then print it. E-mail refers to the official system used for sending and delivering letters. As Zhang Xin-hong & Li Ming (2003:159) said, “Although the telephone, cables and telexes have been widely used , business letter (including e-mail) is still the most important media involved in the international business activities for two reasons. Firstly, what has been mentioned through the telephone & telegram need the final confirmation by mail. Secondly, it can give a full explanation and a description to the details of problem because the number of words is unlimited in a letter. It is after the promotion of fax, E-mail and their combination that messages can be transmitted more rapidly.”
The definition of business letter has been mentioned above. Thus we have an idea that the content of business letter runs through business operation. From the perspective of the content in the process of a business transaction, business letters can be classified into the following categories: establishing business relations, sales promotion, status enquiries, enquiries and replies, quotations, offers and counter-offers, insurance and shipment, complaints and adjustments, invitations and thank-you note. The whole process of business transaction is covered from entering into trade relations, credit counseling, inquiries, offers and counter-offers, acceptance, payment, shipment to insurance and claims (Zhang Xin-hong & Li Ming, 2003:160). According to the classification of business letters, it is noticeable that the functions of a business letter may be said to build or to maintain a social network, to obtain or to convey information; to make or to accept or reject an offer; to deal with matters concerning business negotiations.

2.2 The Current Studies of Business English Letters Translation
The functions of business English letters are the best proof that business English letters have great impact on foreign trade. As a result, more and more studies are appearing in the field of business English letters translation. In general, the current studies of business English letters translation mainly discuss from two aspects. On one hand, it studies from the perspective of translation theory and skill; for example, Application of Theory of Dynamic Equivalence to Business English Translation by Zhou Li-ren in 2000 published in INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS RESEARCH, On the Skills in Translating Commercial Letters by Shan Yi-ming in 2007 published in SHANXI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Analysis on the Theory of Functionalism and Its Influence on Business English Translation by Cui Guang-jie in 2009 published in THE ROAD TO SUCCESS etc. On the other hand, it focuses on business English letters translation according to writing features, writing principles and lexical features of business English letters; for instance, the thesis for the degree of M.A. by Zhang Jin-ling in 2002—Approaches to Business Letter Language with Focus on Chinese-English Translation which referred to writing principles of business letter (completeness, conciseness, clarity, concreteness, courtesy, consideration and correctness), On Writing Features and Translation of the International Business Letter by Zhang Jing-feng in 2004 published in JOURNAL OF HENAN MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING COLLEGE, The Lexical Features and Its Translation in the International Business English Letter by Zhang Li-gui in 2008 published in TECHNOLOGY AND MARKET etc. Besides, other discussions exist, such as The Choice and Translation of Business English Words by Tang Ben-sai in 2005 published in JOURNAL OF NANNING POLYTECHNIC, Euphemism Application and Translation in Business English Letters by Cong Li-jun in 2006 published in DATA OF CULTURE AND EDUCATION, Nominalization Application in Business English Letter Writing by Chen Xia-nan in 2006 published in JOURNAL OF DALIAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY (SOCIAL SCIENCE EDITION), The Cooperative Principle in Business English Letter Translation by Li Yan in 2008 published in KAOSHI ZHOUKAN etc. On the basis of previous studies, the thesis connects the key lexical features in business English letters to Chinese-translation skills on the theme of Chinese translation of English words in business letters.

3 Reviews of Studies on Lexical Features

Business letters are one of business English courses which refer to various of formal and informal documents used for the exchange of goods and services. In terms of style, the features of frequent words in business English courses are illustrated next (Zhang Xinhong & Li Ming, 2003:144).
Firstly, such style deploys a range of common words to give a general description, but it involves a wide of technical terms and common words with business meaning during commercial activities. The distinctive point of business language is the usage of professional vocabulary so that there are many trade terms and commons words with business meaning (Zhang Xinhong & Li Ming, 2003:144). On one hand, trade term refers to the understanding between a buyer and a seller as to the discounts, payment period, delivery expenses and time, returns, and the standard meaning of terminology used in transactions and trade documents①. It frequently appears in all stages of business operation, in particular, in commercial correspondences covering price terms, packing, payment terms, insurance and shipment, such as the six commonly used terms: FOB, CFR, CIF, FCA, CPT, CIP (Incoterms 2000); bill of exchange, combined transport document, insurance certificate, trimming charges, Quality Control, F.P.A, W.P.A, All Risk, warehouse to warehouse clause, Risk of intermixture and contamination, cash against shipping documents, payment after arrival of the goods, Letter of Credit, D/D and so on. On the other hand, general vocabulary has a special sense in business field. For example, ‘policy’ is generally considered to a plan of action agreed or chosen by a political party, a business, etc. but is meant to a written statement of a contract of insurance in the field of business English; ‘discount’ in commercial activity refers to an amount of money that is taken off the usual cost of something, whereas in financial English refers to a service that after the purchase of usance bill, the banker deducts the interest from total invoice value from the date for discount to maturity, and return the balance to the holder. For ‘extension’, its general meaning is a new part that is added to a building while its commercial meaning is an extra period of time allowed for something. It is the same case with the following words: deposit, premium, protection, etc.
Secondly, English language for business is rich and flexible. Word meaning has changed a lot because of collocation and the singular and plural nouns. Besides, ambiguity appears widely in business English. Lastly, business correspondence in long-term use absorb many borrow words and enlarge its vocabulary, which reaches a common sense that words varied from the origin express the similar connotation and denotation in the specific context( Zhang Xinhong & Li Ming, 2003:145/168). From the perspective of sense relations in English lexicology, what mentioned above are common lexical relations—homonymy, polysemy and synonymy.
In semantics, a particular lexeme may be simultaneously in a number of these relations, so that it may be more accurate to think of the lexicon as a network, rather than a listing of words as in published dictionary. An important organizational principle in the lexicon is the lexical field. This is a group of lexemes which belong to a particular activity or area of specialist knowledge, such as the terms in cooking or sailing; or the vocabulary used by doctors, coal miners or mountain climbers (John I. S., 2000:63). There are a number of different types of lexical relations. This paper focuses on homonymy, polysemy and synonymy.
Homonyms are unrelated senses of the same phonological word (John I. S., 2000:63). Some authors like Lin Chengzhang and Liu Shiping (2005) distinguish among perfect homonyms and partial homonyms. For example:
(1) ①enquiry [in'kwaiəri]
noun. a request for information on the supply of certain goods
verb. to ask to be told (