公共标牌翻译要点1. 套用现成说法在处理一些英汉两种语言中可能都存在的公共告示,译者首先要尽可能做到“入乡随俗”,即套用译人语在同样情形下的习惯说法。
如:免费入场Admission Free(办事处、商店)开放Open(办事处、商店)休息Closed快餐冷饮Snack Bar茶楼 Tea Bar婚纱摄影(店) Bridal Studio出租车招手停靠站Taxi Stand入口,进口In;Entrance;Way In出口Out;Exit;Way Out男厕所Men;Gentlemen女厕所Women;Ladies山路多弯道,行车须安全Twists ahead.Drive with care不准拍照No photographs当心碰头Mind your head;Lower your head超值享受Best value年月日day/month/year或month/day/year对号入座Seat by number跟紧Stay close妇女、儿童优先Children and Women First一小时内免费上门送票Free delivery service at customers’doorsteps one hour after booking confirmation后门下车Please exit via rear door切勿倒置Keep Upright自备零钞,不找零钱(公共汽车) Exact Fare Only头手不要伸出窗外Please Keep Arms and Head Inside the Bus谨防扒手! Beware of Pickpockets!老弱病残孕专座Courtesy Seats;Courtesy Seating;These seats are meant for elderly and handicapped persons & women with child;Priority seating:please offer seat forward of this sign to the elderly and handicapped进入工地,请戴安全帽Hard hat project游客止步Out of Bounds无须预付定金Non money down照常营业Business as Usual闲人免进No Admittance Except on Business高压(电),生命危险! Danger of Death------High Voltage!请勿靠近脚手架Caution:stay clear of scaffolding快餐外卖Fast Food To Go开业大吉Grand Opening买一送一Two for the price of one;Buy one and get one free大酬宾,大减价Sale;Sale Price;Big Sale厂家直销Factory Outlet厂家建议价Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price陈列品不出售For Display Only;Not for Sale请勿乱动Hands Off损坏后果自负(易碎品柜台) Handle at Your Own Risk降价50%Sale 50%Off床上用品大减价White Sale清仓大拍卖Clearance Price疯狂大杀价Crazy Price特价,优惠价Terrific Value;Special Buy全城最便宜Best Value In Town莫失良机(机不可失,失不再来) It's Now or Never货物售出,概不退换。
All sales are final.包您满意,否则退款Satisfaction Guaranteed,Or Money Back;Goods Satisfactory or Money Refunded一日游Day trip to…旅游需要提前订票。
All tours require advance booking.建议所有乘客购买旅游保险。
All passengers are strongly advised to obtain travel insurance.老人优惠Reduced rates for elderly票在销售,售完为止。
Tickets are subject to availability工地入口,危险Site entrance,dangerous空调开放Air conditioned楼内禁止吸烟。
This is a smoke free building.谢绝推销。
We do not buy at this door.离开时请关门。
Please close the door on leaving.来客请到门房登记。
All visitors please report to the gate warder.请不要在此倒垃圾。
Please do not leave rubbish here.商场偷窃也是犯罪。
Shoplifting is a crime.这并非戏谑,更不是威慑之词。
商场偷窃也是犯罪行为。
This is not a joke.Shoplifting is a crime.Even if you are a first time offender,you will be fined or put in jail.That will be put on your criminal record.在商场偷窃者将被依法惩办,切勿以身试法(Walmart沃尔玛超市)。
Shoplifters will be punished according to the law.Don't do it.2 提供正确信息,简洁明了古今中外圣诞诗歌汇演Christmas Carols Around the World这是一块演出告示牌。
提供正确信息是译文的首要目的。
“诗歌”此处不能简单译为poems and songs,该词与“圣诞”搭配,应作“赞美诗,颂歌”解,即carol。
从简洁性考虑,“古今中外”不可译为from ancient times to present and from home and abroad,概括词语around the world已经基本包容全义。
“汇演”也无须译出,carol加复数“集中起来演出”之义即在其中。
以上译文信息突出,一目了然。
某公园内一叠泉的提示牌上写着:“叠泉石滑,请勿入内。
”如果将这些文字逐字译出,译文势必拖沓冗长。
此处可译为Slippery here.Please keep off,译文信息充分,简明醒目,能够很好达到提醒游客的目的。
同样,某公园有这样一块告示牌:湖区水深,注意安全原译文:Lake water is deep.Mind your safety.以上英译文没有遵循简洁这一基本原则,不能让人一目了然,提供信息的效果势必大打折扣。
建议改为:Deep Water! Beware!某婚纱影楼在宣传海报上写着:“抢眼”,其英译文为Rob Eye(掠夺眼睛),信息完全歪曲。
其正确信息应当是Eye-catching。
“美容美发中心”其实质内涵通常为“(女性)美发厅”。
为确保传递正确信息,译为Hairdresser即可,无须译为Beauty and Hair Design Centre或Beauty and Hair Salon。
某茶馆“营业中”的牌子上写着to run business,该译文传达的信息是:准备开张营业。
造成信息误导。
正确的译文应该是open。
爱护草坪原译文:Take good care of the lawn花草宜人,请多关照原译文:Take care of the flowers and plants这两个译文语法都没有错,但歪曲了实质信息,使告知的译文预期功能得不到有效实现(对一般没有乱踩草地、乱摘花习惯的外国游客,此类标牌英译文告知汉语原文意义的作用多于劝导、警示作用)。
以上汉语标牌在国内公园中十分常见,大家都明白“爱护”、“照料”的语用内涵就是“不要践踏、采摘”。
但其英语对应语Take (good) care of (1ook after andprevent from being harmed or damaged)却没有相同的语用义,容易让外国游客产生误解,对公园要求游客“用心照料并伺候”花草(通常是园艺工人的职责范围)感觉奇怪。
围绕译文预期功能,根据英语相应标牌用语,这两块标牌内容可分别译为Keep off the grass 以及Keep off the grass and the flower-beds。
国内对既提供住宿,又提供餐饮的地方通常称之为“酒店”或“饭店”,从信息性考虑,正确的译法应该是XX Hotel,而不应为XX Wine Shop或XX Restaurant。
我们知道,wine shop在英文里指的是a cafe or tavern that specializes in serving wine,也就是“酒馆,酒店,供人喝酒的地方”;restaurant则纯粹指提供餐饮的去处。
而中文里的酒店、饭店常常是宾馆的别称。
以上译文会造成信息误导。