What is translation

What is translation?

According to Eugene Nida, “translation consists of reproducing in the receptor

language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message, firstly in

terms of meaning, and secondly in terms of style” briefly speaking, translation is the

communication of meaning from one language to another language, and strives to

reserve the similar style of the original text. if we delve into the nature of translation,

it can be seen as a science, an art, a craft or skill.

据尤金·奈达(Eugene Nida)说，“翻译包括在受体语言中再现最接近于源语言信息的自然对等物，首先是从意义上，其次在风格上”，简单地说，翻译是一种语言到另一种语言的意义交流，并力求保留原文的相似风格。如果我们深入研究翻译的本质，就可以看出它是。一门科学，一门艺术，一门工艺或技能。

First, when referred to a subject of curriculum, translation is a science, just as any

subject is, with its own rules. It involves thinking and languages, and reflects the

relationship between existence and cognition. Such relationship can be described with

the rule-governed language, so that the translator can abide by scientific rules in his

translation.

首先，翻译是一门学科，就像任何学科一样，它涉及思维和语言，反映了存在与认知的关系，这种关系可以用规则支配的语言来描述，这样译者就可以在翻译中遵守科学的规则。

What’s more, as a discipline, translatology has developed its own translating

techniques, strategies and principles. Ever since the mid of the 20th century, scholars

have been studying this discipline from linguistic theories.

另外，翻译学作为一门学科，已经发展出了自己的翻译技巧、策略和原则，从第二十世纪中叶开始，学者们就开始从语言学理论的角度对这门学科进行研究。

Second, when referred to some specific pieces of translation, it is like an art, as the

materials to be translated mainly refers to literary translation. In most practical

writings, the leading function of language is informative function. But in literary

works, it is true that informative function is also important, but other functions of the

language,such as expressive function and aesthetic function, are by no means less

important, the translator should try to comprehend the source text, including the

meaning, artistic charm, style and the author’s intention.

第二，当提到一些具体的翻译作品时，它就像一门艺术，因为翻译材料主要是文学翻译。在大多数实用著作中，语言的主导功能是信息功能。但在文学作品中，信息功能也是重要的，但语言的其他功能，如表达功能和审美功能，也同样重要，译者的作用也同样重要。要努力理解原文，包括意义、艺术魅力、风格和作者的意图。

Therefore, when reproducing the source text, the translator needs to bridge the

linguistic and cultural gaps and adopt some unique ways to reproduce the original

meaning, artistic charm and style, and his translation should have the same expressive

and aesthetic functions as those of the source text. Therefore, translation is an art.

因此，译者在再现原文时，需要弥合语言和文化的空白，采用独特的方式再现原文的意义、艺术魅力和风格，翻译应具有与原文相同的表达功能和审美功能，因此，翻译是一门艺术。

Last but not least, when referred to a process, in which something is translated, it is a

craft or skill. The process of translation has its peculiarity, and none of its rules and

principles are universally applicable. Besides it entails a lot of practice---particular

craftsmanship and skills which are displayed by touches of different translators.

最后但并非最不重要的是，当提到一个过程，在这个过程中，翻译是一种技艺或技巧。翻译过程有其特殊性，其规则和原则没有一个是普遍适用的。此外，它需要大量的实践--不同翻译流派翻译家所表现出来的独特的工艺和技巧。

In conclusion, translation is not just a simple process of reproducing the meaning

from one language into another language. It carries more meanings than we thought.

From different perspective, translation has diversified forms. It is a science, an art, a

craft and skill in our life.

总之，翻译不仅仅是把一种语言的意义复制成另一种语言的简单过程，它所承载的意义比我们想象的要多。从不同的角度来看，翻译有着多样化的形式。它是我们生活中的一门科学、一门艺术、一门工艺和一门技能。