Excellent Translator Story 丨 Cai Qiuhong: The translation of local foreign affairs workers

Cai Qiuhong, graduated from Beijing Foreign Language University, is currently working at the Xiamen Foreign Affairs Translation Passport Visa Center under the Foreign Affairs Office of the Xiamen Municipal People's Government. She has repeatedly undertaken the draft of the drafts of the translation of important materials such as municipal foreign propaganda materials, major activities and major project promotion materials, and municipal leadership speeches. As a local foreign affairs translator, Cai Qiuhong's attitude in the translation work allowed her to pass the first -level translation review with excellent results in the national translation series in 2021. Through Catti Center, Cai Qiuhong and you are struggling in one The translators on the road of translators shared her experience.

First, it is necessary to enhance political sensitivity and enhance cross -cultural consciousness. Xiamen is the forefront of exchanges against Taiwan. Therefore, in daily work, we often deal with related affairs related to Taiwan (or Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). As a translator of foreign affairs, we must have high political sensitivity. When the relevant announcement of the translation market in response to the new crown pneumonia's epidemic command encountered "overseas (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan)" such expression, we did not literally translate it into "overseas (Including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan)", but translated. The "overseas or China's Hong Kong, macao, and Taiwan regions", although it seems to be only different, it reflects the political literacy of translation. Another example is that the Taiwan-related exhibition organized by Xiamen is usually named "Cross-Strait XX", and English is often translated as "Cross-Strait ... Fair". In the early stage of occupation, a foreign guest who received the first visit to Xiamen translated the "Cross-Strait Cultural Industries Fair", " Realizing that for Xiamen who don't know much about Xiamen, we don't know that we mean "Taiwan Strait". This shows that during the translation process, we must learn to think in other places to ensure the complete and accurate communication of the information. Strait "translates into Chinese, which can be directly translated as" cross -strait relations ". On the contrary, such as "Xiamen Customs was established in the Kangxi period" to "XIAMEN CUSTOMS WAS ESTABLISHED During the Times of Kangxi", it is difficult to understand the foreigners who do not understand the Chinese historical background. WAS Established During the Late 17thcentury, When the Founter Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynast was in Power ".

Second, we must persist in learning and practice, and the accumulation can be thin. There are many types of businesses such as administrative, conference affairs, and reception in local foreign offices. There are often no special studies or practice time to work in daily work. To improve the level of translation, often "kung fu is outside poetry", and should also maintain high self -discipline outside of work, adhere to self -pressure and additional efforts, take the initiative to speed up the knowledge update, and keep charging at all times. No matter how busy at work, I insist on getting up early every day and compete for the time to use the fragmented time to refine the speeches of Chinese and foreign leaders on major occasions and "Economics", "Guardian", "Financial Times", "China Daily" bilingual news and other high -quality Chinese and foreign news Published articles. During the reading process, compare reading such as "rebate" and other methods. Thinking about what the expression of the acquisition can be used in time, and applied in time in translation practice to turn the passive vocabulary into active vocabulary. In the translation of an epidemic prevention notice, I once turned "Pregnant and Puerper Women". The next day, I saw "New and Expectant Mothers" in the foreign journal. After participating in the review meeting of the "English Translation and Writing of the Public Service Field" in our city, some experts proposed that in foreign countries, the status of "obstetrics" is often higher than "gynecology". "This further confirms that the translation of" New and Expectant Mothers "is more authentic. When translating "traffic", it was translated as "Access Volume", but he was always not satisfied. Later, he saw "Foot Traffic" in a foreign journal. I was surprised to find that this is the right word ... Many cases make me sufficient Realizing that "there are very few books when you use it". Only by continuously insisting on reading and expanding knowledge reserves can he become an excellent translator.

Third, insist on studying and deepening, translate the original intention and soul. The so -called "translation is a dance with shackles". The translation is a restricted creation. Due to the differences in Chinese and Western language and culture, translations must be "faith, reached, and elegant" often have a lot of effort. Many times, they often peel off the shells of the language, communicate with the original author and discuss with the mother tongue, in order to grasp the original intent and essence, and translate the essence and soul. In an article about the ecological governance of Xiamen Lake in Xiamen, there are exhibition halls called "筼筜 筼筜" and "筼筜 殇 殇", and the original translations are "Memory of Yundang" and "MISERY of Yundang". After communicating with the original author, he learned: "Memory" tells about the history of a natural shelter before the Harbor Waiwei Port Lake and the history of the eight scenic spots of Xiamen in the late Qing Dynasty. With memories; "殇 讲 讲" tells the worsening body, smelly smell, and fish and shrimp after the lake of Lao Gang changed. After repeated scrutiny, consulting relevant information, and soliciting feedback from foreign friends, the "筼筜 筼筜" was translated as "yundang lake of you" and "筼筜 殇" was translated as "yundang lake in distress". In the review of the Xiamen epidemic prevention and control notice, the original translation of "Point-to-Point Travel" was "Point-To-Point Transfer". After confirming it with a number of foreigners, it was found that the translation method was difficult to be accurately understood. Translated as "Move About Without Any Stopover". When the name of the "New Zealand Imported Commodity Season" marketing activity organized by an enterprise in Xiamen, the original translation was "Season of Imported Goods from New Zealand". After communicating with a number of foreigners, they found that they saw this translation or think that It is a seasonal product imported from New Zealand, or it is considered to be a quarterly event, which is far from the original meaning of the original text. In the context of "Xiamen", "Import" does not need to translate, so according to the activity time, it is translated as "New Zealand Product Month". Fourth, insist on not forgetting the original intention, and feed forward. On the road of translation, there is no best, only better. The translator should be "Know Something About Everything and Everything About Something" to achieve "fine" and "Bo". Participating in the current government translation training and studying various types of continuing education courses for me to open another door for me, so that I saw another world. Here, I am fortunate to be a little bit of the translation of everyone in all walks of life, and I feel that I know very little. Poetry translation is serious rhythm, prose translation style, diplomatic translation talk about politics, legal translation seeking accurate ... Essential translation may be the inspiration of the translator's wonderful strokes, or it may be "two sentences and three years. The fruit of the research of a tears. "There is a sky outside the sky, and there are people outside." As a translation, we must always maintain awe and continue to learn from outstanding seniors and peers to do high. Looking back on the road of growth, I sincerely thank the units for providing a broad platform, thank you for careful guidance and enthusiastic encouragement for leading colleagues and seniors, and especially thanked Catti for providing high -quality learning platforms, so that I can stand on the shoulders of the giants to broaden their eyes and continue to improve.

Socrates said, "The only thing I know is that I know nothing", Qu Yuan said, "The road is long and far away, and I will seek up and down." There is no end to learning, and there is no sea in translation. Wish to know if you are hungry, and stay foolish, adhere to your original intention and move forward.

(Author: Cai Qiuhong; Editor: Sun Wanru)

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