中英文化差异在商务英语翻译中的体现

中英文化差异在商务英语翻译中的体现中英文化差异在商务英语翻译中的体现中英文化差异在商务英语翻译中的体现xxx公司中英文化差异在商务英语翻译中的体现文件编号：文件日期：修订次数：第1.0次更改批准审核制定方案设计，管理制度题目：论中英文化差异在商务英语翻译中的体现Abstract IIIIntroduction 11.CuturalDifferencesinBusinessTranslation 31.1CultureDifferences 31.1.1DefinitionofCulture 31.1.2UnderstandingofCulturalDifference 51.2CulturalDifferencesRepresentationinBusinessTranslation 61.2.1DifferentUnderstandingoftheSameAnimal 51.2.2DifferentUnderstandingoftheSameColor 51.2.3DifferentUnderstandingoftheSameNumber 52.CausesofCulturalDifferencesbetweenEnglishandChinese 152.1DifferentReligiousBeliefsBetweenEnglishandChinese 152.1.1CultureInfluencedbyConfucianisminChinese 32.1.2CultureInfluencedbyChristianityinEnglish 52.2DifferentModesofThingkingbetweenEnglishandChinese 162.3DifferentGeographicalLocationbetweenEnglishandChinese 172.4DifferentValuesbetweenEnglishandChinese 63.InfluencesofCulturalDifferencesonBusinessTranslation 193.1RepresentationofInfluencesofCulturalDifferencesinBusinessTranslation 193.1.1RepresentationintheTrademarkTranslation 193.1.2RepresentationintheDenominationTranslation 203.1.3RepresentationintheAdvertisingDesignTranslation 203.2StrengtheningCulturalSenseinBusinessTraslation 203.2.1EnhancingInterculturalCommunicationandBusinessEnglishTranslation 193.2.2ExploringUnequalInformationCausedbyCulturalDifferences 194.Conclusion 23WorksCited 24论中英文化差异在商务英语翻译中的体现摘要：国际商务英语是人们从事国际商务活动时经常使用的英语。它是以国际商务为语言背景的应用性英语学科。不同的民族有着不同的宗教信仰，地理位置，思维方式和价值观念，因此，从事国际商务英语翻译的人员必须掌握本国与异国的民族文化差异。本文侧重分析文化差异在商务英语翻译中的表现。首先从对宗教信仰，思维方式，地理位置及价值观念的不同所导致的文化差异分析入手，然后从动物，色彩，数字三个方面深入探究，从而阐述了文化差异在商务翻译中的具体体现,进而探索了文化差异对商务翻译的影响。关键词：文化，文化差异，商务翻译，文化意识ReflectionofCulturalDifferencesbetweenChinaandEnglandinBusinessEnglishTranslationAbstract:InternationalbusinessEnglishisacommonlanguageusedinengagementininternationalbusinessactivitiesforthetranslators.ItservesasanapplicableEnglishdiscipline,whichtakesinternationalbusinessaslanguagebackground.Differentnationshavedifferentreligiousbeliefs,thinkingmodes,geographicallocationandculturalvalues.Whereupon,thetranslatorsengagedinbusinessEnglishshouldmastertheculturaldifferencesbetweennativecountriesandforeigncountries.ThispapermainlyanalyzestheembodimentofculturaldifferencesintheinternationalBusinessEnglishtranslation.ThispaperfirstlystartswithculturaldifferencesbetweenEnglishandChineseresultingfromthedifferentreligiousbeliefs,modesofthinking,geographicallocationandvalues,thenelaboratesthereflectionofculturaldifferencesintheinternationalBusinessEnglishtranslationfromthethreeaspects(animals,colors,andnumbers).Finallyitdiscussesabouttheinfluencesofculturaldifferencesonbusinesstranslation.KeyWords:culture,culturedifference,culturalsense,businesstranslationIntroductionWhenthehumanbeingemergedintheancienttime,culturealsoemerged.Atthesametime,sincethehistoricdevelopmentpaceofthehumanbeingbeguntobeaccelerated,therewerealotofscholarsdevotedtostudyingtheconceptofculture.theBritishanthropologistTaylorinhisbookPrimitiveculture(1992)mentioned:“cultureorcivilization,intermsofitscomprehensivenationalmeaning,isacertaincomplexintegrationincludingknowledge,belief,art,moral,law,customsaswellastheotherabilitiesandhabitsacquiredasasocialmember.”Ontheanalysisofculturedefinition,Claire(2001)believedthatsociologistsandanthropologistshaveadefinitionincommonthatcultureistheachievementssharedbyhumangrouporsociety,whichnotonlyincludevalue,languageandknowledge,butalsodotheobjectofmaterial.Withtheglobalizationoftheworldeconomy,thecommunicationandexchangesamongcountrieshavebeenencouragedandstrengthened.Therefore,morefrequentinterculturalcommunicationhasbeenwidespread.However,lackofcorrectandabundantmasteringofculturaldifferenceswillhinderfromgoodunderstandingofbusinessEnglish.Forpeopleengagedinbusinesstranslation,theymusthaveagoodcommandofknowledgeofculturaldifferencestoaccomplisheffectiveandsuccessfulbusinesstranslation.ThispaperfocusesonanalyzingtheculturaldifferencesbetweenEnglishandChinesereflectedmainlyinbusinesstranslation,whichcanbepresentedbysuchconcretedifferencesintheunderstandingofanimals,colorsandnumbers.Afterthat,theauthortriestocomeupwithsomespecificfactors,whichresultinculturaldifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglish.OnlywhenwehaveanadequateunderstandingandagoodcommandoftheculturaldifferencesbetweenEnglishandChinesecanweachieveaneffectiveandsuccessfulbusinesstranslation.Lastbutnotleast,theauthormakesabriefdiscussionontheconcretepresentationofinfluencesofculturaldifferencesinbusinesstranslation.Sothepaperisdividedintofiveparts:Partoneistheintroductionofthepaper.Parttwomainlydiscussessuchattributesasdifferentreligiousbeliefs,thinkingmodes,geographicallocationandculturalvalues.Partthreemainlyanalyzestheculturedifferencesrepresentationinbusinesstranslation.Itinvolvesdifferentunderstandingofcolors,animalsandnumbersbetweenChineseandEnglish.Partfourpointsouttheinfluencesofculturaldifferencesinbusinesstranslation.Itwillbeexploredatsuchspecificaspectsastrademark,denominationandadvertisingdesigntranslation.Finally,theauthorappealstothetranslatorsforthenecessitytheyshouldstrengthenculturalsenseinbusinesstranslation.Partfiveistheconclusionofthepaper.1.CulturalDifferencesinBusinessTranslationFromtheancienttimestillnow,culturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandtheWesthavealreadybeenacknowledgedbymanypeople.Inthesecondchapter,embarkingonthedefinitionofcultureandculturaldifferences,IwillmainlydiscussaboutculturaldifferencesreflectedbetweenChineseandEnglish,whichinvolvedifferentunderstandingofcolors,animals,andnumbersasfollows.1.1CultureDifferencesInthenextchapter,Iwillanalyzethedefinitionofculturetomakefortheunderstandingofcultureandculturaldifferences,pavingthewayforthenextchapters.1.1.1DefinitionofCultureWhenthehumanbeingemergedintheancienttime,culturealsoemerged.Atthesametime,sincethehistoricdevelopmentpaceofthehumanbeingbeguntobeaccelerated,therewerealotofscholarsdevotedtostudyingtheconceptofculture.Previousresearcheswereconcludedonwhatculturemeans(梁启超,1922),allofwhichcametoacommonconclusionthat:Cultureisthesumtotalofuniquebeliefs,customs,systems,objectivesandtechnologythatacertainsocietyformpossesses.Withregardtothedefinitionoftheculture,itisademandingproblem,whichisreflectedattheaspectsofthevariousopinionsaboutitanditscolorfulcontent.Asaresult,asforthedefinitionofthecultureinculturalstudy,itisitsclarificationandanalysisthatisgreatlyindispensable.Weshouldnotneglectthephenomenonofthedefinitionofcultureformedbytheproblemofit.Thephenomenonofculturaldefinitionismanifestedonmanyopinionsofit.Atpresent,theacknowledgedopinionfromtheacademicfieldisthattheBritishanthropologist,Taylor,whoiscalled“theFatherofAnthropology”,isthefirstonetohavethepossessionofgreatinfluenceondefiningculture.Heproducedacertainclassicaldefinitionoftheculture.OnthechapterabouttheScienceofCultureinhisbookPrimitiveculture(Taylor,1992)hementioned:“cultureorcivilization,intermsofitscomprehensivenationalmeaning,isacertaincomplexintegrationincludingknowledge,belief,art,moral,law,customsaswellastheotherabilitiesandhabitsacquiredasasocialmember.”Apparently,thedefinitionconveystheexplanationthatcultureisthetotalofhumancreationintheprocessofsocialdevelopment,whichincludesmaterialtechnology,socialrulesandthespiritofideas.Fromthenon,thedefinitionofculturegivenbyTaylorhasbecometheoriginofthephenomenonofculturedefinition.Inaddition,latergenerationshaveapprovalanddisapprovalofit;atthesametime,somenewideashavebeenputforward.Asforwhattheculturemeans,uptillnow,therehavebeenmorethan200kindsofdefinitions.Undoubtedly,culturedefinitionitselfhasbecomeacertaininterestingacademicphenomenonunderfrequentdebate.Besides,onthephenomenonofculturedefinition,thereexistssomekindoftypicalconditionwhichisthedifferentdefinitionofcultureamongallthedisciplines.Forexample,withregardtothedefinitionsofculturemadebyanthropologists,theAmericananthropologistClyde(1985)reachedsomeconclusionsinhisbookcultureandindividual(Clyde,1985)(1)Culturecanbeunderstoodbylearning.(2)Culturederivesfromthesumofcomponentssuchasbiology,environment,psychologyandhistory.(3)Culturehasstructure.(4)Culturecanbedividedintoeveryaspect.(5)Cultureisdynamic.(6)Culturecanbechanged.(7)Culturemanifeststheregularityandcanbefurtheranalyzedbywayofscientificmethods.(8)Cultureisthetoolofadaptingtheindividualtotheentireenvironmentandthemeansofexpressingthecreativity.Hebelieved:“Anthropologistcancomparethedescriptionofculturewiththemap.”However,itisclearthatmapisn’taspecificpatchbuttheabstractdescriptionofparticularareas.Ifmaphasbeenchartedprecisely,peoplewillnotgetlostonwatchingit;onthecontrary,ifculturegetsthecorrectdescription,peoplewillrecognizetheexistenceofacertainkindoflifestylewithparticularnaturesandgetacquaintedwiththemutualrelationshipbetweenthem.Attheaspectofthedefinitionofculture,opinionsfromsociologistsarebyfarmostsimilartothosefromanthropologists.Ontheanalysisofculturedefinition,Claire(2001)believedthatsociologistsandanthropologistshaveadefinitionincommonthatcultureistheachievementssharedbyhumangrouporsociety,whichnotonlyincludevalue,languageandknowledge,butalsodotheobjectofmaterial.Besides,onthedefinitionofculture,thereisacertainphenomenoncloselyrelatedtoit.Thisphenomenoniswhencultureisbeingdifferentiatedandclassifiedvariousdifferentopinionswillbeproduced.Intermsofthedifferentiationofculture,themostcommonpairisgeneralizedcultureandspecializedculture,whichiscalledmacro-cultureandmicro-culture.Atthispoint,theJapanesefamoussociologistFuYongjian(2004)believed:asweclassifysocietyintosocietywithbroadsenseandsocietywithnarrowsense,itisessentialtodividecultureintogeneralizedcultureandspecializedculture.Generalizedsocietyisthecategoryinoppositiontonature;likewise,generalizedcultureisalsousedasthecategoryoppositetonature.Inthiscase,technology,economy,politics,lawandreligionetccanbeconsideredasthecontentinthefieldofculture.Thatistosay,generalizedcultureisequaltothemeaningofgeneralizedsociety.However,ontheotherside,specializedculturehascontentdifferentfromthecontentofspecializedsociety.Thelatteristhesystemofsocialrelationshipformedbycontinuousmutualrelationship.Nevertheless,aswehavediscussedabove,theformer(specializedculture)isthesystemofsymbolexistingobjectively,whichdevelopsfromhumanactionbutisindependentofit.1.1.2UnderstandingofCulturalDifferenceInthebroadsense,cultureisthenaturecreatedbypeople.Generallyspeaking,everythingaffectedbyhumanraceisculture.Cultureisthenationalspecificideologyandsystemofvalue,whichconstitutesthelivingandworkingactivitiesamongpeople.Itisbecauseofspecifichistoryandareasthateverynationallovertheworldhasformedthespecificculturaltraditionandmodelofitsown.Asaresultofthedifferencesoftraditionalhabits,values,religiousbeliefs,thinkingstylesetc,numerousdifferenceshavebeenmanifestedintheculturebetweenthewestandeast.Therearesomanyreasonscontributingtothevarietyofworldculture,someculturalinfluencesarehardtoexpect,forexample,anAmericanmerchantoncegaveagiftofawatchtohisfellow’sdaughterwhenshewasholdingaweddingcelebration.Becausehedidn’tknowthatthewatchisnotrightgiftinChina.ItistraditionallyacknowledgedinChinathatwatchisassociatedwithdeath.Subsequently,hisrudenessresultsintheendofbusinessrelationship.1.2CulturalDifferencesRepresentationinBusinessTranslationSomespecificrepresentationsofculturaldifferenceswillbereflectedinthenextpassageincludingdifferentunderstandingofthesameanimal,differentunderstandingofthesamecoloranddifferentunderstandingofthesamenumber.1.2.1DifferentUnderstandingoftheSameAnimala.DragonTheChinesenationhasbeenproudofitsidentityastheChinesegenerationsandthedescendantofthedragon.However,inwesternmythlegend,thedragonisnotluckyanimalbutthehorriblemonsterstandingfortheevil.IntheBritishfamousepicBeowulf,theviledragonistakenastherepresentationofthesinisterinfluence.InthestoriesofBible,thedemonSatanisregardedasthegreatdragon.Inaddition,theword“dragon”indictionaryhasanothermeaningofshrew.FromwhatIhavediscussedabove,associationsgeneratedamongtheEnglish-speakingcountriesarecompletelydifferentfromthoseamongtheChinese.Asfarastranslationisconcerned,itisnecessarytoapplytheprincipleof“dynamicequivalence”soastofindoutthebalancepointintheprocessofunderstandingthedifferentcultures.Forinstance,fourhighlydevelopedeconomiccountriesandregionsofEasternAsia,especiallyforthoseofHongKong,Singapore,Taiwan,andSouthKoreaareentitledas“FourAsianTigers”bythewestern.However,ifitistranslatedinto“FourAsianDragons”inEnglish,itissomehowinappropriate.Onesuggestedthatitshouldbetranslatedinto“FourAsianTigers”,whichisabetterequivalenceofcultureinformation.Becausetigerisaspeciesofintrepidanimalinthewesternsubconsciousness,atleastitwillnotmakepeoplethinkofitassociatedwithacertainhorribleanimal.Orrather,theword“tiger”(Hornby,1993)isparaphrasedas“AnicknameforanyoneofthemoresuccessfulsmallereconomiesofEastAsia,esp.thoseofHongKong,Singapore,Taiwan,andSouthKorea.”(任何一个在经济上较为成功的东亚小国或地区，尤其指香港，新加坡，台湾和韩国）Therefore,itiscertainthatthetranslationoftheChinesephrase“亚洲四小龙”into“FourAsianTigers”hasbasicallyachievedequivalenceincultureinformation.b.SheepThecashmereproductsfromourcountryhavebeenmaintaininggreatprestigeininternationalmarket.However,afactoryinthenorthofChinaonceexportedacertainslap-upcashmerequiltwithChinesebrandof“好羊”,whichwasdirectlytranslatedinto“Goats”,atlast,ithaddrasticallyterribleselling.WhatcausedthisliesinthefactthatinadditiontoitsoriginalChinesemeaning“山羊”,theword“goat”hasanotherconnotationof“lovelace”.Consequently,withsuchanEnglishtrademark,nomatterhowgoodthequalityofthiscashmerequiltisandhowcomfortableitistouse,thoseyounggirlsaswellashousewifewillneverbewillingtoputitoverthebed.c.ElephantAlthoughitisplausibleinsemanticinformationthatourChinesefamousbatterywithChinesebrand“白象”istranslatedintoEnglishbrand“WhiteElephant”,intermsofcultureinformation,thisisambiguoustranslationbecausethemeaningofwhiteelephantinthewesterncountriesrefersto“thingswithoutuseevenneedingcumbersomedealing”.Thisconnotationoriginatesfromalegendstory:onceuponatime,therewasaking,whotookaversiontoaministersubjectedtohim.Topunishtheminister,thekinggaveapresentofonewhiteelephant;subsequently,theministerfoundthatthiselephantwasverytroublesome;nevertheless,itwasjustbecauseofthegiftfromhiskingthathedidnotdaretotransferittoanotherpersonandevenbutcherit;instead,hehadtoattendonitcarefully.Eventually,astheelephanthadanexceedinglystrongappetite,theministerhadbeenthrownintoapoorsituationbyfeedingontheelephant.Inconclusion,theEnglish-speakingnativeswillneverbeallowingthemselvestobuythebatterywithEnglishtrademark“WhiteElephant”,fortheconsumersarereluctanttobuy“thingswithoutuseevenneedingcumbersomedealing”.Then,whatshouldthetrademarkbetranslatedintoaccordingtotheprincipleofdynamicequivalenceWeshouldconsiderchoosingananimal“lion”representingmightandpowertodisplacetheoriginalimpropertranslationinthewaythatthefinaltranslationis“BrownLion”.Imagingthatthebatteryboughtissomuchpowerful,thecustomersmustbeverysatisfying.Fromthespecificexamplesabove,wecanarriveataconclusionthattheequivalenceofliterarymeaninginthepracticeoftranslatinghasalreadyfailedtomeettheneedofdailycommunication;therefore,dynamicequivalencecanguaranteethesuccessofcommunicationmessage.Sometranslatorsareafraidtoencounterthephenomenonofculturaldifferencesintranslation.Therefore,theconceptof“Zero-Translation”proposedbyprofessorQiuMaoru(1991)hasbeenadaptedtosomelanguagesbythechoiceofrealizationofthetransliterationmethod,whichisatranslationmethodoftranslatingthevocabularyoforiginallanguageintothatoftargetlanguageonthebasisofpronunciationinthehopeoffailuretomakinganymistaketoescapeavoidingtheignoranceofculture.Nevertheless,culturaldiversityiswidespread,thus,itishardtoreachtheexpectationofmakingnomistake.Forexample,oncetherewasgreatlypopularlipstickcalled“芳芳”inChineseamongthewomen,whichhadbeentranslatedinto“FangFang”inEnglish,yetithadnotbeenexpectedthattheword“fang”inLongmanDictionaryofcontemporaryEnglish(EdisonWesley,2001)denotesalongsharptoothofananimal,suchasadogorapo