Discussion on English-Chinese and Chinese-English Translation Strategies of Attributes

【Abstract】Attribute is an important grammatical component in English and Chinese， but its usage in the two languages is quite different， which has caused some difficulties in the English-Chinese and Chinese-English translation， especially in terms of word order. This essay attempts to classify the positions and usages of English and Chinese attributes， especially English attributes， and then discusses the mutual translation strategies according to specific situations， in order to provide a favorable reference for translators.

【Key words】Attributes; Positions; Translation Strategies

【作者簡(jiǎn)介】劉紫瑤（1987.05-）女，漢族，四川成都人，外交學(xué)院，研究生，研究方向：英漢口譯實(shí)踐。

1. Chinese Translation Strategies of English Attributes

The English attributes have relatively flexible positions in a sentence. It can be extended to both left and right of the headword. The situations include the prepositive attributes， the postpositive attributes， and the coexistence of the two. The following content will discuss the classifications of attributive position and the corresponding translation strategies in Chinese.

1.1 Chinese Translation Strategies of English Prepositive Attributes

English attributes are prepositive when they are located in the left of the headword. They are usually divided into two forms： single attribute and multi-attribute. Different forms may be corresponded with different Chinese translation strategies.

1.1.1 Chinese Translation of Single Prepositive Attributes

When an English attribute is acted by a single word including that of adjectives， numerals， pronouns， nouns， participles， etc.， it is usually positioned before the headword. This is the same as Chinese language habit. Therefore， the original word order can be maintained in the Chinese translation， sometimes with a “的phrase”.

Examples：

stone building——石頭砌的大廈

faded flowers——凋謝的花

boiling water——沸騰的水

the changing world——變化的世界

1.1.2 The Chinese Translation Strategies of Multi-Prepositive-Attributes

Multi-attribute in English refers to the attributes played by more than one word. These attributes are usually placed with the order based on the “l(fā)ower degree to higher degree” principle. The more substantial and definite the attributes， the closer they are to the headword. But this is sometimes exactly on the contrary in Chinese. Therefore， whether to retain the original word order or make some adjustment in Chinese translation should depend on the habit of the target language， i.e. the Chinese.

1.1.3 To keep the word order of the source language in Chinese translation

a1.? Attributes show the basic features of the headword.

Examples：

a large private home

一座高大的私人住宅

a small bachelor suite

一套小巧的單身套間

To adjust the word order of the source language

b1. In English the longer attributes are usually put after the shorter ones， which is different from the Chinese language.

Example：

the brave and hard-working Chinese people

勤勞勇敢的中國(guó)人民

b2. The English attributes indicating nationality are usually placed after adjectives for other general features. But the Chinese language usually shows ones nationality first.

Example：

the modern Indian dance teacher

印度現(xiàn)代舞老師

1.2 The Chinese Translation Strategies of English Postpositive Attributes

The attributive component of English being placed after the headword is the postpositive attribute phenomenon. It is very common in English language and is used in various forms. Some of them are acted by a single word or phrase， and some are phrases or clauses.

1.2.1 The Chinese Translation Strategies of Single Word Acting as the Postpositive Attributes

Adjectives acting as the postpositive attributes should be translated as the prepositive attributes in Chinese.

Examples：

All the people present witness the dramatic scene.

在場(chǎng)的所有人都目睹了這戲劇性的一幕。

They are searching for the only girl awake during the massacre.

他們?cè)谡掖笸罋⒅心莻€(gè)唯一醒著的女孩。

They escaped from the house afire.

他們從那棟著火的房子里逃了出來。

Adjectives starting with the letter “a” are usually positioned after the headword， including “aware”“alike” “alone”“averse”“aghast”“alight”“ashamed”“a—stir”， etc. But when they themselves are modified by other words， they are placed before the headword， for example， “the half-awake patient”.

Adjectives suffixed with “able” and “ible” acting as postpositive attributes should be translated as prepositive attributes in Chinese.

Examples：

Children need the best education possible .

孩子們需要接受盡可能好的教育。

A bedspread available in three colors.

現(xiàn)有的三種顏色的床罩。

He is the only person reliable.

他是唯一可依靠的人。

It is worth noting that not all adjectives ending with “able” and “ible” are postpositive attributes. The words without passive meaning， such as “sensible” and “unreasonable”， can only be placed before the headword， such as “an unreasonable case” and “a sensible explanation”.

Adjectives acting as postpositive attributes， modifying words for general references， such as “things” and “matters”， or those modifying words like “some”“any”“no”and “every” should also be translated as prepositive attributes in Chinese.

English adverbials acting as postpositive attributes should be translated as prepositive attributes in Chinese.

Examples：

Her son is studying abroad.

她兒子在國(guó)外留學(xué)。

People here are happy all the days.

這兒的人成天都很快樂。

I could hear laughter all around.

我可以聽見周圍的笑聲。

The question below is read only once.

下面的問題只讀一遍。

1.2.2 The Chinese Translation Strategies of Word in Pairs as Postpositive Attributes in English

The word in pairs connected by conjunctions or conjunctive structures like “and”“or”“either…or”“both…and”， etc. are usually positioned in the middle of a sentence and separated from other parts with a comma both before and after them. The Chinese translation of them tends to keep the word order of the source language.

Examples：

Each nation， rich or poor， has its own unique and resplendent culture.

每個(gè)國(guó)家，無論富有還是貧窮，都有自己獨(dú)特而燦爛的文化。

All the people， men and women， young and old took part in the carnival.

所有人，男女老少都參與了大狂歡。

He made a both humorous and cautious comment.

他發(fā)表了一番既幽默又謹(jǐn)慎的言論。

The dry weather，cold and invigorating，made March a very bracing? month.

三月的氣候干燥而清冷，讓人精神煥發(fā)，十分宜人。

He was a great soldier，firm，brave and cautious.

他是個(gè)杰出的軍人，堅(jiān)毅、勇敢、謹(jǐn)慎。

1.2.3 The Chinese Translation Strategies of English Phrases Acting as Postpositive Attributes

Phrases acting as postpositive attributes include participle phrases， infinitive phrase， preposition phrase and adjective phrases. They are usually translated as prepositive phrases in Chinese.

Examples：

He knows almost all the languages spoken in the Euro zone.

他幾乎了解歐元區(qū)內(nèi)的所有語言。

The old man wearing pajamas is training his dog.

穿睡衣的老頭正在訓(xùn)他的狗。

1.3 Chinese Translation Strategies of English Attributes Positioned both Before and After the Headword

When the headword is modified by both prepositive and postpositive attributes including attributive clauses， the Chinese translation should put the postpositive attributes before the headword while maintaining the position of prepositive attributes. Postpositive attributes （attributive clauses） are usually non-restrictive while prepositive attributes are restrictive， more closely related to the headwords. In Chinese， there is similar language habit.

Example：

The young lady in yellow is the dean of the Chinese department.

穿黃衣服的年輕女士是中文系的系主任。

2. English Translation Strategies of Chinese Attributes

The Chinese attributes are for most of the time positioned before the headword. It is still quite controversial in Chinese linguistic field as to whether there is postpositive attributive phenomenon in modern Chinese language and how to define it. Therefore， the essay makes no specific classification of the Chinese attributive position but merely tries to figure out the English translation strategies corresponding to the prepositive attributive phenomena in Chinese.

2.1 To Keep the Word Order of the Source Language

The prepositive attribute phenomenon， which is quite common in Chinese is corresponding to various English translation strategies， one of which is to translate without adjusting the original language structure.

Examples：

1a. 9月8日，這是一個(gè)晴朗而風(fēng)平浪靜的日子。

1b. Its a sunny and calm day on September 8th.

2a. 在中國(guó)館還陳列有大量珍貴文物和寶藏。

2b. A large number of cherish cultural relics and treasures were showed n china pavilion.

In the two examples above， attributes are “晴朗”“風(fēng)平浪靜” and “大量珍貴”， the position and usage of which are remained unchanged in the English translation.

2.2 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Infinitive Phrases in English

It is difficult for the English translation to still keep the structure of Chinese language when the “attribute+headword” structure is not simply composed of an adjective and a noun but some more complex components. The corresponding English translation may have to adjust not only the position， structure， usage but part of speech of the Chinese attributes. The infinitive phrase may be one of the solutions.

Examples： 3a. 她是第一個(gè)取得該考試第一名的中國(guó)人。

3b. She is the first Chinese to win the first place in the exam.

2.3 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Participle Phrases in English

To use English participle phrases to translate the Chinese attributes is another choice. The present participle phrases indicate the action in progress， while the past participle phrases indicate the passive voice for things that have happened.

Examples：

5a. 安大略湖是世界著名的淡水湖，在美國(guó)和加拿大間邊界的五大湖泊中，雖是最小的一個(gè)，但也有七八個(gè)洞庭湖那么大。

5b. Lake Ontario， the smallest one of five limnetic lakes lying on the border of the United States of America and Canada， is famous around the world with an area of seven or eight Dongting Lakes.

6a. 企業(yè)要建立風(fēng)險(xiǎn)資金以補(bǔ)償因管理不善而造成的虧損。

6b. Risks fund will be set up to compensate loses incurred because of poor management.

2.4 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Preposition Phrases in English

Many Chinese attributes could also be translated into preposition phrases in English.

Example：

7a. 一些地方醫(yī)院和診所會(huì)定期給有慢性病的老人送醫(yī)上門。

7b. Some local hospital and clinics arrange regular home visits to the old people with chronicle diseases.

2.5 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Clauses in English

For the Chinese attributes containing verbal structures， clauses may be the suitable choice for their English translation.

Examples：

8a. 我們停車的地方是一個(gè)集生產(chǎn)、旅游、農(nóng)產(chǎn)品經(jīng)營(yíng)于一體的綜合性農(nóng)場(chǎng)。

8b. We parked our car at a comprehensive farm which runs tourism and agricultural products.

In example 8a， the attribute “集生產(chǎn)、旅游、農(nóng)產(chǎn)品經(jīng)營(yíng)于一體的” could also be translated as “running tourism and agricultural products”， but from the perspective of language sense， it seems to over underline the features of “農(nóng)場(chǎng)（the farm）” instead of objectively stating the fact.

3. Conclusion

There are many differences between the Chinese attributes and the English attributes. The Chinese attributes mainly include nouns， adjectives and verbal structures， while the English attributes include not only nouns and adjectives， but also present participles， past participles， infinitive structures， and attributive clauses. English attributes can both be prepositioned and post-positioned with various forms. They can also be extended to the left and right of the headword. In the Chinese language， attributes to be prepositioned is the mainstream usage. Analyzing the characteristics of the two languages respectively， whether from the perspective of grammar or language habits， is beneficial for the translation work. The author hopes that this essay can provide useful reference for translators who could then be clearer of choosing the strategies for translation between English and Chinese.

References：

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