[MUSIC]

This lesson has two parts.

The first part is about choosing between words with positive or

negative connotations.

And the second part is about choosing between words that are formal or

informal in tone.

Sometimes certain words or terms used in a source language are neutral,

but they may have more than one equivalent word or term in a target language.

Some have positive connotations, others have negative connotations.

This is a time when we as translators need to decide which word or

term to use depending on the context of the source language.

For example [FOREIGN] The word [FOREIGN]

in this sentence indicates a cause and

effect relationship.

[FOREIGN] is the cause,

and [FOREIGN] is the effect.

We can use different words to translate [FOREIGN]

such as because of, owing to, and due to.

All these phrases mean [FOREIGN] but none of them

has any emotional coloring in the sentence.

[FOREIGN] and [FOREIGN] are good results, and

these good results come from the professor's advice and guidance.

Therefore we can say, thanks to the professor's advice and guidance,

I was able to find the best resources for and approaches to my research.

The phrase, thanks to, indicates the reason and expresses gratitude.

While the other phrases, because of, owing to, and due to,

indicate the reason without expressing any emotion.

In this example we choose the phrase,

thanks to, for the positive meaning it has.

The next example [FOREIGN] This

example is similar to the first one.

In this sentence, there is a cause and effect relationship

between [FOREIGN] and [FOREIGN] As in the first example,

there are several phrases that we can choose from.

What helps us with our choice is the word [FOREIGN] which refer to kind and

upright people, people with lofty ideal.

The revitalization of Buddhism then is a good thing.

So who can choose the phrase, thanks to, to indicate the logical relationship.

Thanks to the conjoined efforts of a group of people with high ideas

headed by Yang Renshan, Buddhism revived gradually at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

The third example [FOREIGN] In this example,

again, we have a phrase that indicates

reason [FOREIGN] The reason in this example

however is illness, which is not good and

this illness causes a result that is not good.

She could not receive education.

Definitely we cannot use, thanks to,

to translate [FOREIGN] we can use, because of, to translate this word.

But as we mentioned just now,

because of does not tell our feelings or emotions.

To tell that illness is something bad, we can use another phrase, beset by.

Beset means to be hurt or troubled by something bad.

Her effort to complete her education was beset by her illness.

From these examples we can see that even when we translate

a simpler word as [FOREIGN] we need to decide whether to use,

because of, or thanks to, or beset by, which have neutral,

positive, and negative meanings or connotations respectively.

Sometimes there is an equivalent mutual term in a target

language for a neutral term in a source language.

But considering the tone of the source language or

the emotion expressed in a source language,

we need to choose words with emotional coloring.

For example, in July 2010,

Alastair walked 80 miles along part of the Fosse Way,

taking in Devon woodland carpeted with flowers,

numerous ciders at country pubs, and

even cakes from a WI coffee morning.

In this sentence, the phrase, take in,

simply means to spend time looking at something, and to drink and eat.

Because what this man looks at, drinks and eats, are pleasant things,

we choose words that have a positive connotation to translate this phrase.

[FOREIGN] In the translation,

the words [FOREIGN] and [FOREIGN]

all make the readers

think of beautiful,

happy and pleasant things.

The next example.

A lawyer's job is to delete distracting facts until one is

left with an emotionally affecting narrative.

In other words, lawyer's jobs are identical to that of

novelists, except they earn money, drive big cars,

live in huge houses with blonde trophy wives called Meghan.

In this example, emotionally affecting, is a neutral term.

The writer is actually saying however, that lawyer's should work with facts,

but instead they make up stories as if they were novelists.

The tone is sarcastic, even a little contemptuous.

Therefore we can use a word that has the same connotation to

translate these two words.

[FOREIGN] In the Chinese

translation, [FOREIGN]

has a negative

connotation which

tells well the writer's

feelings about lawyers.

Another example.

Increasingly, those of us who have failed to make

it are putting everything down to luck or fate.

The words luck and fate in this sentence are neutral in meaning,

but the word fail has a negative meaning.

And a failure is attributed to luck or fate.

We can take the liberty to make additions to

these two words to give them negative meanings.

[FOREIGN] Different types of documents,

different situations, different scenes,

etc., requires to choose formal or

informal language in our translations.

For example, [FOREIGN]

This sentence is

taken from a legal

document.

Legal documents tend to use very formal language.

We should therefore use formal language to translate this sentence.

This agreement shall remain in force for a period of three years,

and shall be automatically renewed thereafter for

successive periods of one year unless terminated by

written notice from one party to the other no less than

60 days prior to the expiry of the then current terms.

In the translation, remain in force, thereafter,

and prior to the expiry of, are all very formal terms which clearly and

correctly show the characteristics of a legal document.

The next example.

You've got to be very careful of these Eastern lawyers.

If you're not careful, they'll take you and turn you inside out.

The words, got to be,

tell us that these two sentences are not from a formal writing.

In translation, we use informal language too.

[FOREIGN] In the translation,

both [FOREIGN] and [FOREIGN]

are informal language.

Next example.

Hassan narrowly escaped assassination in attempted coups d'etat in 1971 and 1972.

Without a context, we cannot be sure whether this

sentence is from a formal writing or not.

But narrowly escaped assassination is more formal than was almost assassinated.

So we translate the sentence into

[FOREIGN] In a Chinese translation,

[FOREIGN] is a formal expression.

The next example.

Speaking of US relations with China in a foreign policy report sent to

Congress on February 9, 1972, Nixon stated that the United States

could not afford to be cut off from a quarter of the world's population.

In this sentence, the two phrases, speaking of, and

sent to, can be used in both formal and informal writings.

If this sentence is from

an informal writing or speech,

we can translate it into

[FOREIGN] The words [FOREIGN] and

[FOREIGN] are used in formal

writing or speech.

If this sentence is from

an informal writing or speech,

we can translate it into

[FOREIGN] The words [FOREIGN] and

[FOREIGN] are informal.

When to use the formal language, and

when to use informal language depends on the genre and a context.

[SOUND]

Considering Connotations and Tones

Translation in Practice

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