As is known to all, language and culture are interdependent and language is deeply influenced by cultural patterns such as beliefs,norms and values. Along with its distinctive 5,000-years historical background, Chinese language surely has many culture-specific terms. Some typical examples are available in the English version of APCP.Word-for-word translation mistakes are common in the APCP translation, which attribute to the high fidelity to the source text, resulting in unidiomatic expression or redundant meaning and some Chinese English.
Example 1:
目前已成为“庆铃汽车股份有限公司、长安(集团)股份有限公司、长安铃木汽车有限公司、上汽通用五菱汽车股份有限公司、湖南长丰汽车制造股份有限公司、长城汽车股份有限公司”等几十家知名企业的定点配套厂家,长安福特汽车有限公司等企业的二级配套商。(宁波鑫星汽车部件有限公司)
English version:
Today, our company acts as a designated subcontracted supplier for several ten prestigious enterprises, such as Chang’an (Group) Co., Ltd., Chang’an Suzuki Auto Co., Ltd., Changsha Toyota Auto Building Co., Ltd. of Hunan Province, Qingling Auto Co., Ltd. and China Putian Orient Telecom Co., Ltd., etc. (NINGBO XINXING AUTO PARTS CO., LTD.)
Example 8 makes typical word-for-word translation mistakes. There never exists the expression of “several ten” for”几十家” in English, which is not idiomatic. Moreover, the word-for-word translation for a series of company names is unnecessary, leaving the whole paragraph reads laggard and messy in both meaning and structure, which is not reader-friendly.
Mistranslation is unfavorable in company profile translation. Mistakes are principally resulting from translators’ carelessness, inability in English and lack of culture knowledge. Furthermore, they are apt to be subjective in the translation action and then liable to make some mistakes.
Example 2:
并以其质量与信誉深受国内外客户好评,并衷心的希望与国内外客商和各界朋友建立长期友好合作关系,共展宏图。(浙江德众汽车零部件制造有限公司)
English version:
And its quality and credibility of the popular domestic and foreign customers, and sincerely hope that clients and friends at home and abroad to establish long-term friendly cooperative relations, the grand total. (Zhangjiang Dezhong Auto Parts manufacturing Co., LTD)
In this example, the source text is meant to convey the desire to cooperate with others while the translation means the opposite. Because the translation “hope that clients and friends at home and abroad to establish long-term friendly cooperative relations” implies that the company wants clients build relations with itself, definitely offending readers.
Reversion:
And is popular among domestic and foreign customers for its quality and credibility, and sincerely hope to establish long-term friendly cooperation with clients at home and abroad and all walks of friends.
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