奈达的功能对等视角下的中餐菜谱英译_英语论文

On the English Translation of Chinese Menu from Nida 's Functional Equivalence

摘要

本文以奈达的功能对等理论为基础，综合当前诸多的研究成果，揭示了我国菜谱翻译现存的许多问题。

翻译活动不单单只是一种可以将多种语言符号相互转化的过程，它还是一种可以把不同文化信息进行相互传递的活动，也是一种可以进行跨文化交际行为翻译行为。奈达的功能对等理论是用一种全新的角度来研究翻译的，这种理论跳出的单纯语言论的圈子，重点在于目的语读者与原语言读者对于翻译的反映。中餐菜谱的翻译工作是旅游英语的一种，拥有着餐饮的特色，在本世纪初就受到了广泛的关注。

中文菜单翻译作为旅游英语翻译的一支，不仅具有餐饮专业英语翻译的地位，同时又具备公式语的特点，于本世纪初开始在国内受到了广泛关注。

中国饮食文化源远流长。现在，外国友人开始越来越多的关注着中国,与此同时,色香味俱全的中式菜肴开始倍受青睐。一份清晰明了而又不失韵味的英译菜谱不仅可以起到信息传递作用,同时也可以弘扬中国的文化。本文将从功能对等理论出发,分析中餐菜名英译存在的问题并且总结出几种常用的翻译方法。本文的翻译方法包括归化翻译法，异化翻译法，直译，意译及其他翻译方法。

关键词：中餐菜谱；功能对等；翻译方法

Abstract

This thesis is based on the studies of Nida’s functional equivalence theory and many current theories. It combined many research results and revealed many problems. These problems have also revealed in the past during the translation of Chinese menus.

Translation is an activity. Translation could transmit many information between different cultures. Translation is an intercultural activity, not just the transmitting procedure between different language symbols. The translation functionalism used a brand new angle to do investigations. It has surpassed the perspective of meta-linguistics. Through the functional equivalence theory, we know that there is an response between target readers and the source reader. Nida put an emphasis on this kind of equivalent response. Since the beginning of the 21st century,the translation of Chinese menu has attracted wide attention. It is a branch of tourism translation and at the same time, it has some features of restaurant and hotel.Sometimes, it has been seen as the public signs. 

There is a long history in the Chinese food culture. Now more and more foreign friends are attracted to China and delicious Chinese dishes. A clear and memorable English version of the recipe can not only play the role of information transmission, but also promote Chinese culture. This paper starts from the functional equivalence theory, analyzes the problems existing in the English translation of Chinese menu and summarizes several commonly used translation methods. The translation strategies include domestication translation, alienation translation, free translation and literal translation as well as other methods.

Key words: Chinese food recipes; functional equivalence; translation methods

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 1

2.1 Nida's functional equivalence theory 1

2.2 The current situation of Chinese menu translation 2

2.3 Components of Chinese Menu 3

2.4 Language Functions of Chinese Menu 4

3. Differences between east and west 5

3.1 The characteristics of Chinese menu 5

3.2 Cultural differences 5

4. Translation strategies under the theory of functional equivalence 6

4.1 Domestication 6

4.2 Alienation 6

4.3 Literal translation 8

4.4 Free translation 8

4.5 Use comment and Pinyin 9

4.6 Simplicity and straightforward 9

5. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 12