Fuzzy Linguistics and Translation

【Abstract】Fuzziness is a basic feature of human language and the activity of translation is based on language. The relationship between translation and linguistic fuzziness has become a focus of research in China. This paper aims at discussing translation study from a fuzzy linguistic perspective. This paper will first introduce fuzzy linguistics and the relationship between translation and it. Then， on the basis， it will talk about four methods of dealing with the problem of linguistic fuzziness in translation process and illustrate them with some typical examples.

【Key words】fuzzy linguistics; translation; fuzziness and precision; translation methods

【作者簡介】張霞（1996-），女，安徽全椒人，河海大學，在讀研究生，研究方向：外國語言學與應用語言學。

1. Introduction

Precision and fuzziness are the attributes of human language. In daily life， it is impossible for people to use precise language to express everything and avoid fuzzy language. Since it is a fact of life， research of fuzziness has become a necessity. The activity of translation is based on language and can not be insulated from it. Therefore， fuzziness plays an important role in the process of translation and translators have to take into account the fuzziness of different languages. This paper will mainly talk about translation study from a fuzzy linguistic perspective.

2. Fuzzy linguistics and translation

In 1965， L.A. Zadeh published “Fuzzy set” in Information and Control， and first put forward the concept of “fuzzy”. Since then， fuzzy theory has been widely applied in many disciplines and fuzzy linguistics has gradually become an independent subject. At present， the relationship between fuzzy linguistics and translation studies has become the focus of research. The nature of language is vague. In his Semantics， Sullman（1962） refers to the vague nature of language： “There is no perfect language in the world that can express all our ideas and all our feelings.”Objects encountered in the real world are often infinite.（伍鐵平，1999）

Translation criterion is the scale to measure translation quality. Some major translation criteria are mostly relatively vague concepts if they are analyzed through fuzzy theory. Furthermore， fuzziness of pronunciation， word meaning， sentences and discourse also exerts an influence on translation. （何三寧& 唐國躍， 2004） The application of fuzzy theory to the guidance on the practice of translation will help to broaden the perspective of translation studies. Zhao Yanchun （2001） put forward the concept of fuzzy equivalence in translation， which is“the translator can and should make full use of the fuzziness of the language to achieve dynamic， fuzzy and organic equivalence in the translation which should not be static， precise and mechanical equivalence”.

3. Translation study from a fuzzy linguistic perspective

Translation has always focused on “ faithfulness”. However， the situation of interlinear translation will easily happen， if translators are obsessed with literal faithfulness. In fact， the application of fuzzy theory of language to translation practice will reconcile the contradiction caused by the difference between English and Chinese. The following is about methods of dealing with the problem of linguistic fuzziness in the process of translation.

3.1 Translating of one fuzziness into another fuzziness

This kind of method refers to translating the fuzzy expressions of one language into the fuzzy expressions of another to retain fuzzy information， which can also be called literal translation.

For example， “稍稍能安慰我們的，是在那石上有一個不大不小的坑凹兒，雨天就盛滿了水”（Jia Ping， Ugly stone）. The Chinese phrase “不大不小” is a fuzzy expression and does not tell translators the specific size of the pit. Therefore， when faced with such situation， the translator can get useful information from the context and his own experience to translate this phrase in an appropriate way. The translator can find the pit is in a stone. Then he can infer that the pit should be little. Therefore， the translator doesnt need to figure out the specific size of the pit and can use the word “little” to express the meaning of “不大不小”， which is more acceptable in English.

3.2 Translating of one precision into another precision

This kind of method means translating the exact expressions of one language into the exact expressions of another. In general， the translating of number will apply this method.

For example， “a bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush（一鳥在手勝過雙鳥在林）”“kill two birds with one stone （ 一箭雙雕）”. When translators deal with the translating of number， it is better for them to translate it literally if the given number is clear. Another example， “ It is not her body. Its just betel nut， the mild narcotic seed from the fruit of the betel pepper which trucker driver sand laborers use to help them stay awake.” Although“保持頭腦清醒而不感到困倦” can express the meaning of “stay awake”， it looks a little redundant since the translator uses twelve words in Chinese to translate two words in English. If “stay awake” is translated as “提神” or “提神醒腦”， then the whole Chinese sentence will seem more natural and exact which will be acceptable for Chinese readers.

3.3 Translating of one fuzziness into another precision

This kind of method refers to translating fuzzy expressions of one language into precise expressions of another language. This method is usually applied to expressing the implicit information hidden in the fuzzy expressions.

The first example， “荒草便繁衍出來，枝蔓上下，慢慢地，竟銹上了綠苔、黑斑”（Jia Ping， Ugly stone ） .“繁衍出來” is often related to human beings but in this situation， it is related to weeds. This phrase does not present explicit information to translators. Then the translator can get the information from the context and use words to express the complete and exact information hidden in source language.Therefore， “weeds multiplied and stretched all over it ”is an appropriate translation of “荒草便繁衍出來”. The second example， “It was something kind of condiment like salt or pepper or something like that”. There are often fuzzy expressions in English like“ something like that” which present information that can not be shown through precise language. （Joanna， 2000） In this example， it is reasonable that “ something like that ”is translated as “其他佐料”. In this kind of translation， translators should make the hidden and fuzzy information explicit.

3.4 Translating of one precision into another fuzziness

This kind of method means translating precise expressions of one language into fuzzy expressions of another language. It is mainly applied to such situations where the precise expressions in source language do not conform to the habits of target language. The first example， “ 三只五只的白鷗輕輕掠過，翅膀撲過波浪——一點一點燥怒起來的波浪” （Mao Dun， Dusk）， which is translated as “A few white seagulls flicker across the surface of the sea， quickly and lightly， wings skimming the waves which become， little by little， increasingly restive. The Chinese phrase “三只五只” is an precise expression and presents explicit information to translators. But it seems a little weird to translate the phrase as “three and five”. “三只和五只” shows that there are not many seagulls. Therefore， it is more appropriate to use the fuzzy expression “a few” to translate that phrase， which is acceptable to English speaker.

4. Conclusion

The theory of fuzzy linguistics is valuable in the field of translation and taking into account the factor of linguistic fuzziness can help to deal with the problem of relationship between fuzziness and precision better in the process of translation. According to Nida（1982）， although any translation will result in semantic “loss”， the translator should try to minimize this “loss” in translation process. Therefore， on the basis of ensuring the transmission of basic semantic information， translators can apply the above four methods to deal with the problem of linguistic fuzziness in translation process. At the same time， a further study on fuzziness will help to enhance translators level of appreciation and translation.

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