[abstract]Since the reform and opening up, foreign science and technology books have been introduced in large numbers through translation, and the demand for a large number of outstanding scientific English translation talents has been increasing. The translation project report is based on the English-Chinese translation of "Petroleum Engineering Professional English". Master the characteristics of science and technology style, and conduct preliminary tests on the translation of science and technology texts, with a view to providing references for relevant practices.
【key words】Functional equivalence theory; scientific and technological style;
1.Linguistic characteristics of scientific English
1.1Lexical features
1.1.1Use word formation
Scientific English has two obvious word-forming features: (1) Many professional vocabulary comes from Greek and Latin, such as aerospace, amnesia, acupuncture, etc.; (2) Prefix suffix, such as semi-prefix, automatic, super, micro, Fax etc. Generally, many technical English vocabulary is obtained through word formation, such as additional words, compound words, conversion words and abbreviations. The prefix includes the prefix and the suffix. For example, by adding a prefix to obtain a semicircle, a semiconductor, a semi-insulator, etc. By adding a suffix, you can waterproof, explosion-proof and fireproof. Fax machine, single conductor, air conditioner，etc. These words consist of two words. IC (Integrated Circuit), AC/DC and other vocabulary are all obtained through the acronym method.
1.1.2Normalization
Nominalization in English refers to the use of noun verbs or adjectives instead of verbs or adjectives. Scientific English often uses nominalization to indicate that its style features are concise, accurate, authoritative and objective. For example: (a): The first-phase expansion project was completed in 1987, with a total cost of 780 million yuan.(b): The addition of alloying elements is mainly to improve mechanical properties. The use of expansion, cost and addition in these two sentences makes the sentence more concise, accurate and objective.
1.2Syntactic features
1.2.1Long use of long sentences
Scientific English is mainly used to describe science, technology and natural phenomena, and its language has strict logic. These sentences used to describe concepts, definitions and laws should use formal and accurate language, many of which are expressed in complex long sentences. Sometimes, a paragraph contains only one sentence. For example: many artificial substances are replacing certain natural materials, because the quantity of natural products can not meet our requirements for the eyes, or more often because of the physical properties of synthetic substances, which is the common name choice of artificial substances, and even emphasizes the material In order to make it have the greatest use in the application field.
1.2.2 Extensive use of passive voice
Passive voice is widely used in scientific English to emphasize objective facts and emphasize the most important information in a sentence. Most sentences in technical English are objective, because authors usually use concise and objective language, and avoid using topics such as "me", "you" and "operator" to express the author's subjective attitude. For example: (a): In this century, many strange new cars have been developed, the most strange of which may be the hovercraft.(b): PSA is used to filter out trace amounts of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, steam and methane from hydrogen. These remaining gases are used as fuel for the furnace, and hydrogen is available to customers. Hydrogen can be put into a hydrogen pipeline or liquefied and moved by truck. The pressure swing adsorption device is used to filter trace impurities remaining in the hydrogen, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, etc. The filtered residual gas will be used as fuel for the heating furnace, and in the example, the hydrogen sentence above Using the passive voice, the reader can quickly grasp the key information; using the passive voice in scientific English can play an important role, allowing the reader to distinguish between the main information and the secondary information in many messages.
1.2.3 Common present tense
Scientific English usually uses the current tense to express language. This is because scientific knowledge and information are objective facts and there is no specific time reference.
2. Case analysis of English translation for petroleum engineering
2.1Characteristic and case analysis of petroleum engineering professional English
This paper is based on the translation practice from the perspective of functional equivalence theory. In the process of translation, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the text in order to better translate it. Therefore, guided by the functional equivalence theory, this paper first briefly analyzes the text through cases.
2.1.1 Nominalization trend
English for petroleum engineering is technical English. A distinctive feature of technical English is its tendency to be nominalized, which mainly refers to the widespread use of nouns representing actions or states, or the use of unqualified verb structures that act as nouns ([少 ）]Yang Yingming), Zoom. Mainly because of the Information technology predicates are usually relatively large. The use of non-predicate structures and nouns can avoid the use of excessive topic predicate structures and avoid lengthy and repetitive articles.
2.1.2 Use professional vocabulary
Another feature of Scientific English is the widespread use of scientific and technical terms, in which a large number of professional terms come from common English words. The use of these common vocabulary words in specific professional fields has become a technical term with strict scientific meaning. Therefore, in scientific and technological translation, the meaning of words must be determined according to the professional content and scope.
2.1.3 Use passive voice
Technical English often narrates objective things, phenomena or processes, so it uses a lot of passive voice. However, the Chinese is used to active sentences. Therefore, fewer passive sentences and more active sentences should be used, when translating English into Chinese. Passive voice is widely used in scientific English to emphasize objective facts and highlight the most important information in a sentence. Most sentences in scientific English are objective, because the author usually USES concise and objective language, and avoids using subjects like "I", "you" and "operator" to show the author's subjective attitude.[阐述得再明确些
Its function is not only words?] In the process of translating science and technology from English to Chinese, English passive sentences are examples of translating active sentences into Chinese.
Example:
Original: Space fluid is usually pumped before the mud to clean the borehole of the mud cake to achieve better cement bonding between the formation and cement. Drill holes to achieve better cement bonding between the formation and cement. "
Analysis: In English, isolation fluid is added, but if this translation does not conform to Chinese idiomatic expression, it should be translated into the active sentence "add isolation fluid".
2.2Case Analysis of Petroleum Engineering English Translation Theory and Skills
Example: [有example没有analysis]
Original: Drilling Expense Account Most of the “capital expenditure” of the entire project (usually 20% to 40%), so it is important to understand the drilling technology, equipment and costs. Drilling accounts for a large part of the total project cost (usually 20% to 90%). Therefore, it is especially important to understand the drilling technology, drilling equipment and cost.
Analysis: Nida replaces the understanding of the nouns in the original text. Therefore, it does not make much difference to translate it into a verb or noun. It cannot be translated into the noun "understanding", but should be translated into the verb "understanding", and the noun can be turned into a verb to make the sentence natural and fluent. []
Example:
Original: The SP curve is very important in geology. Because the shapes of these curves are comparable in different wells in certain geological horizons, they are related. Spontaneous potential energy curves are very important for establishing geological connections, because in some geological fields, the curve shapes of different oil and gas wells are comparable.
Analysis: In this example, according to Nidas part-of-speech approach (rather than part-of-speech), comparable adjectives are translated into the verb “comparable”. Comparable is an event. It refers to what happens in actions and processes. It is not a description of the quality and extent of entities and events. Therefore, it cannot be converted into an adjective. From the examples , we found that the grammatical concepts carefully established during the English learning process have become obstacles to our translation. If you translate according to grammar, the translated language will lack readability and will only be discarded. Grammar binding can make the translation natural and smooth without the need for translation.
4. Conclusion
As a special style of application, Scientific English is widely used in the field of science and technology with its unique linguistic features. When translating English for science and technology, the differences of language structure, expression habits and cultural background must be considered. At the same time, the translator must have certain professional knowledge of science and technology, and be able to use translation skills flexibly and accurately from the perspective of functional equivalence theory.
Reference
[1]Chun Q . An Analysis of Translation Strategies of English News Headline from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence[J]. The Science Education Article Collects, 2016.