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1. Introduction
A 'public sign' or simply 'sign' generally refers to the type of sign posted in public
places to alert readers to certain information, such as 'No Parking', 'No Entry' or
'Staff Only', Due to the fact that such signs are mostly placed in public places, they
are also referred to as public signs by Chinese scholars (e,g. Ding 2006:42; Luo &
Li 2006:66; Gu 2001).
According to anthropologist Ashley Montagu, a sign is defined as a "concrete
dnoter" possessing an inherent, specific meaning, similar to the sentence "This
is it; do something about it!" (quoted in Encyclopaedia Britannica). In marketing and advertising, a sign is referred to as "a device placed on or before a premise to identify its occupants and the nature of the business done there or to advertise a business or its products" {Encyclopaedia Britannica). According to the
Macquarie Dictionary (1987), a sign is "an inscribed board, space, etc., serving
for information, advertisement, warning, etc., on a building, along a street, or the
like". In Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary (1977), a sign is defined as "a posted
command, warning, or direction". According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (1997), a sign is a piece of paper, metal, etc. in a public place,
with words or drawings on it that give people information, warn them not to do
something, and so on. Based on these definitions and explanations, a public sign
can contain words and/or pictures/drawings. It generally serves the function of
conveying information to readers, and has an appellative effect in alerting readers
to certain things or requesting them to do or not do something.
Public signs are used extensively in the community for various purposes.
When a public sign is used in a place where there are likely to be readers of more
than one languagee.g. Chinese and Englisha translation is usually provided. However, for various reasons, a number of problems have been identified in
the English translation of Chinese public signs. This study will deal with ChineseBabel 58:3 (2012), 309-326. Fdration des Traducteurs (FIT) Revue Bahel
DOI io,iO75/bahel,58.3,O4ko ISSN 0521-9744 E-ISSN 1569-9668
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Leong Ko
English translation of public signs that contain text only. It will focus on a discussion of information loss and change of appellative effect in public sign translation,
examining the causes of these problems and challenges they create.
The great majority of translation problems have been found to occur in the category of distorted meaning, misleading information or information loss. This paper will not discuss spelling and grammatical mistakes, because such problems
are straightforward and can be easily corrected. Rather, it will analyse those public
sign translations that are grammatically correct, but are problematic in terms of
conveying meaning and achieving the same effect as the source text.
It is worth noting here that the advances in multimedia technology make it
possible to tamper with electronic images through clipping and other measures.
For instance, about four years ago I received an email attachment about a bilingual public sign in a grocery store. The Chinese sign was T {gan huo) (dry or
preserved food), but the English translation on the sign was 'Fuck Goods'. T (gan)
means 'dry' or 'do' in Chinese. It can also mean 'fuck' in colloquial language or
slang. However, any Chinese or anyone else who has learned the term T (gan
huo) would know that it refers to 'dry or preserved food or goods'. Furthermore,
it is pronounced differently and constitutes a different part of speech. The character ^ in this term (as well as in the following cases) is pronounced 'gn' in the
first tone and is an adjective, while ^ in the sense of 'fuck' is pronounced 'gn' in
the fourth tone and is a verb. Even an inexperienced translator would know that
T does not refer to the colloquial English 'fuck' in this case. It is clear that someone has tampered with this sign by using electronic clipping. Similarly, ^^'.ik
(gan guo yutou) (cooking fish heads in a dry wok) translated as 'Fuck a fish head',
and Tf'ii''fJl"A (gan huo jijia chu) (checking point for dry or preserved food).
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Leong Ko
translated as "Fuck the certain price of goods" (quoted in Luo & Li 2006:69), are
also obvious examples of mischievous tampering with the text. The English expressions in these two signs are perfect grammatically. It is therefore highly doubtful that a translator with such a good command of English would not understand
the meaning of T in this context. Therefore, when quoting examples of public sign
translation for discussion, we need to refrain from using signs from unauthenticated sources. All ofthe public signs discussed in this paper are examples of actual
signs collected by the author, unless otherwise indicated.
Qu (2007) presents a study of public sign translation from the perspective of crosscultural communication, and argues that public sign translations should endeavour to achieve maximum cultural equivalence.
In their attempts to provide a satisfactory solution to public sign translation.
Ding (2006) and Niu (2007) suggest borrowing or imitating existing public signs
in English. Luo & Li (2006) also mention 'standard' language expressions in public signs. However, it is worth noting that there is no 'standard' or established rule
for writing English public signs. Whenever and wherever there is a need to caution the public about something, a sign can be erected. In fact, any organisation or
person can put up a sign for any purpose. For instance, the following signs were
found in Australia:
(4) English:
No bombing in the swimming pool
Sign found: A swimming pool in Melbourne, Australia, 1992
This sign is to warn children against jumping into the swimming pool and making a big splash. However, diving in the normal way is permitted. So far, I have not
found a satisfactory Chinese translation for this.
(5) English:
After tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.
Sign found: A staff room in the University of Queensland, Australia,
2008
Comment: I can empty the teapot, but standing upside down is a bit
tricky.
There is a syntactical error in this sign, which prompted another staff member to
add a facetious comment below the original wording.
This suggests that there is no standard rule or practice in the preparation of
English signs. However, there are certain common features such as being clear,
concise and straightforward, as observed by Luo & Li (2006), Ding (2006) and
many others.
Niu (2007) notes the importance of the vocative function of public signs,
which is similar to the appellative effect. However, a crucial point that is worth
further exploration is how to ensure that the vocative function or the appellative
effect of the source text is conveyed equally in the target text. The following discussion will concentrate on issues relating to information loss and change of appellative effect in public sign translation.
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Leong Ko
and friends of the athletes, while tbe English sign targets everyone. It is common
practice for the family members of atbletes to be granted special access to the athletes participating in the competition. The Cbinese sign accurately conveys this
message. The absence of this message in the English version may prompt Englishspeaking family members to ask for more information about where they, as family
members, can meet tbe athletes. It may also give everyone else tbe impression that
tbey can meet the athletes in tbis spot.
(7) Case Study 2
Cbinese:
%Ta;WiafSmrt$::,
^ftAtJlE pj O^S f , S ^ o (weile nin de shushi lxingjijinei anquan, qing nin duizhao xialie biaoge, zaici queren nin
dejinei xiedai xinglli de chicun ji jianshu. ru chaochu guiding
fanwei, qing nin jiang xingli zai chengji guitai banli tuoyun
shouxu.)
Meaning: For your comfort and safety on the plane, please double
cbeck the size and number of pieces of your carry-on baggage according to the following table. Please check in your
luggage if it exceeds tbe specified limit.
Translation: For your safe and comfortable journey, please be reminded
that your carry-on baggage is limited as indicated below.
Sign found: Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai, China, 2008
In the Englisb translation, tbe message about checking in the baggage if it exceeds
the specified limit is omitted. Obviously, tbis is an important message, because it
informs travellers about what to do if tbe size and amount of their carry-on baggage is over the limit. The loss of information in this case is likely to leave Englishspeaking travellers at a loss about wbat to do, and as a result, they may simply take
their excess baggage on board. This could perhaps even be considered a case of
discrimination against Englisb-speaking passengers.
(8) Case Study 3
Cbinese:
* . ll> m^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ -tS^ffi^KlE f/ao, ruo, >n^
can, yun, you, muying, zhuanyong houjiqu)
Meaning:
Special airplane waiting area for the aged, frail, sick, disabled, pregnant, cbildren, and motbers witb babies.
Translation: Dedicated Lounge
Sign found: Hong Kong Airport, 2009
This is a typical example of information loss in the English translation, especially as
the sign does not contain any pictures. A 'dedicated' lounge is a lounge for special
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Leong Ko
purposesthis can include the people mentioned in the Chinese sign, but could
also include others. For instance, it could be a lounge for VIPs, or for other purposes such as conducting health checks or press conferences. The Chinese sign clearly
specifies that it is a place for a particular group of people. It is lengthy, but very specific. It is perhaps because of the length of the Chinese sign that the translator considered it unnecessary to reproduce the full wording, and instead used a general
term, resulting in information loss and change of appellative effect.
(9) Case Study 4
Chinese:
^^: ^^mj^MS,
flffi?lffio (gonggao: wei mian
zaocheng zirao, qing ba shenglang jiangdi)
Translation: Notice: Please keep the noise level down to avoid causing
nuisance.
Sign found: A park in Hong Kong, 2008
Therefore, the wording 'Commit No Nuisance' in the public sign under discussion
does not specifically convey the message of 'no urinating' to English readers as is
the case for Chinese readers. Furthermore, 'protecting cultural heritage' is an important message in this context and should not be omitted. Perhaps the translator
felt that urinating in a public place was an uncivilised act, which was unlikely to
be committed by English-speaking people, and therefore tried to avoid this word
when translating into English. It is worth noting that urinating in public places
also occurs in English-speaking countries. And it makes sense to warn people
against urinating on cultural heritage sites. As a result of the information loss in
the English translation, the appellative effect on readers of English has changed.
It has been found that in some cases the translation of public signs reflects an inadequate understanding of Western culture, resulting in information loss and/or
change of appellative effect.
(11) Case Study 5
Chinese:
^^i
Sit^^&ii (jinggao: cidi you equan)
Meaning: Warning: Dangerous Dogs
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Leong Ko
While there are no serious problems with the English translation of this sign, but
it is unrealistic to expect overseas tourists to bring a family member along when
visiting the park. Apparently, this sign is targeted at local people. More appropriate
Enghsh wording would be "The aged and children should be accompanied when
using the escalator". The difference in the target readership of the Chinese sign results in an inevitable change of appellative effect in the English translation.
The above examples show that information loss and change of appellative effect do
occur in public sign translation. Their consequences vary according to the context
and purposes of the signs.
5. Discussion
An analysis of Chinese-English public sign translations indicates that there are a
number of reasons for the loss of information and/or change in appellative effect.
5.1. Linguistic differences
Chinese and English are two distinctly different languages embedded in different
cultures and social backgrounds. Idioms are an essential component of the Chinese language. A Chinese idiom is usually more succinct, stylish and expressive
than a full sentence with the same meaning. The proper use of idioms is therefore
often more effective in gaining the attention of readers and creating the desired appellative effect. Most Chinese idioms have four characters. Accordingly, in modern Chinese many four-character phrases that use the structure of idioms are created to achieve more effective communication. A public sign is normally intended
to have a certain communicative and appellative effect, and the use of four-character phrases has therefore become a common feature of many Chinese public signs.
However, when creating a four-character phrase, additional or different characters
sometimes have to be included. As a result, additional information may be added, and this could result in a loss of information or change of appellative effect in
translation. For instance.
(14) Chinese:
If this sign was in English only, it would probably use simple wording such as
'Danger, No Entry' or just 'No Entry'. The brief text in the original translation also
reflects the practice of using concise words in English signs. However, the Chinese
sign uses three four-character phrases, which contain additional information relating to the specific contexti.e. 'rails' and 'tourists'. The excessive use of fourcharacter phrases can lead Chinese public signs to carry many meanings. Failure
to convey these in translation may result in a loss of information and/or change of
appellative effect. Other examples are:
(15) Chinese:
Meaning:
Translation:
Sign found:
^Mff^i,
^MMA (weijingxuke, buzhun Jinru)
No Entry without Permission
No Admittance
Hong Kong, 2008
Chinese:
Meaning:
Translation:
Sign found:
Chinese:
Meaning:
Translation:
Sign found:
In the first example, the sense of 'without permission' contained in the first fourcharacter phrase in Chinese may be considered superfluous, because 'no entry'
implies that 'entry without permission is not allowed'. This four-character phrase
may have been used merely to create a kind of balance in Chinese. However, in the
third example, the information contained in both four-character phrases is translated, whereas in the second example the information about 'private premises' is
omitted. From the perspective of communication of meaning, it is hard to see why
'government land' should be translated while 'private premises' is ignored.
The above examples indicate that four-character phrases provide certain additional information, which may or may not be considered important by translators,
who use their discretion to decide whether or not to translate it. As a result, some
of the information in the original Chinese public signs may be lost in their English translations.
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Leong Ko
sborter tban or equivalent to one sentence, is tbat the choice of words is straightforward, even blunt, often using words such as 'no', 'only' and 'don't'. It can be argued tbat since the message of a public sign is meant to be clear and generate a
particular response from readers, it makes perfect sense for the wording to be
straightforward and blunt. However, many Chinese public signs tend to use soft
and friendly expressions to indicate appreciation or politeness, sometimes even
employing small talk. If translators use existing English expressions to translate
such Chinese signs, loss of information may occur. For example:
(16) Chinese:
^immAfifU,
^&ik1,
i l H A T ^ f i 5 S (changbifanghuomen, ying
suishi chuyu guanbi zhuangtai)
Meaning: Tbis fire escape door sbould remain shut at all times.
Translation: In case of fire, please don't use the lift.
Sign found: Hangzbou Normal University, Hangzhou, China, 2008
In botb examples, existing Englisb expressions are used, but some information is
lost in both cases. In tbe first example, the loss of information is minor. 'For tbe
convenience of yourself and others' only serves as a polite way of softening the
wording of the sign. However, in tbe second example, tbe meaning is distorted and
the appellative effect is altered.
Using existing Englisb public signs can also be seen in translations recommended
by researcbers on public sign translation (e.g. Ding 2006; Niu 2007). For instance.
(17) Chinese:
Niu argues that it is unnecessary to translate all the information in the Chinese
sign and that the brief wording given above is sufficient (ibid.). The recommended
translation is a sign commonly seen in English. Admittedly, the text of the Chinese
sign is lengthy and may have to be reduced, but by adopting the brief and existing
English sign suggested by Niu, a lot of information is lost. This includes important
information such as the warning about fake tickets and, in particular, the request
for tourists to retain their tickets for further inspection. Such information reflects
the actual practice in this particular situation. If the information is not necessary,
it should not have been included on the Chinese sign in the first place.
In sum, because of the diverse purposes of public signs, the use of existing or similar English signs may result in information loss and/or change in appellative effect,
sometimes to a significant extent. Therefore, translators should exercise appropriate caution when employing this strategy, to ensure that the English signs accurately reflect the purposes and content of the Chinese signs.
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Leong Ko
public signs in Fuzhou, China, in 2008,1 found the following bilingual signs:
Chinese:
Sf A # (yanjin huozhong)
6. Conclusion
We have observed that public signs constitute a special genre that has unique lexical, phrasal and textual features in both English and Chinese. The translation of
signs is therefore different from that of other text. We have noted that the fundamental purpose of a public sign is to convey a message, and therefore its function
is compromised if its message is not conveyed in full or its meaning is distorted
in translation. It is not appropriate for the text in one language to say something
and the text in the other language to say something different, prompting different
responses from readers of the two languages. We have also examined a number
of reasons for information loss and/or change of appellative effect. It seems that
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References
Beijing International Studies University. An On-line Corpus of Chinese-English Signs. Retrieved
April 3, 2009 from http://www.hisu.edu.cn/gsy/ShowClass.asp?ClassID=1065
Chen, Ping. 1999, Modern Chinese: History and Sociolinguistics. Camhridge University Press,
229 pp,
China Daily. Use Accurate English to Welcome the Olympics, Retrieved April 3, 2009 from
http://language,chinadaily,com,cn/herewego/
Dai, Zongxian, and Hefa Lii, 2005. "On Chinese-English Translation of Public Signs." Chinese
Translators Journal 26 (6): 38-42.
Ding, Hengqi. 2006, "Endeavour to Improve Public Signs and Gradually Develop Reference
Translations." Chinese Translators Journal 27 (6): 42-46.
Ding, Wenlei. 2004. Lost in Translation. Beijing Review47 (36): 18-23,
Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved August 12, 2009, from http://www.hritannica.com/EBchecked/topic/543696/sign
Gu, Jianxin, 2001. "Translating Chinese Puhlic Signs into English." Journal of Zhejiang Normal
University (Social Science Edition) 26 (2): 65-67,
Huang, Youyi, 2005, "From the Right of Translators to Foreign Promotion Translation." Chinese
Translators Journal 26 (6): 31-33.
Jin, Qihin. 2008. "Survey and Analysis of English Translation of Puhlic Signs in the Medical and
Health Field." Chinese Translators Journal 29 (3): 72-76,
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. 1997. London: Longman Group Ltd.
Luo, Xuanmin, and Tuwang Li, 2006. "Translating Puhlic Signs: Some Observations." Chinese
Translators Journal 27(4): 66-69.
Macquarie Dictionary, 2nd Revised Edition, 1987, Macquarie Lihrary Pty Ltd,, 2009 pp.
325
Montagu, Asbley. "Sign." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved August 12, 2009 from bttp://www.
britannica.com/EBcbecked/topic/543697/sign
N-Concept International Communications. Cbinese-Englisb Expressions on Signs Service and
Researcb Online. Retrieved April 3, 2009 from bttp://www.e-signs.info/
Niu, Xinsheng. 2007. "How to Transmit Vocative Function in C-E Translation of Chinese Public
Signs." Chinese Translators Journal 28 (2): 63-67.
Organizing Conunittee of Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme. "Standard Englisb
Signs in Public Places in Beijing." Retrieved April 3, 2009 from bttp://www.bjenglisb.gov.
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Public Sign Translation Researcb Centre of Beijing International Studies University. 2007. Investigation and Analysis of tbe Current Status of Public Sign Translation across the Nation.
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Qu, Qianqian. "A study on Englisb Translation of Public signs: From a Cross-Cultural Perspective." 2007. MA thesis (unpublished). 56 pp.
Reiss, Katbarina. 1977. Text Types, Translation Types and Translation Assessment, tran. by Andrew Chesterman, 105-115. Readings in Translation Theory. Helsinki: Finn Lectura.
Sbao, Youxue. 2009. "Retbinking Public Sign Translation." Chinese Science & Technology Translator Journal 22 (2): 48-51.
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Abstract
Public signs refer to tbe type of sign posted in public places to alert readers to certain information. They constitute a special genre in terms of language use, communicative functions and
cultural features. The translation of public signs from Cbinese into Englisb presents a number
of unique challenges.
This article concentrates on issues relating to information loss and cbange of appellative effect in Cbinese-Englisb public sign translation based on actual examples collected in Mainland
Cbina, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It discusses the problems in Chinese-English public sign translation and presents a number of case studies, followed by a detailed analysis of tbe possible reasons for these problems. Sucb reasons include linguistic differences, inappropriate use of existing Englisb public signs, inadequate understanding of culture and practices in Englisb-speaking
countries, unclear target readership, and the qualifications and experience of translators.
Satisfactory solutions to these problems are yet to be sougbt. As one possible solution, the
article proposes changes to tbe design process for bilingual public signsi.e. when a sign is intended to be bilingual, consideration sbould be given from the beginning to its appropriate Englisb translation. However, tbis strategy may compromise tbe features of public signs in tbe language concerned. The article concludes with a call for more researcb in tbis field.
Keywords: public sign, sign, bilingual sign, information loss, appellative effect
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Leong Ko
Rsum
Les panneaux publics se rfrent un type de panneaux installs dans des lieux publics pour attirer l'attention des lecteurs sur certaines informations. Ils constituent un genre particulier sur
le plan de l'utilisation de la langue, des fonctions communicatives et des caractristiques culturelles. La traduction des panneaux publics du chinois en anglais prsente un certain nombre de
difficults particulires.
Cet article se concentre sur des problmes lis une perte d'information et un changement
d'effet appellatif dans la traduction des panneaux publics cbinois, bass sur des exemples rels
recueillis en Chine continentale, Taiwan et Hong Kong. Il examine les problmes de traduction des panneaux publics chinois et anglais et prsente un certain nombre d'tudes de cas, suivies par une analyse dtaille des raisons possibles de ces problmes. Ces raisons incluent des
diffrences linguistiques, une utilisation inapproprie des panneaux publics anglais existants,
une comprhension inadquate de la culture et des pratiques dans les pays anglophones, un lectorat cible mal dfini et les qualifications et l'exprience des traducteurs.
Il faut encore chercher des solutions satisfaisantes ces problmes. Une solution possible
propose dans l'article consiste modifier le processus de conception des panneaux publics bilingues. Lorsqu'un panneau est destin tre bilingue, il faut envisager ds le dpart sa traduction anglaise approprie. Cependant, cette stratgie pourrait compromettre les particularits
des panneaux publics dans la langue concerne. L'article conclut en demandant d'intensifier la
recherche dans ce domaine.
Mots cls : traduction des panneaux publics - panneau bilingue - perte d'information - effet appellatif
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