数字的修辞功能及其翻译

Rhetorical Function and Translation of numerals

Abstract

  Besides the function of reflecting the exact quantitative differences, numerals are used frequently in figures of speech. This thesis makes study of rhetorical functions of numerals, which updates the conventional focus on their ordinary functions as mathematical reasons. Since numerals are widely used in rhetoric , the diversity of rhetorical numerals makes it imperative to clarify their different uses. Thus rhetorical numerals are classified in the light of their specific functions in figures of speech. This thesis makes a comparative analysis of the usage of concrete rhetorical numerals between English and Chinese. A clear understanding of the similarity and discrepancy is a must to the appropriate translation of them. Meanwhile, the similarity and discrepancy in the usage of concrete rhetorical numerals between English and Chinese is a challenge to translators, that is, how to faithfully and precisely convey the original meaning and to make the translation conform to the linguistic norms and practice of the target language. Accordingly, this thesis approaches the actual process of translation through a host of examples from the angle of the linguistic norms and practice. Thereby, three basic methods of translation are proposed, namely, maintenance of original numerals, transformation of numerals and additions or deletions of numerals.

Key Words: numerals; rhetoric function; translation；maintenance；
transformation；additions or deletions

摘 要

数字，除了含有显示严格的数量差别的功能外，也具有修辞功能。本文对数字的修辞进行了研究，把对数字的传统关，提升到了修辞功能上。由于数字在修辞中的广泛使用，其多样性使得我们对其不同用法的区分势在必行。因此本文通过对用于修辞手段的数字以其在修辞格中各自的用法进行分类，比较分析了英汉两种语言在数字修辞运用过程中采用具体数字方面的异同。对此异同的充分认识是对此类数字进行地道翻译的前提。同时，英汉两种语言在数字修辞运用过程中的共同点和差异也给我们翻译工作者带来了挑战，那便是如何翻译数字才能做到既忠实而又确切地表达原意，又能使译文更符合对方的语言规范和语言习惯。因此，本文通过大量例句探讨了翻译的实际操作过程中如何从符合语言习惯的角度翻译用于修辞手段的数字，从而总结出了最基本的3种译法，即：数字保留法，数字转换法，数字增舍法。

关键词：  数字； 修辞功能； 翻译； 保留；转换；增舍

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