中式英语之鉴PART4

那艺娜

Chapters 7 and 8 of Joan Pinkham’s seminal work address two critical challenges in Chinese-to-English translation: "Awkward Sentence Order" and "Inappropriate Conjunctions." These chapters expand on the book’s core philosophy—that fluency in translation requires not just linguistic accuracy but also an intuitive grasp of the target language’s logic and rhythm.

Chapter 7, "Awkward Sentence Order," examines how rigid adherence to Chinese syntactic patterns produces disjointed English sentences. Pinkham argues that Chinese, often context-driven and topic-prominent, allows for flexible clause arrangements that confuse English readers when translated literally. For example, stacking multiple adverbial phrases at the beginning of a sentence ("In order to improve efficiency, under the leadership of the manager, through teamwork, we completed the project") disrupts English’s preference for subject-verb-object clarity. The chapter emphasizes restructuring sentences to prioritize the "main thread" of action, even if it means breaking a single Chinese sentence into shorter, logically sequenced English ones. This approach resonated with me, as I’ve often struggled with balancing fidelity to the source text against the need for natural flow in English.

Chapter 8, "Inappropriate Conjunctions," delves into the misuse of transitional words—a pitfall stemming from differences in how Chinese and English signal logical relationships. Chinese tends to imply connections through context, whereas English relies heavily on explicit conjunctions. However, direct translations often overuse words like "and," "but," or "therefore," creating a choppy or exaggerated tone. Pinkham’s analysis of sentences like "He is very talented, and he was promoted quickly" (where "and" unnecessarily weakens the cause-effect link) clarified how conjunctions should reflect genuine logical relationships, not just syntactic habits. The chapter also warns against "false pairs" like "not only… but also," which Chinese writers sometimes deploy for emphasis but can distort meaning in English.

Together, these chapters underscore the importance of "rethinking" rather than "rewriting." For instance, Pinkham advises translators to avoid mechanically mirroring Chinese sentence order or conjunction patterns. Instead, they should first identify the core message and rebuild sentences around it using English’s inherent structures. This method aligns with her earlier arguments about redundancy and logic but introduces a new layer: the rhythm of language. An English sentence "breathes" differently, prioritizing clarity and momentum over poetic parallelism or contextual implication.

One challenge I anticipate is internalizing these principles without overcorrecting. For example, while restructuring sentences, how does one preserve the original’s tone or emphasis? Pinkham’s examples focus on technical clarity, but literary or persuasive texts might require strategic retention of certain stylistic features. This raises a broader question: To what extent should translation prioritize readability over cultural authenticity? While Pinkham advocates for fluency, I wonder how her guidelines apply to texts where the "Chinese voice" is integral to the purpose.

In conclusion, Chapters 7–8 deepen the reader’s understanding of translational adaptation. They remind us that mastering grammar and vocabulary is only half the battle; the other half is learning to "hear" the target language’s natural cadence. After reading these chapters, I’ve begun to approach translation as a form of musical composition—transposing melodies from one instrument to another, knowing that some notes must change to suit the new medium.