A Study of Cultures Using Chinese Characters and their Impact on

A Study of Cultures Using Chinese Characters and
their Impact on Translation Studies
KIM, Hye-Rim
Ewha Womans University
Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation
Résumé
Les études de traduction doivent viser à devenir une science comportementale. Autrement
dit, la recherche de la méthodologie de traduction ou la présentation de la théorie de
traduction aura une signification seulement si elle est capable de remplir le rôle auxiliaire à
l’activité de traduction. Ainsi les études de traduction chercheront à soulever les questions
liées aux travaux de traduction et y proposer des solutions.
C’est donc dans ce contexte que cette thèse propose de présenter une méthodologie qui
pourra être appliquée à l’interprétation et à la traduction du coréen et du chinois -- deux
langues qui utilisent en commun les caractères chinois -- en soulevant les difficultés qui
existent, en les classifiant et en les conceptualisant. Pour cela, en se basant sur les nombreux
textes de conférence, les difficultés de traduction dues à l’usage des lettres chinoises ont été
traitées en profondeur à travers : (1) l’analyse de la déverbalisation, (2) la compréhension et
la reproduction du texte langue, et (3) la redéfinition du nom propre. A partir de cette
analyse, cette thèse élabore une stratégie pour exclure toute intervention de la culture
linguistique à travers : (1) la traduction basée sur une connaissance correcte, (2) l’amélioration de la capacité linguistique, (3) l’établissement de la terminologie spécialisée, et (4)
l’approche éducative.
Keywords/ Mots-Clés
deverbalization, text langue, signifie@, significant, language culture
I. Introduction
The concept of “translation studies1” was first introduced by Schleichermacher in
1964. Eugene Nida coined the term “translation studies2” and it developed into an
independent field of study with many research works presented, rather than being
treated as a sub-category of linguistics.
However, since translation uses language as its tool, a large part of the study of
1
Wilss explains that the concept of translation studies was first introduced on June 24, 1813 by
Schleichermacher, who presented his paper “On the Diverse Methodology of Translation” at the
Berlin Royal Academy. Wilss/Lee, K.S., Kim, K.N. (2002:92)
2
Nida first used the term “translation studies” in a thesis presented in 1964 titled “Toward a
Science of Translating.”
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translation is linked with the study of language. According to the French dictionary, Le
Petit Robert, the definition of the word “traduire” (to translate) is as follows: “To
transfer what has been uttered in one language to another language, while acquiring
equivalence in expression and sense between the two utterances.3” So, in other words,
translation is a very practical operation where on shifts not the langue but the parole of
one language to the parole of another while gaining dual equivalence in sense and
expression. However, since the langue is already a product highly influenced by the
culture in which a certain language is used, the parole of an individual speaker also
cannot be entirely free from the influence of culture. In other words, language is a very
ambiguous entity with traces of a certain culture embedded in it.
Noting this characteristic of language, Nida asserted that solving problems in
translation lay in both the linguistic and ethnological sphere while Meschonnic
expanded the linguistic concept to include the perspective of cultural language. One of
the greatest difficulties in translation arises from the fact that different social, historical,
and systematic factors are reflected in the language. Therefore, obstacles in translation
cannot be overcome without a clear understanding of the language culture.4
Korea, China and Japan are neighboring countries in Northeast Asia that are
commonly grouped as “countries that use Chinese characters.” This term refers to a
cultural community that uses Chinese characters as a means for writing.5
This paper raises some of the fundamental problems found in Korean-Chinese
translation. By doing so, it attempts to find, categorize and conceptualize actual
problems in translation and then seek applicable solutions in interpretation and
translation methodology. The paper analyzes publications 6 from international conferences and categorizes problems found in interpretation and translation among cultures
that use Chinese characters into the following categories: 1) lack of deverbalization, 2)
3
Requoted from Pergnier/ Kim, H.G., Noh, Y.C. (2001:9)
The term “language culture” here is used to pose problems within the use of language and is not
related to non-language differences. Kim, Y.J. (2000: 74)
5
Korea and Japan both Chinese characters as a means of writing when they did not have a
writing system of their own. After the invention of Hangeul, the Korean writing system, Korea
has used both Hangeul and Chinese characters whereas Japan has a writing system that is a
mixture of its own characters and Chinese characters.
6
The texts used for analysis in this paper are research papers presented in publications of eight
different international conferences held from 1995 to 2001. The conference topics range from
economics, security, and humanities to international crime, transportation development planning
and cooperation among local governments. All papers are categorized as technical texts.
4
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A Study of Cultures Using Chinese Characters and …