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Questions a Translator Faces
A Short Poem (R. Kipling)
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I keep six honest serving men;
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names were What? and Why? and When?
and How? and Where? and Who?
(Quote from Roger T. Bell, Translation and
Translating: Theory and Practice. London:
Longman, 1991:7)
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The Same Six Serving Men a Translator Keeps
What?
Why?
When?
Translator
Where?
How?
Who?
Roger Bell’s Model
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Questions a translator asks about a text.
What? is the message contained in the text;
Why? orients us towards the intention of the sender;
(informing/persuading/expressing…)
When? is concerned with the time of the communication;
How? a) the manner of delivery (serious/ironic); b) the
medium of communication (verbal/speech/writing…) ;
Where? is concerned with the place of the communication
Who? refers to the participants involved in the
communication.
(Source: Ditto)
An Extended Model
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Questions a translator asks before setting his/her pen.
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What? is the content you are going to translate.
Why? Refers the purpose of your translating
When? is concerned with the time (difference) of
communication
How? refers to the way and media you are going to use in your
translating?
Where? Is concerned with the place (difference) of
communication.
Who? refers to the translator and the target readers. Or the
other participants in the translation process.
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Application of the Model
Analysis of the Original
Text
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What?
“visiting” (traveling)
Why?
Informing and expressing
When?
19th century
How?
1) the manner of delivery: natural, humorous, rhythmic, fluid,
lucid… 2) the medium: writing (prose, travel notes)
Where?
England
Who?
Washington Irving (1783-1895): American romanticism writer; the
founding “Father of American Literature”; the first American writer
who is recognized by Europeans…
&
American and British readers as well as other possible readers who
know English.
Analysis of the Translation Task
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What?
“visiting” (traveling)
Why?
Informing (expressing, or any other functions…for fun, for example)
When?
21st century
How?
1) the manner of delivery: faithful or creative…; 2) the medium: writing (or
speech, or other ways)
Where?
China
Who?
The translator (you) who has different background
&
Chinese readers and possible readers who know Chinese.
译文比较
 译文1：
• 译文2：
• 译文3：
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译文4：
 译文5：
 译文6：
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Source: the original text and all the versions
are quoted from Li Ming(李明), Translation
Criticism and Appreciation(《翻译批评与鉴
赏》). Wuhan: Wuhan University Press,
2006:32-42