Translation 翻译

Translation

Translation is to rewrite or restate in another language. For example, we translate English into Chinese, or vice versa. English includes both spoken English and written English, same as in Chinese. In general, two people who speak different languages, need someone to translate, but the situations are not necessarily the same. For example, two Quebecois, one speaks French, and the other speaks English, usually do not need an interpreter when they talk. If two people speak the same language, they do not require an interpreter. However, two Chinese people, one from Canton, and the other from Fujian province, probably require one when they talk. Yet, when they write to each other, they do not need a translator.

Translators must speak two spoken languages, or write two written languages, so we call them bilingual. When I was young, I wrote Chinese only. Once I read an article in classical Chinese and wrote it in modern Chinese. My teacher said my translation was good. Many people thought English is one kind of language, but it is not. If it is, do illiterate people know English or not? Without any doubt, spoken English and written English are two languages. However, writing or reading a letter for an illiterate, you are not regarded as a translator. The reason is that we always conflate spoken English and written English. In fact, both reading aloud and dictating are translating, but we did not realize it.

Translation is an explanation for people who do not understand. From this point of view, when kids go to elementary school to learn written language, teachers all are interpreters. They translate what students do not understand. When babies are born, their parents are their interpreters. When young makes go to universities to study sciences, professors are interpreters too. If you explain something to somebody, you are translating.


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翻译

翻译是用另外一种语言或者文字来表达。例如，我们把英语和英文翻译成汉语和中文，或者把汉语和中文翻译成英语和英文。一般来说，两个人说不同的语言，需要翻译。但有时候也不一定。例如，两个魁北克人谈话，一个人说法语，另外一个说英语，通常不需要翻译。如果两个人说同一种语言，就不需要翻译了。可是如果两个中国人，一个来自广州，一个来自福建省，他们谈话的时候，很可能需要一个翻译。不过，他们通信却不要翻译。

翻译必须会说两种语言，或者写两种文字，所以我们称他们为双语。可是，我小时候只懂中文，有一次我看了一篇文言文，再用白话文写出来，老师却说我翻译的很好。很多人以为English是一种language。肯定不是。如果是，请问文盲懂English吗？毫无疑问，English 是两种 language，英语和英文。但是，你帮一位文盲写一封信，或者读一封来信，没有人承认这是翻译。因为我们把英语和英文，这两种 language 混为一谈。其实朗读和听写都是翻译，只不过我们没有意识到而已。

翻译是给听不懂，或者看不懂的人做解释。 从这个角度来看，小孩上小学去读书，老师是他们的翻译。 他们翻译学生不懂的事情。 婴儿出生后，他们的父母是他们的翻译。 当年轻人上大学研究科学时，教授也是他们的翻译。 不论你给别人解释什么东西，你就是在翻译。


请参考新概念语言学。