Unit 5 Omission

1. Unit 5 Omission （省译法） By PYSH

2. I. Definition • By omission we mean we properly omit some words or expressions in order to make the translated version brief, concise, clear. Proper omission in English-Chinese translation often involves the omitting of some words (such as prepositions, articles, certain pronouns, conjunctions, etc.) that are indispensable in the SL text but not in the TL text.

3. II. Motivation • Omission is based on the differences between English and Chinese. For example, Chinese has no articles or infinitive markers. And pronouns, conjunctions, and prepositions are not used as frequently as those of English. So when we translate English sentences with articles and infinitive markers into Chinese, we often omit them.

4. III. Principles • Omission does not go against ‘faithfulness’. It does not mean subtracting meanings from the original work. • Omission should be aimed at smoothness and conciseness or succinctness. • What is omitted may not be necessarily confined to certain parts of speech. Any parts of speech may be liable to be omitted according to the context and the translator’s translation techniques.

5. IV. Classification • Omission Due to Syntactic Considerations • Omission Due to Logic Considerations • Omission Due to Rhetoric considerations

6. 1. Omission Due to Syntactic Considerations • Omission of Articles (Articles are generally not translated unless it is necessary) • Omission of Prepositions • Omission of Personal and Possessive Pronouns • Omission of ‘It’ • Omission of Conjunctions • Omission of Verbs

7. 1.1 Omission of Articles A horse is a useful animal. 马是有用的动物。 The earth moves around the sun. 地球绕太阳公转。

8. Some Articles Can Not Be Omitted! • He left without a word. • 他一句话也没说就走了。 • He said that he was getting a dollar a mile. • 他说他每开一英里就赚一块钱。 • The children are of an age. • 这些孩子都是同岁的。

9. 1.2 Omission of Prepositions • The rocket engine carries with it the oxygen of its own. • 火箭发动机自带氧气。 • Trees grow along both banks of the canal. • 运河两岸长着树木。 • It is a pleasure for us to offer you the goods as follows. • 非常荣幸向贵方报盘如下。

10. 1.3 Omission of Personal and Possessive Pronouns • If you want to kill a snake you must hit it first on the head and if you want to catch a band of robbers you must first catch their leader. • 打蛇先打头，擒贼先擒王。 • He is a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs. • 在背后说我们好话的人才是好朋友。 • We expect that the delivery will be effected at your earliest convenience. • 盼你方早日交货。

11. 1.4 Omission of ‘It’ • He took it upon himself to pay off the debt. • 他自愿负责还清债务。 • It requires patience to do the job. • 做这件工作需要有耐性。 • It is better to do well than to say well. • 说得动听不如干得漂亮。

12. 1.5 Omission of Conjunctions • If winter comes, can • spring be far behind? • 冬天来了，春天还会远吗？ • The sun is bright, and the sky is clear. • 阳光灿烂，晴空万里。 • The salesman was so successful that in the end he became general manager of the firm. • 那个推销员干得很成功，最后成了公司的总经理。

13. 1.6 Omission of Verbs • At present the foreign exchange market in New York is relatively weak while the stock market is very strong. • 目前纽约汇市相对疲软，而股市确十分坚挺。 • When the pressure gets low, the boiling point becomes low. • 气压低，沸点就低。 • Because of economic crisis of the host country, this American multinational corporation has suffered the same great losses as the local companies. • 由于东道国的经济危机，美国的这家跨国公司同当地公司一样损失惨重。

14. 2. Omission Due to Logic Considerations • Please expedite the L/C(letter of credit) so that we may execute the order smoothly. • 请加速开出信用证，以便顺利执行定单。 • For further information regarding this system, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No.4374986. • 欲知本系统详情，可参阅4374986号美国专利。 • We take this opportunity to inform you that we are now in position to make prompt shipment of the merchandize. • 兹奉告，该产品可即期装运。

15. 3. Omission Due to Rhetoric Considerations • Omission of the repeated expressions of the original • Omission of the unnecessary expressions of the original

16. 3.1 Omitting the Repeated Expressions of the Original • Instead of one old woman knocking me about and starving me, everybody of all ages knocked me about and starved me. • 那时打我，让我挨饿的不只是一个老太婆，而是老老少少各式各样的人。

17. 3.2 Omitting the Unnecessary Expressions of the Original • Remember : you are not any old Tom, Dick or Harry giving his opinion. You area man who was sent as a representative of British Government. • 你要记住，你不是一个普普通通的老百姓，可以随便发表意见。你是英国政府派出的代表。

18. China is also a country of people with a passionate love of peace. • 中国人热爱和平。 • The foundation would be in a position to meet more of the vast unsatisfied needs of children and young people if more resources were made available to it. • 如果财源多一些的话，基金会就会更好地满足儿童和青年人尚未满足的需要。 • There was no snow. But the leaves were gone from the trees and the grass was dead. • 天未下雪，却已叶落草枯。

19. Summary • 同增译一样，省译往往是译者在推敲译文或校对译文的过程中进行的，可见这类调整与译者的母语语感很有关系，从本质上说这是一个译文的可读性问题(readability)，其关键在求得译文与原文在深层结构上的对应，而不求双语在词语形式上的机械对应。