Translation Report of the Chapter 4 Festivals and Customs of Hani Nationality

【摘要】哈尼族是云南省的少數民族中人数较多的一个少数民族，哈尼族独特的文化为云南少数民族文化增添了浓重的一笔。哈尼族的节庆日较多，每一个节日的起源都有一个生动的故事或传说。本文是基于尤金奈达功能对等翻译理论下的翻译实践报告研究，以期在目的语读者间尽量保持原作真实性、找到一份意义对等的译本，促进中西文化的交流。

【关键词】哈尼族；节庆日；功能对等翻译理论；翻译实践报告

【Abstract】Hani nationality is one kind of minorities in Yunnan province with more popularity. The unique Hani culture has added some values into the culture of minorities in Yunnan. Hani nationality has more festivals. The origin of each festival is linked with a vivid story or legend. Based on the functional equivalence theory conducted by Eugene A Nida, the paper is a translation report. The aims of the paper is trying to keep the truth of the source text, find a translation version with corresponding meaning, and to promote the cultural exchange between China and the West.

【Key words】 Hani nationality; festivals; functional equivalence theory; translation report

【作者简介】雷娟，普洱学院。

【基金项目】本论文为2018年度普洱学院校级课题项目“民族文化传播视野下哈尼族节庆习俗的英汉互译对比研究”研究成果(项目编号：2018xjkt23)。

1.Introduction of the Translation Task

(1) Introduction of the Source Text

Hani Nationality is one book of the series of Chinese nation belonging to Chinese Cultural Knowledge Reader, which is compiled by Chinese and international renowned experts and scholars. It aims to broadcast the excellent traditional Chinese culture and raise self-cultivation of whole nation. The translation report focuses on the translation of the Chapter 4 Festivals and Customs. The source text records the unique ethnic culture of Hani nationality including origins, legends, celebration ceremonies and the meaning of celebration about the 9 main festivals.

The source text is a cultural reader which belongs to literature. The words used in the source text are generic. But since the legends of the festival is narrated by ethnic language firstly, and then recorded in Chinese, there are some words used in Yunnan dialects, which is difficult to find a corresponding word in both mandarin and English.

(2) Introduction of the Background and Significance

Pu’er city of Yunnan Province is located on the southwest border of China, which has 36 ethnic minorities and 14 minorities living for generations. Among the various minorities, the population of Hani nationality accounts for 17.88% of the total population of Pu’er city. Hence, the unique culture of Hani nationality has become the key important part in the colorful ethnic culture of Yunnan province.

As the bridge of communication between China and the West, the translation plays an important role in the process of cultural exchange. Meanwhile, the translation of ethnic culture plays a certain role in the cultural inheritance and preservation. Hani nationality has more festivals, which has been the representative among the various Hani culture. Based on the full understanding of the source text, the writer of the  translation report adopts functional equivalence theory as guidance and uses translation skills, such as paraphrase, amplification, lessened translation, etc. to try to find a corresponding text in the target language.

2. Introduction of Functional Equivalence Theory

There are two basic orientations in Eugene A Nida’s theory called formal equivalence and functional equivalence. The former “focuses attention on the message itself, in both form and content” and the later “aims at complete naturalness of expression, and tries to relate the receptor to modes of behavior relevant within the context of his own culture...” (Eugene. A. Nida, 2003:158-159). Functional equivalence also called dynamic equivalence. Eugene. A. Nida (2003) gave its definition as “the closest natural equivalent to the source-language message”(Eugene. A. Nida, 2003:166). In this type of definition, “it contains three essential terms: (1) equivalent, which points towards the source-language message, (2) natural, which points towards the receptor language, and (3) closest, which binds the two orientations together on the basis of the highest degree of approximation... A natural translation involves two principal areas of adaptation, namely, grammar and lexicon...” (Eugene. A. Nida, 2003: 167).

3.Case Study under the Guidance of Functional Equivalence Theory

Nida defined functional equivalence as “the closest natural equivalent to the source-language message”(2004:166). As for the definition mentioned that “closest natural equivalent”, Nida pointed that “Naturalness of expression in the receptor language is essentially a problems of co-suitability---but on several levels, of which the most important are as follows: (1)word classes; (2)grammatical categories; (3)semantic classes; (4)discourse type; and (5)cultural contexts” (2004: 168). Hence, when I use functional equivalence theory as guidance to do the translation, I do some adjustments to adapt to the target readers’ language habits.

(1)From the Perspective of Words

Example(1): about the transliteration of Hani language

“哈尼族以十月為岁首，所以每年农历十月的第一个属龙日(以十二生肖记日)要过“十月年”。这是哈尼族的主要节日，又称‘美首扎勒特’或‘米索扎’。”

In this paragraph, there are two words called “美首扎勒特”或“米索扎”, which are transliterated by Hani language. This term is used to describe a main important festival of Hani nationality that is similar with the Spring Festival of Han nationality with the richest in content and the longest in time. But it is nonsense in English. Nida pointed one of principles for producing functional equivalence that “If a close, formal translation is likely to result in a misunderstanding of the designative meaning, certain changes must be introduced into the text of the translation...”(2005:125). So I keep the transliteration in Chinese using the Chinese phonetic alphabet to translate into English. The reasons why I keep transliteration in Chinese pin yin are that avoiding the misunderstanding in western culture and preserving the special terms in the ethnic culture. The translation version would be like that “it is also called Mei-shou-zha-te-le or Mi-suo-zha.” Hence, during the process of translation, when it refers to the transliteration of Hani language, I will use Chinese pin yin to keep its original meaning.

Example(2): about the specific term with Yunnan dialect

“好吃的食物當然更是必不可少，妇女忙着舂粑粑，做团籽面。”

In the source text, there are two words called “粑粑” and “团籽面”. The former is a specific term in Yunnan dialect, which is made by the powder of sticky rice. The later is a specific name of one kind of food in Hani culture, which is also made by sticky rice. What is the difference between the two kinds of food? After I consult with the Hani people, they give me the explanation as follow: “both two kinds of food are made by sticky rice. But since the difference of cooking way and eating way, we have these two kinds of food. For Baba, we make it as plain and heat it with little edible oil in the pan. For Tuanzimian, we make it as little ball like sweet dumplings (Tangyuan). After boiling it, we eat with powder of baked rice. ” (according to the interview with Mr.Zhao Jianmin, a Hani person). Nida pointed that “A translation of functional equivalence aims at complete naturalness of expression”(2004:159). Hence, when I translate these two terms, I use Chinese pin yin and add the annotation after the name. The translation version would be like that “The delicious food is absolutely necessary. Women are busy with pounding Baba (Yunnan dialect, made by sticky rice) and making Tuanzimian(Yunnan dialect, made by sticky rice, with the similar shape of sweet dumpling, eat with the powder of baked rice)”.

(2)From the Perspective of Sentence

There are obvious difference of structure between Chinese sentence and English sentence. So when I do the translation, the adjustment of sentence structure is needed.

Example(1):

“祭祖也是哈尼人过节不可缺少的步骤，年节的每天早晚吃饭前，家家都要用小簸箕抬着酒和三个团籽送到村口倒掉，意即祭献祖宗。”

In the source text, there is one sentence “意即祭献祖宗”. In Chinese writing style, people are used to the method of induction that means people put the conclusion at the end. While for English writing habits, people are used to the method of deduction that means putting the topic at the beginning of the paragraph. Nida argued that “If a close, formal translation is so semantically and syntactically difficult that the average person for whom the translation is being made is very likely to give up trying to understand it, certain changes are warranted”(2005:126). So when I do the translation, I make the sentence adjustment putting the sentence at the beginning. The translation version would be like that “During the session of celebrating lunar calendar year or festivals, before each meal, every household makes an ancestor worship to their ancestors in the way of presenting liquor and three Tuanzi(made by sticky rice) in a winnowing fan and then pouring them away at the entrance to the village. ”

Example(3):

“四個姑娘忘了砍柴，也忘了回家，在山顶上互诉苦衷(译时句式调整)，愈诉愈愁，愈诉愈悲，就一起跳崖自尽了。”

In the source text, the subject is the four girls. But there are more than 4 predicates. The writing skill of parallelism is used in the source text to create strengthen the mood. While the sentence in English should be neat and clean. Nida said “If a close, formal translation is likely to result ... in a significant loss in a proper appreciation for the stylistic values of the source text, it is important to make such adjustments as are necessary to reflect the associative values of the source text”(2005:127). So I change the order of the sentence and do some adjustments in the sentence. The translation version would be like that “ Four girls told each other about their bitterness on the top of the mountain so that they forgot to cut firewood and to go home. The more details they narrated, the more disconsolate and more sorrowful they were. Finally, they jumped off the cliff”.

4. Conclusion

Translation as the effective media under the background of cross culture should be paid high attention to. Different language has its own features on using habits and styles. As the translator, having a full understanding about the source text is key important. Using various translation skills to do the translation is needed for a translator.

References:

[1]Eugene A. Nida. Toward a Science of Translating. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2004.