Abstract: Public signs in tourist attractions are the important means by which administrative institutions speak to the tourists. Non-standard translation of public signs will affect signs’ functions and will have bad effects on the image of the tourist attraction or even the whole area.  This paper will concentrate on various typical problems of C-E translation of public signs in tourist attractions, like non-standard spelling, improper choices of words, disunity of translation, grammar mistakes and chinglish. Some relevant suggestions and strategies, like adopting international standard expressions, imitating typical expressions in the target language, developing the translators’ proficiency in language and enhancing their sense of responsibility and improving relevant administrative departments’ supervision functions, are proposed correspondingly, on the basis of functional translation theory.     

-Key words: tourist attractions public signs C-E translation functional translation theory

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Literature Review-1

2.1 Definition and Features of Public Signs-2

2.2 Functional Translation Theory-3

3 Problems in Translation of Public Signs in Tourist Attractions-5

3.1 Spelling Mistakes-6

3.2 Improper Choices of Words-6

3.3 Grammar Mistakes-7

3.4 Chinglish-7

3.5 Disunity of Translation-8

4 Suggestions on Translation of Public Signs in Tourist Attractions-8

4.1 Adopt International Standard Expressions-9

4.2 Imitate Typical Expressions in the Target Language-10

5 Conclusion-10

6 Bibliography-11

Acknowledgements-11