Abstract:The English language of the 21st century is already facing the world. In China, since the reform and opening up in the 1990s, the study on the translation of public signs has attracted extensive attention from Chinese translation scholars; however, there are no fewer cases of misinterpretation. The phenomenon of improper translation of public signs not only concerns the appearance of a city, but also brings inconvenience and misunderstanding to foreign tourists. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively improve such problems so as to maintain the image of our cultural power in the hearts of people all over the world.

This paper aims to study common errors in translation of public signs through Text Type Theory. It is classified into three categories: instruction category, interpretation category and warning category, and the causes of errors in English translation are studied respectively, and the improvement method is obtained. The purpose of this paper is to systematically improve the translation of public signs in life, consequently also can present a beautiful landscape in the city for public signs. It is hoped that the research on the English translation of public signs in this paper can enrich everyone's understanding of translation studies.

Key words: text type theory; translation error; public signs; intercultural consciousness

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

Introduction-1

I.-The Ambiguous Reference of the Direction-Type Public Signs-3

A.-The Expatiation of the Error-4

B.-The Cause of the Error-5

1.-Chinglish and Spelling-5

2.-Word Redundancy-5

C.-Improving Method-6

1.-The Empathy and the Caution and the Boldness-7

2.-The Choosing of Concise and Appropriate Words-7

II.-The Vague Meaning of the Explaining-Type Public Signs-8

A.-The Expatiation of the Error-8

B.-The Cause of the Error-9

C.-Improving Method-10

III.-The Improper Warning of the Warning-Type Public Signs-12

A.-The Expatiation of the Error-12

B.-The Cause of the Error-13

C.-Improving Method-14

Conclusion-16

Bibliography-17

Acknowledgements-18