Abstract:

Though having gained great popularity in almost every field of daily life, the translation of public signs especially those in transport stations still have various problems. This study based on previous studies is aimed at analyzing errors in the translation of public signs from linguistic and cultural perspectives. It severs to offer some strategies in the process of the C-E translation of public signs and concludes that the translation of public signs requires responsibility as well as linguistic and cultural competence. Additionally, more attention needs to be paid on the existent problems.

Key words: transport station; public signs; error analysis; translation strategies

摘要：

公示语在日常生活中发挥着日益重要的作用，然而它的英译却存在很多问题，尤其是在交通车站的翻译错误更是让人啼笑皆非。本人尝试在前人的研究基础上，旨在从语言和文化层面对其常见的错误进行分析，并提出相应的翻译策略以供参考，同时本人认为在公示语的翻译过程中，语言能力，文化意识和责任心三者缺一不可，且公示语的英译现状应该得到更多的关注。

关键词：交通车站；公示语；错误分析；翻译策略

1. Introduction
Owing to China’s entry into WTO, the success of holding the Olympic Games in 2008 and the World Expo in Shanghai, increasing numbers of foreigners are flocking to China and English public signs has become an integral part for foreigners especially those who are not familiar with Chinese. To be in line with international practice, quantities of bilingual public signs appear and transport stations become the "window" for foreigners to get to know China when they reach for the first time. What does so-called public sign mean? A great number of scholars have given their definitions of public signs, among which professor Lü Hefas is the most acceptable. He defined it in his book ---A Chinese-English Dictionary on Signs (2004), "public signs are terse and explicit words, sentences, even photographs that are closely related to daily life, production, ecology and professions so as to direct, prompt, restrict, warn or even compel the public". Nevertheless, to our disappointment and concern, there exist various errors confusing or even irritating the foreigners, rather than assisting them, which not only have obstructed the communication between the foreigners and the Chinese, but also have done harm to our international image.