Abstract
This paper is to study the translation of terms through comparing the two Chinese translations of Alzheimer disease: lao nian chi dai zheng (老年痴呆症) and a er ci hai mo bing (阿尔茨海默病). Based on the principles of naming terms put forward by Feng Zhiwei and the three rationalities of language raised by Habermas, this paper discusses the reasonable and unreasonable parts of the two translated names and finally suggests a new translation for Alzheimer disease.
Keywords   Senile Dementia/Alzheimer Disease   terminological translation principles   translation requirments

本文通过比较Alzheimer disease 现存的两种译名——“老年痴呆症”和“阿尔茨海默病”，探讨了术语译名的相关问题。本研究在冯志伟提出的术语定名原则以及哈贝马斯提出的语言的三个理性的基础上，讨论了“老年痴呆症”和“阿尔茨海默病”这两个译名的合理及不合理之处，最后为Alzheimer disease提供了新的译名。
关键词  老年痴呆症/阿尔茨海默病   术语翻译原则   翻译要求

There is a disease called Alzheimer disease (AD), while in China people call it senile dementia . In September 2012, CCTV (China Central Television) initiated a publicity campaign which called on the public to show concern for the ten million elderly who have contracted AD, to rectify “dementia”, since “dementia” obviously discriminates against those ill senior people. As a result, the changing of this disease’s name becomes a hot topic.

Some argue that although senile dementia may not sound good, it concisely and precisely describes the major signs of this disease and can contribute to people’s awareness of the patients and thus offer help; some consider that the transliteration of AD  into Chinese twists the tongue. Though senile dementia  straightforwardly represents the main characteristics of the disease, it is not a scientifically translated term. The transliteration of AD into Chinese is indeed hard to pronounce, then, can we, according to the principles of terminological translation, figure out a translated name which is satisfactory to both parties? This paper intends to solve this problem and hopes to provide reference for the future terminological translation.