Russian-Chinese Translation: Transfer of Relations

In this chapter, we will explore another translation technique—transfer of relations. Due to the differences in the way Russian and Chinese languages express thoughts, we sometimes need to change the relationships between words. Let's take the following example.

Russian: На долю революционеров выпали преследования царизма, им не дано было счастье присутствовать при победоносной революции.

Chinese: 革命家备受沙皇政府迫害，不幸没有看到胜利的革命。

We notice that although "победоноснаяреволюция" corresponds to "胜利的革命" in the original text, "看到胜利的革命" sounds a bit odd. This is because in Chinese, "看" (to see) and "革命" (revolution) do not collocate well. Therefore, translating it as "革命的胜利" (the victory of the revolution) is more in line with Chinese expression habits.

There are three common situations in Russian-Chinese translation where the transfer of relations is necessary.

First, the relationship between the modifier and the modified can be translated as a coordinate relationship.

Russian: Немного позже мне удалось установить, к мему крайнему и, скажу больше, горестному удивлению, что Поля арестована.

Chinese: 稍后我才得知，原来波利亚被捕了。这使我感到非常的，甚至可以说是痛苦的吃惊。

It is not difficult to find that although "горестноеудивление" indeed corresponds to "痛苦的吃惊" (painful surprise), in Chinese, "痛苦" (pain) and "吃惊" (surprise) are both emotions and are in a coordinate relationship, not a modifying one. Upon further consideration of the relationship between the two, we can deduce that although both are emotions, their order of arrival and duration are different. Compared to "surprise," "pain" is a longer-lasting emotion, so in a progressive sentence, "pain" should be placed after "surprise." The latter sentence should be translated as "This made me very surprised, even it can be said to be painful," which is more logical and in line with Chinese expression habits.

Second, the relationship between the modifier and the modified can be reversed.

Russian: Революция стала практической неизбежностью.

Chinese: 革命成了实践的不可避免性。

"革命" (revolution) is a kind of "practice," not a "quality." The correct translation should use "不可避免性" (inevitability) to modify "practice," that is, "革命成为了不可避免的实践（问题）" (The revolution has become an inevitable practice [issue]).

Third, change the object of modification.

Changing the object of modification requires special caution because as translators, we cannot change the content, only the form.

Russian: Утренний туман плотно спеленал город.

Chinese: 晨雾浓浓地笼罩着全城。

Although "浓" (thick) in the original text is used as an adverb to modify the verb "笼罩" (envelop), in Chinese, "浓" is generally used as an adjective. Therefore, in the translation, "浓" should modify the morning fog. The correct translation should be "浓浓的晨雾笼罩着全城" (The thick morning fog enveloped the entire city).

附练习与思考

1. В глубине неба уже мерцали ранние звезды, обещая на завтра теплый день.

Translation: The stars were already twinkling in the depths of the sky, promising a warm day tomorrow.

This question belongs to the second situation. "В глубине неба" should reverse the modified word (depth) and the modifier (sky), translating it as "in the deep sky" or "high up in the sky." So the correct translation should be "The stars were twinkling early in the deep sky, indicating that the weather will be warm tomorrow."

2. Это противоречит концепции правдивого изображения мира в его объективных закономерностях.

Translation: This contradicts the concept of a true depiction of the world in its objective laws.

This sentence also belongs to the second situation. The original meaning is not about "describing the world of objective laws," but rather "describing the objective laws of the world," since "objective laws" exist "in the world," not the other way around. So I believe the correct translation should be "This contradicts the concept of a true depiction of the world's objective laws."

3. Солнце по объему больше чем в миллион раз больше Земли.

Translation: The volume of the sun is more than a million times larger than that of the Earth.

Here, the comparison should be between the volumes of the Earth and the Sun, not "the volume of the Sun." Therefore, it belongs to the second situation, and the relationship between "Sun" and "volume" should be reversed, translating it as "The volume of the Sun is more than a million times larger than that of the Earth."

4. В своей работе автор опирается на множество проверенных экспериментами фактов.

Translation: The author relies on a multitude of facts verified by experiments in their work.

This sentence belongs to the third situation. "Based on" should be "things." In addition, in Chinese expression, "the author's work" can already describe the ownership of "work," so the correct translation should be "The author's work is based on a multitude of facts verified by experiments."

5. Советский инженер близоруко склонился над чертежами.

Translation: A Soviet engineer with myopia leaned over the drawings.

This sentence also belongs to the third situation. "Myopia" would be better as an adjective modifying a noun rather than as an adverb modifying a verb. So the original text should be translated as "A Soviet engineer with myopia leaned over the drawings."

6. В его рассказах и письмах нет заключительной морали.

Translation: There is no conclusive moral in his short stories and plays.

This sentence also belongs to the third situation. The "final" in the original text refers to the end of the article, so it is more suitable as an adverbial, translating it as "There is no moralizing in the endings of his short stories and plays" would be more appropriate.

7. Низкий серый туман стоял над Веной.

Translation: A low gray fog hung over Vienna.

Although the direct translation can be barely understood, first, "low" is not usually collocated with "fog," and second, "fog" as the subject cannot "stand" over a river, so the better solution is "A low-lying gray fog hung over the Vienna River."

◀️：A Brief Analysis of the Importance of Context in the Translation Process

▶️：How Did the First Translator in History Manage to Bridge the Language Gap Among Humans?