The Issue of Collocation in Translation

Translator Peter Newmark once stated, "The most common error in foreign language translation is collocation." Every language contains polysemy, where many words have multiple meanings and usages. To minimize the issues arising from improper collocation during translation, translators should avoid taking words at face value, misinterpreting them, or translating them literally word-for-word. Instead, they should fully understand the original text and faithfully convey the author's thoughts, achieving what Qian Zhongshu referred to as "forgetting form in grasping meaning."

In the process of translating from English to Chinese, some translators may adhere too strictly to the structure of the original text, which can often lead to inappropriate collocations in the translation, making the reading experience less smooth for readers. If translators can connect the context and understand word meanings based on it, they can reduce such errors. For example, in the phrase "A chicken develops in the egg," the verb "develop" cannot be directly translated as "发展" (to develop), as this would not conform to Chinese language habits for subject-verb collocation. Here, the meaning of the verb "develop" is constrained by the adverbial modifier "in the egg"; thus, it is necessary to extend the meaning of "develop." The entire sentence can be translated as "鸡在卵中孕育" (The chicken nurtures itself in the egg). Additionally, one translator rendered "This is only one, but a very important, benefit of owning a pet" as "这是拥有宠物的唯一一项好处，但是很重要的一项." This translation distorts the logical relationship because the original text goes on to list many benefits of pet ownership, fundamentally misrepresenting the meaning. The phrase "this is only one" means "这只是其中一个" (This is just one of many), while "there is only one" means "只有一个" (There is only one), indicating that the translator lacks sufficient understanding of different collocations in English.

When translating from Chinese to English, we often fall into the trap of Chinglish, resulting in translations that lack authenticity. For instance, Chinese people commonly say "开支票" (open a check), but in English, there is no expression "open a check"; instead, the common collocation is "write a check." In contrast, "写支票" (write a check) is rarely used in Chinese. Another example is the phrase "人人都向往一个较好的生活水平," which should not be translated directly as "Everyone wants a better level of living." We often make the mistake of directly correlating the Chinese word "水平" (level) with the English word "level," leading to its misuse whenever "水平" appears. However, the appropriate term in English to express "living standard" is "living standard" rather than "level." Similarly, "请注意身体" should not be translated directly as "Notice your body, please," as this translation does not conform to English collocation habits and comes off as somewhat rude. A more accurate and polite expression would be "Pay attention to your health, please."

In summary, to excel in translation, one must not only be familiar with both languages but also recognize that the essence of translation is communication and exchange. This requires translators to break free from the constraints of linguistic forms, understand texts from the perspective of sentences and discourse, and authentically convey the intrinsic thoughts of the original text.

◀️：Translation of Various Certificates

▶️：Formatting of English Academic Papers