China English and the Teaching of Chinese-English Translation: Phenomena and Responses

「中國英文」與中翻英教學：現象與回應

奚永慧(Yong-Hway Hsi)

《翻譯學研究集刊》 16輯 (2013/11) Pp. 91-110

摘要

「中式英文」（Chinese English）通常指明顯受到中文語法或語用干擾而產生之非標準英文，多具貶意。然而隨著母語為中文之英語學習、使用者日眾，其人數甚至已經超越許多以英語為母語之單一國家人口數，不少學者開始使用「中國英文」（China English）一詞，並支持「中國英文」之合法性，認為「中國英文」正逐漸成熟，已不再是次級英文或中介語（interlanguage），而是足以抬頭挺胸作為「世界英語」（World Englishes）重要一支。此種觀點已具體反映在中翻英之教學與實務上。在教學方面，絕大多數中翻英教科書之編寫並無英語母語者參與，書中譯例經常出現「中國英文」特性，顯示編寫者雖多在書中告誡學習者要小心「中式英文」，實際上自身卻無意避免「中國英文」。在實務方面，許多民間組織或政府單位未能、或不覺得有需要聘請英語母語人士潤飾譯文，以致譯文品質無保障，時而貽笑大方，有意無意中等於在為「中國英文」背書。本論文前半部討論「中式英文」與「中國英文」之現象與歷史發展。論文第二部份以翻譯理論出發，指出「中國英文」立論之爭議以及對中譯英翻譯教學弊多於利之影響，並舉例說明。

關鍵字

中國英文 ； 中式英文 ； 中翻英 ； 中翻英教學 ； 世界英語

並列摘要

Chinese English is usually used as a derogatory term to describe non-standard English resulting from interference of Chinese syntax or pragmatics. But as the number of Chinese-speaking learners and users of English continues to grow, scholars have begun to use the term ”China English” instead of ”Chinese English,” arguing that China English should no longer be considered an interlanguage or an inferior version of standard English. Instead, they claim it is becoming a mature language to be reckoned with. Such a view is well reflected in the teaching and the practice of Chinese-English translation. In teaching, most Chinese-English translation textbooks involve no native speakers of English in the process of writing, suggesting that even as the writers of these textbooks caution their readers against using Chinese English, they themselves make little conscious effort to avoid China English in their translations. In practice, businesses and government offices often fail to see the need to hire a native speaker of English to check their translations, leaving them vulnerable to the influence of China English and therefore intentionally or unintentionally affirming the legitimacy of China English, often at the cost of producing unnatural translations that have sometimes become the laughing stock of news media or other books about translation, even though more often than not, these news media and other books also have their fair share of China English. The first part of this paper will discuss the phenomena and history of Chinese English and China English. China English will be designated as the term more appropriate for representing the changing views on English ”with a touch of Chinese” over the last few decades. The second part of the paper will discuss the problems with China English and illustrate how China English is doing more harm than good in the teaching of Chinese-English translation.

並列關鍵字

Chinese English ； China English ； Chinese-English Translation ； Teaching of C-E Translation ； World Englishes

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