Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls

Yi Gao

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15

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Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls

Yi Gao

Published in International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (Volume 6, Issue 1)

Received: 14 February 2020 Accepted: 10 March 2020 Published: 24 March 2020

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Abstract

Shanghai has recently undergone unprecedented transformation. With this level of international activity, the world expects Shanghai to be a model of standardized English-language public signs in China, and one would expect the city to apply a high standard to meet this expectation. However, this is not the case. English signs have the role of providing proper guidance for the international visiting public, but mistakes in usage defeat that purpose. This thesis focuses primarily on an error analysis of the English-language public signs in the most bustling and hustling commercial areas in Shanghai: Xujiahui, Huaihai Rd., Lujiazui, and West Nanjing Road. In addition to offering a collection of English-language translation errors from the major shopping malls of Shanghai, this thesis also investigates some of the errors in previous publications on English-language public-sign translation, which to a degree have misled the public for a long tisme. However, this thesis is not confined to error analyses using Nida’s functional equivalence theory as a foundation; this thesis also proposes constructive strategies for avoiding future errors. The point of this thesis is to determine why translators make mistakes, and how they can avoid these mistakes. As such, this is a significant research with academic merit.

Published in	International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (Volume 6, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15
Page(s)	29-41
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

English-language Public Signs Translation, Shanghai Shopping Malls, Error Analysis, Functional Equivalence Theory

References

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[2]	Cui Xuexin. Guidelines for Chinese-English Translation in Public Places [M]. Hangzhou: Zhejiang University Press, 2010: 2-4.
[3]	Guo Jianzhong. Contemporary Translation Studies in USA [M]. Wuhan: Hubei Education Press, 2000: 67.
[4]	Jiangsu Language Work Committee Office. A Companion to the English Translation of Public Signs [M]. Nanjing: Nanjing University Press, 2010: 148.
[5]	Liach, María Pilar Agustín. Lexical Errors and Accuracy in Foreign Language Writing [M]. UK: Multilingual Matters, 2001: 75.
[6]	Liu Miqing. Style and Translation (revised version) [M]. Beijing: China Translation & Publishing Corporation, 1998: 122.
[7]	Macmillan English Dictionary [M]. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2003: 293-1013.
[8]	Méjri, Salah. Traduire La Langue, Traduire La Culture [M]. Paris: Maisonneuve et Larose, 2003: 193.
[9]	Newmark, Peter. Approaches to Translation [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001: 113.
[10]	Nida, Eugene A. Language Culture and Translating [M]. Inner Mongolia: Inner Mongolia University Press, 2001: 236–328.
[11]	Nida, Eugene A. and Charles R. Taber. The Theory and Practice of Translation [M]. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1982: 13.
[12]	Nord, Christine. Translating as a Purposeful Activity-Functionalist Approaches Explained [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2006: 75.
[13]	Shanghai Language Word Committee Office. The Error Analysis and Criterion of English Signs in Public Signs [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2010: 3.
[14]	Thomas, Jenny. “Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure” [J]. Applied Linguistics, (1983) 42: 91-112. Accessed February 20, 2013, doi: 10.1093/applin/4.2.91.
[15]	Wang Ying. and Lü Hefa. Chinese-English Translation of Signs [M]. Beijing: China Translation & Publishing Corporation, 2007: 13-33, 344.
[16]	Wang Xin et al.. Error Correction Guide on English-language Public Signs [M]. Beijing: China Book Publishing House, 2010: 72.
[17]	Zhang Jian. Newspaper Language Translation [M]. Beijign: Higher Education Press, 2008: 37.

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Yi Gao. (2020). Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 6(1), 29-41. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15

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ACS Style

Yi Gao. Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Transl. 2020, 6(1), 29-41. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15

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Yi Gao. Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls. Int J Appl Linguist Transl. 2020;6(1):29-41. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15

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@article{10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15,
  author = {Yi Gao},
  title = {Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation},
  volume = {6},
  number = {1},
  pages = {29-41},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijalt.20200601.15},
  abstract = {Shanghai has recently undergone unprecedented transformation. With this level of international activity, the world expects Shanghai to be a model of standardized English-language public signs in China, and one would expect the city to apply a high standard to meet this expectation. However, this is not the case. English signs have the role of providing proper guidance for the international visiting public, but mistakes in usage defeat that purpose. This thesis focuses primarily on an error analysis of the English-language public signs in the most bustling and hustling commercial areas in Shanghai: Xujiahui, Huaihai Rd., Lujiazui, and West Nanjing Road. In addition to offering a collection of English-language translation errors from the major shopping malls of Shanghai, this thesis also investigates some of the errors in previous publications on English-language public-sign translation, which to a degree have misled the public for a long tisme. However, this thesis is not confined to error analyses using Nida’s functional equivalence theory as a foundation; this thesis also proposes constructive strategies for avoiding future errors. The point of this thesis is to determine why translators make mistakes, and how they can avoid these mistakes. As such, this is a significant research with academic merit.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls
AU  - Yi Gao
Y1  - 2020/03/24
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15
T2  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JF  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JO  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
SP  - 29
EP  - 41
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15
AB  - Shanghai has recently undergone unprecedented transformation. With this level of international activity, the world expects Shanghai to be a model of standardized English-language public signs in China, and one would expect the city to apply a high standard to meet this expectation. However, this is not the case. English signs have the role of providing proper guidance for the international visiting public, but mistakes in usage defeat that purpose. This thesis focuses primarily on an error analysis of the English-language public signs in the most bustling and hustling commercial areas in Shanghai: Xujiahui, Huaihai Rd., Lujiazui, and West Nanjing Road. In addition to offering a collection of English-language translation errors from the major shopping malls of Shanghai, this thesis also investigates some of the errors in previous publications on English-language public-sign translation, which to a degree have misled the public for a long tisme. However, this thesis is not confined to error analyses using Nida’s functional equivalence theory as a foundation; this thesis also proposes constructive strategies for avoiding future errors. The point of this thesis is to determine why translators make mistakes, and how they can avoid these mistakes. As such, this is a significant research with academic merit.
VL  - 6
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Yi Gao

School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Yi Gao. (2020). Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 6(1), 29-41. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15

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ACS Style

Yi Gao. Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Transl. 2020, 6(1), 29-41. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Yi Gao. Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls. Int J Appl Linguist Transl. 2020;6(1):29-41. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15,
  author = {Yi Gao},
  title = {Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation},
  volume = {6},
  number = {1},
  pages = {29-41},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijalt.20200601.15},
  abstract = {Shanghai has recently undergone unprecedented transformation. With this level of international activity, the world expects Shanghai to be a model of standardized English-language public signs in China, and one would expect the city to apply a high standard to meet this expectation. However, this is not the case. English signs have the role of providing proper guidance for the international visiting public, but mistakes in usage defeat that purpose. This thesis focuses primarily on an error analysis of the English-language public signs in the most bustling and hustling commercial areas in Shanghai: Xujiahui, Huaihai Rd., Lujiazui, and West Nanjing Road. In addition to offering a collection of English-language translation errors from the major shopping malls of Shanghai, this thesis also investigates some of the errors in previous publications on English-language public-sign translation, which to a degree have misled the public for a long tisme. However, this thesis is not confined to error analyses using Nida’s functional equivalence theory as a foundation; this thesis also proposes constructive strategies for avoiding future errors. The point of this thesis is to determine why translators make mistakes, and how they can avoid these mistakes. As such, this is a significant research with academic merit.},
 year = {2020}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Error Analyses on English-language Public Signs in Shanghai Shopping Malls
AU  - Yi Gao
Y1  - 2020/03/24
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15
T2  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JF  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JO  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
SP  - 29
EP  - 41
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20200601.15
AB  - Shanghai has recently undergone unprecedented transformation. With this level of international activity, the world expects Shanghai to be a model of standardized English-language public signs in China, and one would expect the city to apply a high standard to meet this expectation. However, this is not the case. English signs have the role of providing proper guidance for the international visiting public, but mistakes in usage defeat that purpose. This thesis focuses primarily on an error analysis of the English-language public signs in the most bustling and hustling commercial areas in Shanghai: Xujiahui, Huaihai Rd., Lujiazui, and West Nanjing Road. In addition to offering a collection of English-language translation errors from the major shopping malls of Shanghai, this thesis also investigates some of the errors in previous publications on English-language public-sign translation, which to a degree have misled the public for a long tisme. However, this thesis is not confined to error analyses using Nida’s functional equivalence theory as a foundation; this thesis also proposes constructive strategies for avoiding future errors. The point of this thesis is to determine why translators make mistakes, and how they can avoid these mistakes. As such, this is a significant research with academic merit.
VL  - 6
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download