为了体现国际大都市的形象,北京的部分公交和地铁开始进行英语广播。但是在这些英语广播中存在一些不规范的表达。笔者现以地铁13号线的英语广播为例进行点评,仅供参考。
广播原文:
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Beijing Subway System. This train is going to the Zhichunlu and Huoying Stations. For your convenience, here is the schedule for the first and last trains. From Huoying, the first train leaves at 5:25am. From Xizhimen, the first train leaves at 6:00am. From Dongzhimen, the first train leaves at 6:00am. From Xizhimen to Dongzhimen, the last train departs at 9:00pm. From Xizhimen to Huoying, the last train departs at 10:00pm. From Dongzhiman to Xizhimen, the last train departs at 9:00pm. From Dongzhimen to Huoying, the last train departs at 10:00pm.The next station is Dazhongsi.
修改意见:
1. Welcome to the Beijing Subway System意思表达不清楚。乘客搭乘的是一趟具体的地铁列车,并不是去the Beijing Subway System(北京地铁系统),要表示对乘客欢迎,Welcome aboard our train就足够了。
2. This train is going to the Zhichunlu and Huoying Stations意思表达不清楚,让人搞不清Zhichunlu和Huoying是两个终点站,还是说列车只停靠这两个站。可以说This train bounds for/is bound for Huoying.或The terminal of this train is Huoying.如果某一趟区间车,只到知春路为止,可将Huoying换为Zhichunlu。
3. For your convenience 也不合适。为乘客提供方便(实际上只是提供一些信息)不应该自己宣扬,英美为公众服务的机构或系统不会这样自我标榜。如果是为了提醒乘客,可以说Here is some information about our subway/train you might want to know 之类的话。
4.“列车在……要开右侧车门”是很重要的信息,建议补译出:The door at the right side will be open at...前面不妨加上Attention please!以引起乘客注意。
5.地名翻译是一个长期争论的问题,现在一般统一采取音译。但是作为一个文化名城,北京有些地名可以或最好加上一个解释性译文作为补充,比如 “大钟寺”站名,在Dazhongsi不妨加上the Temple of Big Bells,当然,如果能加上where you can see hundreds of traditional Chinese bells, ancient and modern一类的说明那就更好了。
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(来源:21世纪英语 作者:陈德彰 编辑:崔旭燕)