不只是文集More than（a collection of articles）

日志20200902不只是文集

More than a collection of articles

把一本书看成是很多篇文章的集合，其实是很好的想法。读书的时候，按照章节逐一读下来，每个章节摘录三五句重要思想，记下自己的理解。这样可以很好地抓住书的要点。

In fact, it is a great idea to see a book as a collection of a number of articles. When reading it, you can browse it by chapter or section, taking out three to five important ideas from each and writing down your own interpretation. In this way, you can get a good understanding of the key points in it.

但是书不仅仅是文章的集合。书的内容结构可以从目录里看出来，章节之间有密切的联系，组合在一起是一个完整的有机结构，统一在一个主题下，然后充分地展开，把这个主题讲得深入细致。

But a book is more than a collection of articles. Its content list shows the structure of the ideas in it. There are tight connections between chapters and sections so that they form a complete and organic whole when joined together. The ideas are unified under one theme and then fully developed under it so that the book presents a deep and specific explanation of this theme.

简单理解就是书不仅仅只有文集。文集才是按照几个类别或者主题简单汇集起来的文章。这只是文章和书的区别。

Simply put, books are not just collections. A collection or anthology contains articles simply collected under several types or themes. So a book is different from a bunch of articles.

具体到翻译领域，单篇的文章其实是独立成篇、用于某个用途的文本。资料翻译都是独立成篇的文章，文体上看都是实用文体。语文课上大概叫做应用文吧。学校教育里写作课程，更多的是让学生学会书面表达，学会写作过程和思维方式；所以，大多数人需要在工作后专门学习自己领域的应用文体写作。

In the area of translation, a single article is in fact an independent text composed from certain use. A technical translator mostly deals with independent articles in practical style for practical use written. In language class, these are generally called practical writing. Most of the writing courses in school education teach students how to express in written language, how to write in a proper procedure and how to think in writing. So a lot of people need to learn the specific practical writing styles in their own area after they start a career.

翻译文章首先要学会两种语言的文体格式。实用翻译的文章围绕在企业经营活动可以出现的各种文体，然后从这个点出发扩展到以语言作为重要工具的专业领域。也就是说，公司的翻译会遇到公司制度、日常函件、内刊文章、网站文章；这些都是一般性质的文本。难度高一些的就是新闻稿、公司章程、专利文件、法律文件、技术文件；这些文体都对应着社会上的专业行业，即媒体、律师、专利、专门技术。所谓的专门技术，其实是企业专业领域的技术知识，可以是科学技术，也可以是教育文化艺术。总之，这些专门技术文本以一个行业专有的知识为内容，经过长时间应用发展出来各种特有文体特征，比如，检测报告、成绩单、节目单，甚至菜单、名片、驾照。以上大体上能涵盖资料翻译可能遇到的文本。

A translator needs to learn the format of a style in two languages before he or she translates an article. In technical translation, all kinds of styles appear in the articles to be processed, centering round the operating activities of an enterprise. Then from this point, their content expands in to professional areas in which language is used as an important instrument. That is to say, a translator working in a company may encounter documents about its rules and systems, daily exchanges and documents, newsletters and website articles. And all these are texts for general use.

More difficult ones include news releases, articles of association of the company, and patent, legal and technical documents. All these styles relate to professional lines in the society, such as media, law, patent and specialized area. The so-called specialized area involves the expertise of the specialized area in which an enterprise operates, which may be science and technology or education, culture and arts. In sum, texts in specialized area show various specific stylistic features developed in application over a long period of time for the purpose of expressing expertise. Some examples are test reports, transcript, program, or even menu, card or driving license. All the above cover most of the texts a technical translator meet in his or her work.

把出版物分为虚构和非虚构两大类，实际上就是文学和实用两类。文学类就要求较高的文学修养，要熟悉文学体裁的用词和结构。实用类不太要求文笔的艺术性，但表达上清楚干净，给读者舒适的阅读感受是必要的。

Publications fall into two rough classes: fiction and non-fiction. Practically, they are literature and practical readings. Literary writing requires higher literary learning and familiarity with the diction and organization of literary styles. Practical writing needs less artistic features in writing but requires clear and clean skills in expression to offer the necessary comfortable reading experience to readers.

学术语言是表达用来表达复杂的学术研究内容的，因此，要求逻辑性强，用词上也有更强的书面语特征。所以，学术写作也需要专门学习和训练，学术出版也是比较特殊的领域。

Academic language expresses complex contents in academic research and thus requires strong logic and more features of written language in word choice. So academic writing needs special study and training and academic publication becomes a somehow exceptional area.

所以，书籍翻译也可以分出很多类型。从实用书籍、文学书籍到学术书籍，难度应该是逐步增加的。总的要求仍然是三个基本点，背景知识、文体知识、语言水平。

So there can be a number of types of book translation. And difficulty increases from practical readings to literature and to academic writings. Nonetheless, the general requirements are always three basic points: world knowledge, stylistic knowledge and language proficiency.

另外就是从翻译要求上，出版物对错误率要求要比资料翻译高很多。从时间上看，资料翻译更像是百米跑，要求快，及时，几小时或者几天就要提交；书籍翻译更像是长跑，几个月甚至两三年做一个项目，更考验人的自我管理能力和耐力。

In addition, error rate requirement is much higher in publication than in technical translation. And technical translation is more like 100 meter sprint in time schedule. It must be quick and timely as translations are needed in several hours or days. Book translation can be compared to long distance running. A project is given several months or two or three years. But to its translators, it is more like a hard test of self-management and endurance.