poorlittle
第1楼2008/02/20
专业英语是某专业内特有的英语 (Technical English)还是专业人士用之英语 (English for the Professionals) ?
During my first time of visiting专业英语翻译 forum, I supposed that this was a forum in respect of English for the Professionals. But later I found that this forum was mainly for the translation of technical English. After becoming a regular visitor of this forum for about one year, I have some suggestions.
Before elaborating further, I would like to share my experience regarding “Professionals - 专业人士” and “English for the Professionals - 专业人士用之英语”.
“Professionals” are generally:
(1) Experts in a particular field;
(2) Members of some nationally or internationally recognized institutions (有人戏称这是合法黑社会);
(3) Registered to practice exclusively in a particular field under the law (有人戏称这是合法小圈子垄断);
(4) Bear the legal responsibility for their works;
(5) Higher income and social status.
In US and Canada, Registered Engineers, Lawyers, Medical Doctors…… are professionals. In UK, Chartered Chemist, Certified Accountants, Chartered Engineers…… are professionals. In China, 一级注册建筑师, 注册xx师etc. are professionals (臭老九已经翻身了, 但与外国的同行比, 还未得到应有的重视).
“English for the Professionals” generally consists of:
(1) Oral English used in meeting, conference, presentation, negotiation, social gathering etc.
(2) Written English used in drafting reports (reports regarding test, feasibility study, progress, subordinates’ performance appraisal, investigation…), manual (equipment operation manual, quality manual etc.), proposal, contract document, minutes of meeting, technical paper, instructions, memo, circular, letter etc.
Good language skill is essential for a successful professional (所以我们首先应精于中文). If a professional involves in international business, he should also be good at the “English for the Professionals”.
Since many 版主/版友 are professionals (if not yet, soon or later they will become the professionals), I hope that this forum can be helpful for us to improve our English for the Professionals.
I therefore suggest:
(1) In addition to翻译, we should broaden the scope of our study to cover the other applications of English (such as the English for organizing a conference as posted by六脉神剑 http://www.instrument.com.cn/bbs/shtml/20070529/856081/)
Do not consider that I am not working in Beijing or Shanghai, English for the Professionals is useless for me. In the fast developing China, no body knows what will happen in the coming 5 to 10 years.
机会只是留给有准备的人!
(2) (略)
何当奇
第3楼2008/02/21
楼主“大家在学习英语时不要局限于翻译”这句话就说的很好,其它的建议也应该说出来的。
happyjyl
第5楼2008/02/21
楼主说得很好。其实教育界对专业英语已经有明确的定义了,就是English for Specail Purposes(ESP)。CNKI和维普资讯等网站上关于专业英语教学的文献不少,版里也曾经发过悬赏帖,号召大家搜集这方面的文献,但响应者甚少。从版油发帖的情况看,大部分人的兴趣还是局限于对某篇具体文章的翻译,对如何学习专业英语的兴趣不大,只愿“知其然”,不愿“知其所以然”。其实专业英语学习最重要的就是积累专业知识和翻译实例,在实践中摸索翻译技巧。因此我们在版里一直提倡大家翻译之前在网上搜索相关的中英文文献,然后试着自己翻译,最后大家再一起修改。很多人满足于在网上搜集各种学习方法,比如如何利用google搜索帮助翻译。但方法知道得再多也没用,就像一个从来没有划过船的人,仅凭背得滚瓜烂熟的划船技巧就能在河里划船了吗?关键还是要结合实例来学习。版里有很多翻译求助的实例,其中很多都谈到了如何根据上下文理解专业词汇、如何利用google搜索帮助翻译,等等。只要把这些精华帖认认真真看一遍,再找一两篇英文文献仔细钻研,不会翻译的地方向大家请教,必定会大有进步。
闲鹤野云
第6楼2008/02/21
完全同意,不论哪个专业,只有多读、多练,才能学好。英语翻译为中文会简单些,用英文写论文更困难些。但只要多练就有收获。
happyjyl
第8楼2008/02/21
其实各位版主和专家在回应助帖时都会讲到学习方法。如下面的帖子:
http://www.instrument.com.cn/bbs/shtml/20070725/919863/
http://www.instrument.com.cn/bbs/shtml/20071009/1014965/
http://www.instrument.com.cn/bbs/shtml/20071214/1093691/
关键还是要靠自己留心搜集和整理。