1．5. 1　The Procedure of Understanding理解

1．5. 1　The Procedure of Understanding理解

Understanding the original is the first thing to do in translating．In this procedure，we should clearly know what we ought to do．In general，the more we understand the original，the better version we will have．This requires us to understand the original thoroughly and fully as possible as we can．At the same time，it will be done through the context，and the original will be read at least three times or more．The first time roughly read the original to understand the general meaning and mark some places new or difficult to us．The second time carefully read the original to solve the difficult points，and if necessary，read it paragraph by paragraph，sentence by sentence，and even word by word．The third time thoroughly read the entire passage to completely understand it．Now let us look at the procedure of understanding in detail．

1)Understanding the language focus points

For the first time reading，a translator has to systematically understand word meanings，sentence structures and idioms of the original，etc．，by means of dictionaries or reference books．In other words，he should understand the general idea of the original and solve the lexical and grammatical problems．

2)Understanding the logical relationship

For the second time reading，a translator had better understand the logical relationship between words，phrases and sentences in order to accurately find right or correct translation．That is to say，he will be required to carry on language analysis and solve the problems between the lines．We can say that it is true that language analysis does not continue without logical and contextual analysis．Only thus can we thoroughly understand the text and have a smooth，faithful，reasonable and reliable translation version．

It is good for him to do that．

　Version 1:这样做对他有好处。

　Version 2:他这样做是件好事。

This sentence may have two translations．It will have different meanings when it is placed in different contexts or texts．A translator has to find the correct answer from the context．

“And you are my uncle，then!”she cried，reaching up to salute him．

“There—damn it! If you have any kisses to spare，give them to Linton: they are thrown away on me．”(E．Bronte: Wuthering Heights)

　“这么说，你是我的姑父啦，”她嚷道，走到他跟前，行了个礼。

　“去——该死!你要是有多余的吻，就送给林顿吧，给我是白费。”

The Chinese version appears reasonable and correct because the word“salute”does have the meaning行了个礼．But after we read the context and his answer，we may find that we have made a mistake because he answered then“There—damn it! If you have any kisses to spare，give them to Linton: they are thrown away on me．”Therefore we should consider the word “salute”once again in order to make sure whether we completely understand it．When we consult our dictionaries，we find that the word really has the meaning“kiss” ．Obviously the Chinese version is wrong．The corrected version should be : “这么说，你是我的姑父啦，”她嚷道，走到他跟前，吻了他一下。

In his classic novel，The Pioneers，James Fenimore Cooper has his hero，a land developer，take his cousin on a tour of the city he is building．He describes the broad streets，rows of houses，a teeming metropolis．But his cousin looks around bewildered．All she sees is a forest．“Where are the beauties and improvements which you were to show me?”she asks．He＇s astonished she can＇tsee them．“Where! Why everywhere，”he replies．For though they are not yet built on earth，he has built them in his mind，and they are as concrete to him as if they were already constructed and finished．

Cooper was illustrating a distinctly American trait，future-mindedness: the ability to see the present from the vantage point of the future; the freedom to feel unencumbered by the past and more emotionally attached to things to come．As Albert Einstein once said ，“Life for the American is always becoming，never being．”(It is taken from TEM8，2003)

　詹姆斯·费尼莫尔·库柏在其著名小说《拓荒者》中，记述了主人公——一位土地开发商——带着表妹游览一座他将要建造的城市的情景。他向表妹描绘了宽阔的街道，成排的房屋，俨然一座繁华的大都市。然而，表妹环顾四周，却一脸迷茫，她所看到的只是一片森林而已。于是她问: “你要给我看的美景与繁荣在哪儿啊?”他很惊讶，她居然还不能心领神会。他回答说: “还问哪里?这不到处都是嘛。”因为尽管他还没有把它真正建成，他却早已在心中构想好了。它们对他来说是如此具体真实，仿佛它们早已建成。库柏在这里刻画了一种美国人独有的特征，即未来意识:他们能够站在未来的高度来看现在的一切;他们更加亲和未来而不受过去的羁绊。正如埃尔伯特·爱因斯坦曾言: “对美国人来说，生活永远意味着将来，决不是现在。”

In this short passage，the meanings of the underlined words can be decided by the contextual and logical analysis．The word“classic” ，according to the context，should be translated into著名的or经典的because it is an adjective meaning having the highest quality，of the first or highest class or rank，or well known in the stated way．The phrase“a teeming metropolis”can be translated into一座繁华的大都市instead of一座热闹的大都市．This is because繁华can often modify a big place like a town，a city or a country; on the contrary，Chinese term热闹may be seldom collocated with a big place．The meanings of the words“improvements”and “see”can not directly decided by the dictionary entries．This still requires contextual and logical analysis．According to the context ，“the beauties and improvements”really refers to the broad streets，rows of houses，a teeming metropolis that the hero describes．And“see”does not mean that his cousin can see the “beauties and improvements” ，instead it implies the distinctly American trait，namely，future mindedness that Cooper was illustrating．

3)Understanding the culture relating to the original

As a translator，he has to understand the different cultures underlying two languages．As everyone knows，some customs and practices may exist in one country，but not in another．We may feel puzzled when we read the sentence“He is your half-brother．”It is hard for us Chinese to know whether half-brother is同父异母兄弟or同母异父兄弟．Cultural factors usually condition our understanding of the original and affect the translation quality as well．In a sense，translation is the process that the original culture is revealed．Therefore our suggestion is that，in this stage，beginners read the original carefully and make penetrating analysis before rendering．“White wine” ，for example，can not be translated into白酒．“Lover”does not mean爱人in Chinese．“Afterlife”can not be simply understood as来世．