Omission is one of the translating techniques in which some parts of the original can be omitted when they are translated so that the translation accords with Chinese readers＇descriptions．But we have no right to subtract any meaning from the original．In other words，we can＇t simply cross out the part which we don＇t understand or omit any part at will．Meanwhile remember that we can＇t casually cross out the part which should not be omitted．We can say that omission and amplification are a unity of accuracy and economy．In fact，one of the marked differences in syntax between English and Chinese is the disparity in wording．What is regarded as a natural or indispensable element in one language may be regarded as a superfluous or even a stumbling block in the other．Therefore，the technique of omission is the need to get rid of redundant wording to conform to idiomatic Chinese expressions．Now let us further discuss some aspects about omission．

2．2．1．1　Omitting English articles省略英语冠词

In English language articles are used，but no articles exist in Chinese．Therefore English articles are sometimes omitted while translating English into Chinese．

A teacher should have patience in his work．

　教师应当对待工作有耐心。

A child needs love．

　孩子都需要爱。

Comments Indefinite article“a”indicates a class of things or persons as a whole．It is typically used with singular countable nouns．In this case，indefinite article“a”can be omitted．As a matter of fact，the first sentence indicates that“All teachers should have patience in their work”or“Any teacher should have patience in his work” ．The second one implies that“All children need love”or“Any child needs love” ．

The horse is a useful animal．

　马是有益的动物。

The deep-freezer has made life easier for housewives．

　冰柜让家庭主妇的生活变得容易得多。

Comments The definite article “the”in the sentences is used for specific reference to a particular example of a class of animals or things．In this case，we can omit the definite article“the”in translation．

The moon was slowly rising above the sea．

　月亮慢慢从海上升起。

The proletariat and the peasantry must unite．

　无产阶级与农民阶级必须联合起来。

Comments In English the definite article is used when the object or group of objects is unique or considered to be unique，and the definite article“the”plus adjective represents a class of persons．In this case，we can omit the definite article“the”in translation．

But we should notice that articles，including the definite and indefinite articles are not omitted in certain situational contexts when they are used for specific meanings．

He left without saying a word．

　他一句话不说就走了。

Comments As the indefinite article“a”indicates“one” ，it cannot be omitted in translation．

The number of vibration a second is called the frequency．

　每秒钟的震动次数称作频率。

Comments When the indefinite article“a”indicates“every” ，it cannot be omitted in translation．

They saw the little party climb ashore．

　他们看见那一小队人爬上岸去。

Comments When the definite article“the”denotes“this”or“that” ，it cannot be omitted in translation．

2．2．1．2　Omitting English pronouns省略英语代词

Pronouns are more frequently used in English than in Chinese，which is one of the most explicit distinctions between English and Chinese．In English，each sentence usually has its own subject，and the pronoun used as a subject often appears several times．But in Chinese the subject can be used only once and the sentences after that may not have their subjects．Therefore，in E-C translation，repeated English pronouns may be omitted so as to conform the rendering to the accustomed usage of Chinese expressions．Now let us study the following situations．

1)A English pronoun used as the subject can be omitted in Chinese translation．

But it＇s the way I am，and try as I might;I haven＇t been able to change it．

　但我就这脾气，(我)虽然几经努力，(我)却未能改过来。

Like his friend he had many wonderful ideas，bu the only put a few into practice．

　他像他的朋友一样，虽然有许多美妙的想法，(他)却只将少数想法付诸实践。

If I learn to drive a motorcycle，I will certainly buy a new one．

　我要是学摩托车的话，(我)就一定去买一辆新的。

Comments By comparison，we can easily find the differences between English and Chinese．In English，the same pronoun may be used several times in one sentence，but in Chinese，it may be used just once．That is one of the distinctions in organization of text or in thinking．

2)But we should clearly notice that when the pronoun used as a subject makes a general reference，it is also often omitted．

We live and learn．

　活到老，学到老。

One must have studied hard be fore one could succeed in mastering a foreign language．

　只有勤学苦练，才能精通外语。

The money you pay to school is called school fee．

　交给学校的钱叫学费。

Comments In the first two sentences ，“we”and“one”actually refer to a general reference，in other words，either of them refers to anyone or all of us．In this case they should be omitted in translation．In the third sentence ，“you”refers to anyone who enters a school and pays the money．

3)Possessive pronouns are necessarily retained in English，but sometimes it is unnecessary to have them in Chinese．

This is a very important distinction between English and Chinese because English speaking people stress individuals，whereas we Chinese emphasize the comprehensive thinking．Therefore English possessive pronouns are generally omitted in translating．

Wash your hands before the meal．

We are doing our physical experiment．

　我们正在做物理实验。

He shrugged his shoulders，shook his head，cast uphis eyes，but said nothing．

　他耸耸肩头，摇摇脑袋，两眼看天，一句话不说。

For two weeks，he has been studying the house，looking at its rooms，its electric wiring，its path and its garden．

　两周以来，他一直注意观察这所房子，查看各个房间的情况，留心电线的走向，了解通道和花园的布局。

Comments There are big differences in English and Chinese cultures and values．In the western culture，they intend individualism orientation，but we Chinese maintain the group orientation．Therefore，possessive pronouns are frequently used in English，but they are seldom used in Chinese．Because of such a difference，possessive pronouns are often omitted in Chinese versions．

4)Sometimes self-pronouns in English used as objects or appositives are usually omitted．

Why do we feel cooler when we fan ourselves?

　为什么扇扇子时我们会感到凉快些?

The wings themselves are set on the fuselage fairly far back．

　机翼是安装在机身后面的。

Comments Self-pronouns in English are commonly used for emphasis．But when they are used as objects or appositives they are usually omitted．

5)In the emphatic construction “It be…that…”it is unnecessary for us to translate“it”into Chinese．

It is from the sun that we get light and heat．

　正是太阳才使我们得到了光和热。

It is because the book is so useful in my work that I bought it．

　正因为这本书对我的工作很有用，我才买了它。

Comments This construction is often used for force or emphasis．It is our performance that only is the part between“it”and“that”stood out in Chinese version when we translate it．The pronoun“it”does not need rendering．

6)When the word “it” ，as a non-personal pronoun，expresses time，distance，natural phenomenon or environment，it is often omitted in translating．

Outside it was pitch-dark and it was raining cats and dogs．

　外面一团漆黑，大雨倾盆。

He glanced at his watch;it was 7: 15．

　他一看表，是七点一刻了。

7)When“it”is used as a formal subject，we may omit it in translating．

It is easy to learn English，but it is difficult to attain perfection in it．

　英语易学难精。

It was necessary that we should make some preparation for it．

　我们做些准备工作是必要的。

Comments We can easily find that“it”in parts 6 and 7 is used as a non-personal pronoun，expressing time，distance，natural phenomenon and environment，or as a formal subject．In this sense，it may be omitted．When the word“it”is used to reason things out，it is omitted．Here is one more sentence for us to study: It is better to do well than to say well．说得好不如做得好。

2．2．1．3　Omitting English conjunctions省略英语连词

In Chinese，conjunctions are seldom used because the language itself is considered an analytic one，whose logical relationship is mainly expressed by its word order．Many conjunctions in structure may seem redundant in Chinese．On the contrary，English language has many conjunctions which connect the contexts．Therefore，omission of the conjunctions is a common practice in English-Chinese translation．

Mr．Bingley was good-looking and gentleman like．

　宾利先生仪表堂堂，颇具绅士风度。

You＇ll supply financial power，and we＇ll supply manpower．Isn＇t that fair and square?

　你们出钱，我们出力，这难道还不公平吗?

Her son was wise and clever，but her daughter was silly and foolish．

　她的儿子非常聪明，可她的女儿却很笨。

She shook and trembled with fear．

　她吓得不停地发抖。

He is a man of culture and learning．

他是个很有学问的人。

Comments Both Westerners and Chinese like using synonyms or words with similar meaning or manner to describe something or somebody．Westerners usually use a pair of words connected with“and” ，whereas Chinese often use idioms or set phrases connected to each other without any conjunction．Now that the difference apparently exists between them，we can omit the conjunction“and”in Chinese version．All the sentences except the first belong to this case．Although the two words “good-looking” and“gentlemanlike”are not synonyms in the first sentence，they express a kind of quality about a person．At the same time，we should notice the different habits of expressing between the two cultures，that is，logical relationship in Chinese language is mainly expressed by its word order．So conjunction“and”could be omitted in this sentence．Here is one more sentence: The sun is bright，and the sky is clear．阳光灿烂，晴空万里。

We knew spring was coming as(because)we had seen a robin．

　我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天快要到了。

Comments The subordinate conjunction“as”or“because”expresses the relationship between cause and effect．But in Chinese，word order usually denotes this kind of relationship．

If winter comes，can spring be far behind?

　冬天来了，春天还会远吗?

If you don＇t go there tomorrow，they＇ll get angry．

　你明天不去，他们会生气的。

Comments The subordinator“if” ，when used to express a kind of condition，is generally omitted in Chinese，especially in spoken Chinese．

John rose gloomily as the train stopped，for he was thinking of his ailing mother．

　火车停了，约翰郁郁地站了起来，因为他想起病中的母亲。

Comments The subordinator“as”or “when” ，when used to express time，is sometimes omitted when the time sequence is clear or obvious in Chinese version．

2．2．1．4　Omitting English prepositions省略英语介词

Chinese is characterized by its succinctness and prepositions appear less frequently in Chinese than in English．Generally speaking，prepositions relating to place，time and space may be omitted in English-Chinese translation．This is also a common method in translating．

I have studied English for two years．

　我学英语已两年了。

Smoking is prohibited in public places．

　公共场所不准吸烟。

Rumors had already spread along the streets and lanes．

　大街小巷早就传遍了各种流言蜚语。

We have no school on Sundays．

　星期天我们不上学。

The People＇s Republic of China was founded in 1949．

　1949年中华人民共和国成立。

Comments Here we should pay special attention to the Chinese version in the last sentence．In Chinese，when the adverbial of time is placed in front of a sentence，the English preposition can be omitted．When the adverbial of time stands after the sentence，the Chinese version should be中华人民共和国成立于1949年．This is a good example of different places for the adverbial of time in Chinese translation．

2．2．1 Omission省词翻译

2．2．1　Omission省词翻译