8．7　Fuzziness and Accuracy模糊与精确

8．7　Fuzziness and Accuracy模糊与精确

Linguistic fuzziness and accuracy in translation are contradictory but dialectically identical．Both exist and develop with each other，and push language itself forward．Fuzziness is a kind of property of a language and objective reality．Accuracy is the translators＇aim．This kind of relationship between them should be analyzed，and should be better studied because they play a great part in translation theory and practice．

To begin with，we should know that some terms，such as ambiguity，polysemy and generality in language are different from linguistic fuzziness．It exists in all the aspects such as phonetics，words and phrases，sentences，and even texts．It greatly influences the quality of translation．All the differences of above-mentioned terms and various aspects in linguistic fuzziness should be fully considered in practice so as to make the translated version greatly apt and accurate．Meanwhile，the objectivity of fuzziness in language provokes us into thinking about some theoretical studies and practice in translation．The fuzziness in a text is often unnoticed．Our goal in translation is to decode the fuzzy points of a discourse，and its method is the context analysis．

They soon became good friends．

He gave me a ring．

Comments In the first sentence，the word“they”is entitled to generality because it generalizes a kind of people or things．But on the certain circumstance，it may possess the nature of specificity，which can refer to female or male，children or adults．And the words“soon”and“good”in sentence one have the property of fuzziness because we do not know how soon or how good they are．Both notions remain a matter of unclear or subtle meaning in extension．

In the second sentence，ambiguity exists because this sentence can be rendered into two versions，他给了我一个戒指or他给我打了一个电话．But this kind of ambiguity can be easily interpreted or decoded in the certain context．We can say that such ambiguity results from polysemy．It is not a matter of fuzziness．Therefore，we translators and theorists ought to strictly distinguish between ambiguity，polysemy and generality in language，and figure out their meanings respectively，so much that we can better study the science of fuzziness as independent，and make it more important in translation theory．

Secondly，we ought to locate the exact and right position of accuracy in translation．No matter whom he is，a home or an overseas scholar，one advocates accuracy in translating．The accuracy a translator pursues is beyond reproach．It is a truth that we cannot give up accuracy in translation．Actually，a large number of scholars and experts at home and abroad have stuck to the principle．Yan Fu＇s famous criteria of translation“信、达、雅”(faithfulness，communicability and elegance)，Lu Xun＇s“信”(faithfulness)，and Dr．Eugene A．Nida＇s Equivalence of Response(同等效应)，here we just mention a few，stress accuracy of translation．As a matter of fact，accuracy is our aim in translating and we never quit this principle．The key is that we should scientifically deal with the relationship between accuracy and fuzziness．

At the very beginning of this section，we＇ve already mentioned that linguistic fuzziness and accuracy in translation are contradictory but dialectically identical．Both exist and develop with each other，and push language itself forward．Fuzziness is a kind of property of a language and objective reality．Both of them may often be transformed with each other．This is the relationship between them．

In1977，the sum total of Chinese imports and exports was less than$ 15 billion，putting China＇s share of world trade at0. 6 percent．

　1977年，中国进出口总额低于150亿美元，占世界贸易额的0. 6%。

In a few minutes the students began to come inby twos and threes．

　几分钟后，学生开始三三两两走了进来。

Hundreds of millions of people gathered there to celebrate the event．

　成千上万的人聚集在那里庆祝这个事件。

Comments In the first sentence，such numbers as “1977” ，“$ 15 billion” ，and “0. 6 percent”are really exact and specific ones．But we cannot employ the same method to deal with the numbers“by twos and threes”and “hundreds of millions”in the next two sentences．As we know，both accuracy and fuzziness，on the special circumstances，can be transformed with each other．In this case，such numbers have the quality of fuzziness，rather than exact，accurate and specific numbers．

The trees grow leaves overnight．

　一夜之间，林木着装，绿叶瑟瑟。

Comments The meaning of the word“overnight”is一夜，which is an accurate concept in Chinese，but in fact，trees impossibly grow leaves overnight．So in such a situation and context，it becomes a fuzzy concept，which really creates beauty in fuzziness．

In short，the concepts of accuracy and fuzziness cannot stand at their own position for good．They may change their positions on certain circumstances or in a particular context．Man＇s thinking ability，in his long history，not only develops accuracy，but also cultivates fuzziness．At the same time，linguistic accuracy and fuzziness develop and enrich each other so that they push human language to become prosperous and progressive．