ISSN 1712-8358[Print] Cross-Cultural Communication ISSN 1923-6700[Online] Vol. 11, No. 12, 2015, pp. 15-20 www.cscanada.net DOI:10.3968/8027 www.cscanada.org On Chinese Translation of English Interjections XIANG Chunyan[a],* [a]English Department of Binzhou University, China. To address this issue, this paper will sum up three ways * Corresponding author. of Chinese translation of English interjection—the Received 28 September 2015; accepted 19 November 2015 sound translation method, the tone translation method, Published online 26 December 2015 and the context translation method through analyzing various meanings of English interjection and various Abstract examples. These three translation methods can solve English interjection is the function word with certain almost all problems of the Chinese translation of English special features. To translate them correctly and interjections. To translate the English interjection in these appropriately is a good way to perform the characteristics three ways, the readers will have a better understanding and character of figures on the works. Although there on English literatures or English films. At the same time, are many translation methods, not every method can be the better translation and understanding will do well for used in translating the English interjections. This paper the improving of the English communication skills and summarizes three ways of Chinese translation of English the expressing skills. interjection through analyzing various meanings of English interjection and various examples. They are sound translation method, tone translation method, and context 1. ENGLISH INTERJECTION translation method. Using these three translation methods, Interjection is a word or phrase used to express surprise, the readers can translate the English interjections correctly shock, pain etc (Longman Advanced American Dictionary, and appropriately. 1987, p.1081). It belongs to the area of oral. In grammar, Key words: Interjection; Meaning; Chinese translation interjections are function words but not sentence elements; in syntax, they play the role of modification. Xiang, C. Y. (2015). On Chinese Translation of English Interjections. 1.1 English Interjection Cross-Cultural Communication, 11(12), 15-20. Available from: http//www.cscanada.net/index.php/ccc/article/view/8027 An interjection is sometimes expressed as a single word DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/8027 or non-sentence phrase, followed by a punctuation mark. The isolated use of an interjection does not represent a complete sentence in conventional English writing. Thus, in formal writing, the interjection will be incorporated INTRODUCTION into a larger sentence clause. It also can be a reply to a Interjection is one kind of the most expressive words question or statement. in oral English. People choose different interjections to Interjection is the function word with certain special express different emotions. The famous linguist Wilkins features and one of the most expressive words in oral pointed the use of the interjection. Randolph (1985) said English. People choose different interjections to express that interjections are purely emotive words which have different emotions. no referential content. Chinese scholars studied more on 1.1.1 Features of English Interjection the Chinese interjections. There is only a little research Since interjections are records of sound, they are usually about the Chinese translation of English interjection. recorded in different ways. The same pronunciation can The interjection research has always been neglected. often find a different spelling. 15 Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture On Chinese Translation of English Interjections For example: For example: I handed the note to him and said, “Oh, [hΛm] —— hum, h’m, humph. very well, I apologize.” (The $1,000,000 Bank-Note [hu’rei] —— hurray, hurrah, hoorah, hooray. by Mark Twain) Here, “well” expresses an emotion of [əu] —— O, Oh, Ooh. comfort and concession. [‘əu’kei] —— OK, Okey, Okay, O’key. “Now” expresses request, instructions, comfort, etc.. Changes of the strength, length and tone of the For example: “Now, now, my boy! It’s all right! interjection pronunciation will have an impact on the There’s no need to cry!” Here, “now” expresses an expression of feelings. Sometimes they even cause the emotion of comfort. “Now, now, you two, don’t fight expression of opposite meaning. again!” Here, “now” expresses an emotion of warning Interjection is the most independent function word, and command. which acts as an independent composition but a general “There” expresses proud, encouragement, sympathy, syntactic composition in a sentence. Since they are sorrow, comfort, impatience, disappointment, provocative, independent, the interjections can be put at the beginning and to attract attention etc.. of a sentence, in the middle of a sentence or at the end of For example: “There! There! Never mind, you’ll soon a sentence. Among them, the beginning of a sentence is feel better.” Here, “there” was said to encourage someone the most common location. In addition, one interjection or to comfort someone. “There, there, you said too much.” can also be an independent sentence, used to express a Here, “there” expresses an emotion of impatience. complete meaning. “Now” expresses excitement, contempt, impatience, etc. In practical applications, the use of interjection will be For example: “We have won the match, man!” Here, affected by the geographical factor or the context factor. “man” expresses an excited emotion. “Hurry up, man.” The pronunciation of the interjection is relatively stable Here, “man” was said without sufferance. since ancient time. But languages are developing with the “Boy” expresses excitement, happy, surprise, etc.. changing time. Since the 20th century, some interjections For example: “Boy, oh, boy! Our team’s going to win! in English are gradually abandoned, such as: alas, alack, How fantastic! ” Here, “boy” was said to express a happy bingo, pish, cripesdash, heigh-ho, yipee, and so on. and excited emotion. 1.1.2 The Emotions Expressed by Common English There are some other common English interjections, Interjections such as “ha” (surprise, doubt, contempt), “aha” (proud, “Oh” expresses surprise, blame, pain, praise, trouble and surprise, satisfied), “hey” (joy, say hello), “hell” (surprise, so on. joy, say hello), “why” (surprise, protest), and so on. For example: “Oh, learned judge! Oh, wise young 1.1.3 Phrases Used as Interjections man.” cried Shylock. (The Merchant of Venice by William Some other words or phrases also can be used as Shakespeare) Here, Shylock used “Oh” to express praise interjections. They are described as “other word category to the judge. used as interjection”. “Ah” expresses surprise, happy, hate, remorse, For example: contempt, threat and so on. “Oh, my god! / Oh, my gosh! /Gosh!” generally can be For example: “Ah, what splendid clothes!” thought the used to express surprise, joy or anger. Emperor. (The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian “Holy cow!” can express a tone of surprise like Andersen) Here, “Ah” expresses the happy emotion of the “Wow!”. emperor when he knew there were so splendid clothes. “All right!”, as an interjection, means “good, great!” “Come” expresses encouragement, impatience, “Good heavens” means surprise, unhappy. comfort, and used to attract attention, etc.. “Dear me” expresses the same meaning of “dear”. For example: “Oh, come, Mathilde. Surely you can tell “Thank God! /Thank goodness!” means relief and an old friend.” thanks. (The Lost Necklace by Guy de Maupassant) Here, Jeanne was encouraging Mathilde to tell her what has 1.2 Chinese Interjections happened in last ten years. Interjections in different Lineage classification and “Dear” expresses regret, sadness, compassion, different language are very similar. It should be the first sympathy, surprise, desire, etc.. to know some common Chinese interjections before For example: “Dear me, ” he said to himself， studying the Chinese Translation of English interjections. “Am I foolish or unfit for my office?” (The Emperor’s 1.2.1 Ancient Chinese Interjections New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen) Here, “dear” There are many interjections in ancient Chinese. However, means he was surprise to find that he could not see the interjections can only be used to express emotions. clothes. Interjections have sound form, but it is difficult to say “Well” expresses comfort, concession, expectation, that they have a lexical meaning. The interpretation of the ridicule, explanation, blame, hesitation, etc.. interjection in the dictionary is: “…, used to express the Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture 16 XIANG Chunyan (2015). Cross-Cultural Communication, 11(12), 15-20 certain emotion”, or simply to say much more direct: “…, language, the same Chinese interjection read in different interjection, nonsense.” In the following form are some tones, will express different meanings. common ancient Chinese interjections. For example: 啊（ā）! 多晴朗的天气哇! (Praise and joy) Table 1 Some Common Ancient Chinese Interjections 啊（á）? 这么快就要走了吗? (It means it is a pity that you can not leave longer.) 噫 吁 唏 也 矣 到底要不要继续下去，啊（á）! (Question closely) 乎 哉 嘻 兮 夫 啊（ǎ）! 原来是这样啊! (Surprise and come to 焉 与（欤） 诸（之乎的合音） 邪（耶） 已 realize the truth) 呜呼 嗟夫 噫乎 嗟乎 噫嘻 For example: 2. CHINESE VERSIONS OF ENGLISH 噫 “ ”sometimes expresses a kind of praise. INTERJECTION Eg. “噫！宫有守, 私有系, 会合不可以常也. （《临 川集 同学一首别子固》）”. Or it can express an There