1、翻译是把一种语言表达的意义用另一种语言传达出来，以达到沟通思想情感、传播文化知识、促进社会文明，特别是推动译语文化兴旺昌盛的目的。
Translation is an activity of reproducing in one language the ideas which have been expressed in another language.
翻译理论家Eugene A. Nida   Alexander Fraser Tytler
2. Scope of Translation
按语言分类in terms of languages：
语内翻译（intralingual translation）语际翻译（interlingual translation）
按活动形式分类in terms of the mode：笔译（translation）口译（oral interpretation）连续传译（consecutive translation） 和同声传译（simultaneous translation）
按翻译材料的文体分类in terms of materials to be translated：应用文体翻译 科技文体翻译、论述文体翻译新闻文体翻译、艺术文体翻译
按处理方式分类in terms of disposal：(全译full-text translation, 节译abridged translation, 摘译adapted translation编译compilation compile译述translate freely )
3. Criteria in China
B. Yan Fu’s (严复) “three character guide”, which was first proposed in 1898 in the Preface of his translation of the book Natural Selection(《天演论》), is the principle of “faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance” (信、达、雅).
Some revisions such as faithfulness, expressiveness and closeness (信、达、切); faithfulness, expressiveness and fitness (信、达、贴),
D. Fu Lei’s (傅雷) spiritual conformity/resemblance in spirit （神似)
E. Qian Zhongshu (钱钟书) transmigration (化境)
鲁迅：翻译：力求其易解, 保存原作的丰姿。反对牛头不对马嘴，提出“宁信而不顺”之原则。
林语堂的“忠实、通顺、美”
瞿秋白的“信顺统一”
许渊冲的“音美、形美、意美（三美）”
Criteria for beginners:  Faithfulness & Smoothness
4.Three Principles of Translation（翻译法则）:
十八世纪末的英国学者亚历山大•泰特勒(Alexander Fraser Tytler, 1747-1814)。他在《论翻译的原则》(Essay on the Principles of Translation)一书中提出了著名的翻译三原则：
（1）译文应完全复写出原作的思想（A translation should give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work.）
（2）译文的风格和笔调应与原文的性质相同(The style and manner of writing should be of the same character as that of the original.)
（3）译文应和原作同样流畅(A translation should have all the ease of the original composition.）
5. Nature of Translation
Translation is a science,an art,a craft,a skill,an operation.,a language activity,communication
1) 翻译是跨语言(cross-linguistic)，跨文化(cross-cultural)，跨社会(cross-social)的交际活动。
2) 翻译是一种语言文化承载的意义转换到另一种语言文化中的跨语言，跨文化的交际活动。
Translation is a representation or recreation in one language of what is written or said in another language.
  翻译的本质是释义,是意义的转换. Translation is always meaning-based
奈达(Eugene.A.Nida):翻译是指从语义到文体在译语中用最切近而又最自然的对等语再现原文的信息.Translating consists in reproducing in the receptor/target language, the closet natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning, and secondly in terms of style.
(3) 翻译是科学(science)，是艺术(art)，是技能(craft)
翻译是科学，因为它涉及思维和语言,反映了存在与认识,主体与客体的关系,这种关系可用受一定规律支配的语言加以描述,翻译有科学规律可循,所以是科学。 translation is a kind of science because it has a whole set of rules governing it and certain objective laws to go by in the process of translating just as other sciences do.
翻译是艺术，因为翻译是译者对原文再创造的过程。译者不可避免地带有自己的主观色彩，有他自己的独创性。translation is also an art, a bilingual art. Like painting, translation enables us to reproduce the fine thought of somebody, not in colors, but in words, in words of a different language.
翻译是技能，译者需采用增词，减词，切分,转换等方法。besides, it’s also a craft, because in translation, certain skills and technique are needed in order to attain clearness of style, and fluency in language.
6. The Process of Translation
A. Preparation: basic knowledge about both  languages as well as the background knowledge; basic skills in translation are necessary;
B. Comprehension: understanding accurately the meaning of the source language; How?
C. Expression/Representation: try to express the meaning in idiomatic Chinese;
D. Revision /proofreading: check again and again to polish the language.
STEP 1 The Stage of Understanding
The understanding in the process of translation is different from the understanding in our daily reading.
First of all, the aim of the understanding in the process of translation is representing (表达) the content faithfully, so we have to try to understand the text completely, deeply and in detail. 
Secondly,  in the understanding in translation, we are thinking in two languages, and in two ways. So, it’s very complicated.
STEP 2 The Stage of Representation
1.直译（Literal Translation）
Literal Translation means  translating according to the surface meaning and keeping the structures of sentences. Literal translation keeps both the content and the form of the original work.
2.意译 ( Liberal Translation)
Because of the different way of thinking some of the English sentences cannot be translated in the literal way, they can only be translated in the liberal way. In liberal translation the form can be neglected but the content must always be faithful.
3. The Relation between Literal Translation and Liberal Translation
There has been the discussion about literal translation and liberal translation. In fact, they are both necessary in translation. We can’t imagine anyone using only literal translation or liberal translation in their translating
7. History of Translation in China
1)佛经翻译时期，从东汉开始至唐宋，1000余年.The first high tide of translation in China is the translation of The Buddhist Scripture (佛经)。It began at the end of the Han Dynasty, came to flourishing in the dynasties of Sui and Tang, declined in the Song Dynasty.  It lasted more than 1000 years .（支谦、道安，鸠摩罗什、真谛、玄奘）
2）明末清初：西方科技翻译（徐光启、利玛窦；李之藻）
3）清朝后期：西方哲学、文学翻译, 重要人物：林纾、严复
4）中国近代翻译史：“五四”运动是分水岭；重要人物：鲁迅、瞿秋白、林语堂、朱生豪
5）繁荣阶段：新中国的成立
8. Western translation history
第一个高潮是在公元前3世纪中叶。第二个高潮发生于公元4世纪至6世纪之间。
第三个高潮是11世纪至12世纪之间。第四次高潮是14-16世纪的欧洲文艺复兴时期。
第五次高潮，是第二次世界大战结束以来。
9.翻译所具备的条件
1. 要知道你工作上常用的专门用语，要有耐心，还要具有随机应变的能力。
2. 具有丰富的外语知识，对原文的正确理解，良好的中文基本功，以及宽广的知识面。
3. 同时还要好学。你不可能知道所以的专业知识，只有当你在翻译之前，去广泛地阅读相关材料，才能使你的语言更加专业。
4. 不仅要有专业水准，更重要的是译者本身的母语水平。拿我们中国人来说就是对汉文化的理解和掌握了！
5. 熟练且独到的网络搜索技巧。现在是信息爆炸时代，新的东西快速涌现，好的翻译必须向“即学即用”的方向发展。
6. 了解翻译目的，明白信息检索的重要性；喜爱翻译这一行，要有足够的中文水平，起码翻译出来的东西要能看懂；热爱真理，不会为了译文顺畅而乱译原文。
7. 有一定的文学功底，具备一定的科学素质；经常阅读外文书籍或杂志；永远有好奇心！！！
8. 要充分地理解两国文化的差异。最主要是对两种语言的热爱，或者说对翻译工作的热爱、兴趣，当你觉得热爱这件事的时候，自然就会想尽办法干好。其次就是要有天份，一种灵感，对语言的把握感。至于翻译技巧、专业知识是一种量变到质变的过程，强求不得。
1.A good command of both languages and cultures. 2.Be curious and always ready to learn new things.3.A wide range of knowledge.4.Necessary theory and techniques of translation. 5.Adequate use of the internet.
10.提高方法：
1.翻译理论+翻译技巧+翻译实践研究有关翻译的论述，弄懂翻译的基本问题。（ 阅读理论著作；专题论文；翻译教材；译品的前言后语）
2研究译作范本从中摸索翻译的规律和技巧，对比不同译本的处理和效果。研究典型译例，注意翻译技巧的说明和译句的得失，为翻译实践打好基础
3不断进行翻译实践（1） 依照词语---句子---段落---语篇的顺序；（2） 选择不同题材和体裁的练习材料；（3） 难易循序渐进；（4） 译文反复修改，不断提高译文质量；
（5） 选择有参考译文的文本，进行对比学习；（6） 可请别人修改或校正。
Tips：read more;practice more;think more; discuss more
翻译者的基本要求：有扎实双语基础，有较广百科知识，有较高理论素养，会高超翻译技巧，持严肃认真态度，应勤查勤用词典，培养多种思维力，不断总结与完善
11．佳句欣赏
Some fishing boats were becalmed just in front of us. Their shadows slept, or almost slept, upon the water, a gentle quivering along showing that it was not complete sleep, or if sleep, that it was sleep with dreams.
眼前不远，渔舟三五，凝滞不前，樯影斜映在水上，仿佛睡去，偶尔微见颤动，似又未尝熟睡，恍若惊梦。