1. Introduction
Recently, psychology attaches more and more attention from people. The development of psychology in my country is relatively late, but the social demand is very great, which promotes the rapid progress of this industry, and the development of this industry is becoming more and more standardized. With the development and progress of society, we are more and more aware of the importance of mental health to personal growth, family stability, and social harmony. The overall level of society is also paying more and more attention to mental health issues. There are many professional psychological counselors, and more people accept counseling and are willing to pay for their own mental health and their own happiness index. According to the development of psychology in China, its characteristics and Translation Strategies and its translation result have a really great signification on Chinese psychology. At first, this thesis analyzes the psychological terminology and its characteristics (Nida, 2000). Then from the theoretical perspective of Functional Equivalence, the author analyzes its translation strategies.
2. Functional Equivalence Theory
Functional Equivalence Theory was founded by Eugene Nida. In functional equivalence theory, the purpose of translation is to pursue the closest natural equivalence in terms of semantics and types of source text. Nida believes that it includes the following stage of translation process, analysis, transfer and reconstruction. First, translator analyses the information in the original text and decomposes the structure into simple forms. On this basis, they transferred the original text and reassembled it into a normal translated text (Nida, 2001).
The analysis stage includes three aspects: grammatical relations between components, denotation meaning of semantic units, grammatical structure and connotation of semantic units.
Transfer refers to the transfer of event nouns from one language to another. Usually, we turn it into a verb form. Likewise, we turn abstract nouns into adjectives and adverbs.
Nida believes that when the various manifestations of the surface structure are transformed into the core structure, four basic structural units are produced, namely, things, things, abstractions and relations. In addition, Nida also proposed a method of how to limit and establish the meaning of lexical units in a certain context, that is, use syntactic structure to limit meaning and use semantic structure to distinguish meaning (Siddiqui et al., 2014). There have three relationships with similar meaning, proximity relation, connotation and overlapping relations (Nord, 1999).
Nida emphasizes that in primitive analysis, we cannot limit ourselves to the study of extensional meanings of language units and syntactic relations. In the dissemination of information, stylistics is more meaningful. In the translation stage, Nida proposes translation countermeasures for semantic mismatch—vehicle, vehicle difference and semantic default (Nida, 1964). When translating, special attention should be paid to the connotation and extension of the structure; Nida proposed three methods to transfer the extended content: reorganization, decomposition and composition of polysynthetic. In Nida’s opinion, recombination process involves two main categories: function and form. Formal categories need to be reorganized according to stylistic and literary forms, while functional categories need to pay attention to readers’ acceptance. Therefore, the core of the translation strategy proposed by Nida is semantic contrast analysis and semantic equivalence (Newmark, 2001).
If literal translation can accomplish equivalence in function and form at the same time, it must be the perfect translation, and this is what Nida has pursued. But language is different, each language has a unique productive, sequence, syntax, discourse markers and various special language forms. Such as poetry and adage, every language has rich vocabulary to express the characteristics of its nation and culture (Barker, 2007). Thus completely equivalent of form and function are rare. When we can’t make the equivalence on form and function at the same time, we should take account of the original content first, but as the connotation of functional equivalence has revealed, we must adjust the form if we want to keep the original content. This is the principle which functional equivalence insisted (Chesterman & Wagner, 2014).
3. The Psychological Terminology
Psychology was founded in the early 19th century by Johann Friedrich Herbart, a German philosopher, and education expert. He divided it from the philosophy field and became an independent as a discipline. It had a wealth of knowledge about psychology in the Chinese traditional culture. However, because of the restriction by Feudal ethical, it was never being developed further and become an independent science in modern times. As a result of that, in that sense, China’s modern scientific psychology is not evolved by the Chinese ancient psychological thoughts but by the oriental spreading of western culture. Western psychology is the source of Chinese psychology, so it shared the same scientific concept system with the western modern psychology. Therefore, there are a lot of concepts taken from invasive terms in its system. The translation of terminology becomes the most important way of producing the indigenous term.
3.1. Definition of Psychological Terminology
The psychological terminology is the collection that can represent thing, state and process in this professional field. It can be used to explain the meaning which is ruled strictly by this subject.
The psychological terminology can be divided into two parts.
The first one is the base class. This kind of terminology can be employed to account for most phenomena of human psychology. It is also used in most of psychological subject.
Gestalt therapy, which is also in the name of 完形疗法, was called 格式塔心理学. It is a normal psychological terminology used to explain this kind school. It is also very common in most subjects in psychology. For example, counseling psychology also uses it in its treatment.
The second one is the professional terms, which is used in some special field in psychology. They are abnormal sometimes and only can explain some professional things. People need more specialization knowledge.
Psychotherapy is therapy in which a person with mental or emotional problems talks with another person (talking therapies). This other person may be a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, clinical social worker, member of the clergy, alternative practitioner, or (to use the concept in its broadest sense) any helpful person. With successful psychotherapy, a client experiences positive change, resolves or mitigates troublesome behaviors, beliefs, compulsions, thoughts, or emotions. Ideally, these are replaced with more pleasant and functional alternatives. This kind of terminology is only used in counseling psychology.
3.2. Characteristics of Psychological Terminology
Many psychological terminologies are coming upon the stage and entering more and more ordinary homes, such as depression, autism, conformity and so on. However, it also inherited the valuable academic thought in ancient China and modern psychology and retained some local classical conceptual category of psychology naturally, such as “Theory of virtue”, “Seven Emotions” and so on. These two kinds of source constitute the term system of Chinese psychology. Judged by the numbers, external terms are in the majority, local term is less, the local Chinese terminology translation into English is less.
All in all, Chinese psychology terminology has three characteristics: 1) basic concept system mostly are introduced from western psychology, local terms are less than foreign’s, such as Hering’s illusion and unconditioned reflex and so on. 2) The term generation method is given priority to the translation. It appreciates the combination of literal translation and free translation. However, there is a growing tendency of localize, such as Gestalt therapy which is also in the name of 完形疗法. It was called 格式塔心理学.
4. Translation Methods of Terminology Based on Functional Equivalence Theory
Translation is an activity of communication between two languages. The main task of people is committed to the regeneration of symbolic significance. In other words, translation is the mean of recreation.
This “rebirth” of ancient texts enables cultural legacies of all civilizations to last over space and time, and their meanings probably to be reconstructed in new ages. Once the notion of meaning is questioned, the notion of translation becomes more complex. The accuracy in translation lies in is pragmatic meaning. Only through a thorough understanding of their conceptual and pragmatic meanings, an article translated can reach the standard of faithfulness and smoothness. Symbolic connotation is the extension of denotative meaning. It is also the connotation and extension of the concept. The connotation of denotation of the definition of the category of Result is determinology in according to deep semantic relations. The major contribution of Functional Equivalence Theory lies in a set of mate-theory for modern translation. He also argued that include the two aspects of concept and meaning, and they can be distinguished into the three forms of sign, picture and symbol. Halliday asserted that language is a social meaning system, which is deeply influenced by the social relationship behind it. They come in contact with some concepts, which can cause some concepts of association between users, this concept is meaning. The relationship between the concept and the signified is arbitrary. For its language society which uses it, it would be mandatory. That is, the expression was authorized by usage.
Special vocabulary terminology belongs to a special subject. All the conceptual system is based on that a special concept system in the subject. The most important difference between the normal words and terminology is that terminology represents the concept. However, from the general property of language symbols, terminology also has the difference between concept and meaning.
That is to say, the concept of terminology means the material form. And the meaning of the terminology means the relevant concept and the meanings.
In this article, according to the Saussure’s Course in General Linguistics, we segmented the method of terminology translation into three categories. It is 1 the translation strategies of concept, 2 the translation strategies of meaning, 3 translation strategies of concept and meaning.
Because of the limitation of difference in culture, we can’t figure it out clearly by the translation strategies of concept in the terminology and translation works. The terminology created by people should assure the correct meaning in the translation. The relevant methods contain word-by-word translation, paraphrase and transliteration.
4.1. Word-for-Word Translation
Word-by-word translation is a method of teaching a language through conversation, discussion, and reading in the language itself without translation and without the formal study of grammar. A lot of scientific terminologies can be translated from left to right. Now some foreign linguists called this structure “Possess modular structure”. As an interdisciplinary, it is very common in psychology (Witt et al., 2012). What’s more, it has a certain degree of similarity on the linear language between Chinese and English. Many psychology terminologies and short expressions can be translated by this way. For instance, private self are translated into “私我”. Social control is translated into “社会控制理论”. Role coordination is translated into “角色协调” and so on.
Word-by-word translation is a simple method in the translation, which is suitable to the phrases which have the same grammatical structure and the same matches, such as Possess modular structure. In the translation of those structures, we must pay more attention to the concept of the source language, the grammar of the target language and word formation rules. We should use this method at an appropriate time. The phrases, which were translated by Word-by-word translation, remain the original phrase sequence and collocation. And they have many features. For example, it compares Europeanize more, most of them are created new terminologies. The meaning will retain its original.
Semantic translation, which attempts to cover the whole of the meaning in the original and at the same time retains the form of the original as much as possible, favors literal translation.
Paraphrase, compared with Word-by-word translation, takes the grammar of the target language, and many other factors into consideration, and makes the appropriate adjustments. It keeps the original concept and tries to keep the original form of translation methods. Word-by-word translation could be regarded as a beginning of literal translation, as a part of literal translation. It is not only can remain the form of original, but also can assure the concept meanings express accurately. What’s more, “identical element theory of transfer” should be translated into “迁移的相同要素说”.
4.2. Paraphrase
Paraphrase means that we should abandon the foreign language tongues, and create new words in Chinese by Chinese grammar in order to express of meanings of English phrases. Personality, an important terminology in psychology, is translated into “人格”, which is came from Japanese. The sum total of the behavioural and mental characteristics that are distinctive of an individual. That’s exactly what this word means in “Oxford English Psychology Dictionary”. “Modem Chinese Dictionary” regard it as the sum of individual’s disposition, temperament and capacity. The so-called “personality”, is one of the rights and obligations as main qualifications. From the above discussion, it is evident that the personality in psychology is different from the two dictionary. What’s more, the meanings of the concept are smaller than that in Chinese. However, individuality, which means “个性” in Chinese, is interpreted as one’s fixed characters which is formed gradually a certain social conditions and education influence. It seems like that the personality is more similar to individuality.
From this, we can know that Paraphrase not translated the name but the concept in this way, it will always be deviated the translated terminology from the original terminology. However, this method is the most appealing and most likely to be accepted by the public, because it started to explore the localized path. But, due to the difference of culture and language, sometimes misunderstandings may occur in intercultural communication because of the differences in nonverbal communication. The advantage of such a method is intuitively clear. It reduces the burdens of the readers.
4.3. Borrowing Translation
This indicates when translator native culture is quiet different from that of the target language, they would probably transfer from its meaning in order to ensure the effective transport. The related strategies have transliteration and borrowing translation, this strategy reflects the diachronic characteristics of terminology spread across language. It is a kind of expedient strategy.
Borrowing translation refers to the direct borrowing foreign language terminology, symbols and concepts. It is said by Saussure as image. Usually appears at the beginning of the subject development. A large number of foreign terminologies are introduced. It can’t be translated all the terminology in such a short period. With the development of discipline and improvement as well as the translation and absorption by native language, the terminologies translated by borrowing translation will be replaced by localization terminologies. It will have the same meaning terminologies appeared at the same time to represent the same concept.
The basic concept framework of Chinese modern psychology originated from the western modern psychology. With the development of national education of English, a large number of Chinese psychology terminology retained in the English alphabet. A lot of English terminologies translated in Chinese by borrowing translation and Zero translation, such as ID (本我); IQ (intelligence quotient, 智商); questionnaire-data (Q—资料); J. N. D (just noticeable difference, 最小可觉差).
Freud proposes that the mental apparatus is composed of the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the reservoir of the instinctive impulses seeking satisfaction in accordance with the pleasure principle, regardless of time, morality, and outside forces, etc.
Loan translation terminology IQ is the typical example of introduction. Although this terminology is translated into intelligence quotient, called 智商, the IQ still very common.
Terminology questionnaire—data translation is to keep the first letter of the first word, and translated the second word. Then a combination of these constitute the Chinese terminology “Q—资料”.
Loan translation, through the fully introduction of a concept or completely borrowed words, filled the gap on the target language vocabulary. From the perspective of the translation, the target language uses the meaning of the source language’s symbols and concepts, and there are no changes in the translation activity. But, the loan translation should not be overused. It is also not easily accepted by the public, because it increases the threshold of use.
4.4. Transliteration
Transliteration means sublating its meanings but just Served as a phonetic sign, such as: hysteria (歇斯底里); Gestalt psychology (格式塔心理学, 又译完形心理学); Eros (爱洛斯), ID (伊底) and so on.
Hysteria, one of psychological terminologies, is also translated into 癔症, which is a kind of neurosis. The definition of neurosis and psychosis is relatively vague. American Psychiatrist Association called them both as mental disorder. According to the research of Liu Ye, the difference between the neurosis and psychosis is that the former can do the introspection and the later one can’t do that. The later’s mind is always the dupe of the hallucinations. So the 歇斯底里 belongs to the neurosis, however, the 癔症 is a kind of Chinese medicine terminologies. It is similar to abalienatio mentis. It is also called “mad” on the street stalls.
Gestalt came from German, and it is translated into “格式塔” by the way of translation.
It means whole structure. They put the stress on the integrity of conscious and experience. The Gestalt is one of the major schools of thought in psychology.
Eros is the Greek goddess of love. It represents the part the love and lust. It also came from psychoanalytic theorists by Freud in order to serve as a type of the life instinct.
The psychologe Gao Jvefu translated the ID into “伊底”, which is come from Chinese idiom—伊于胡底. It represents the deepest corners of one’s mind and soul. Nowadays, it is changed into “本我”.
This does not make much sense in taken literally. Transliteration is a simulation of “pronunciation”. So there is no change in the concept meaning. What’s more, it is an effective translation method that makes the target language correspond to the source language.
5. Conclusion
The translation of psychology is a very practical activity. Terminology carries the core meaning of a discipline, and changes in terminology translation also reflect the research progress of this discipline to a certain extent. We need to combine with the concrete translation theory for the psychology terminology translation. Psychological terminology is an important communication symbol used by professionals to communicate, so correct and appropriate translation is a top priority. This paper is focused on the psychological terminologies and its strategies from the perspective of translation of psychology terminologies. According to functional equivalence theory, we segmented the method of terminology translation into four categories. It is a paraphrase, word-for-word translation, borrowing translation and transliteration. What’s more, we analyze and explore the methods and strategies of translation by carrying out the example. This paper not only provides concrete practice for the translation of psychological terminologies, but also provides the operational translation strategies for other subjects.