Discussion on English-Chinese and Chinese-English Translation Strategies of Attributes
【Abstract】Attribute is an important grammatical component in English and Chinese， but its usage in the two languages is quite different， which has caused some difficulties in the English-Chinese and Chinese-English translation， especially in terms of word order. This essay attempts to classify the positions and usages of English and Chinese attributes， especially English attributes， and then discusses the mutual translation strategies according to specific situations， in order to provide a favorable reference for translators.
【Key words】Attributes; Positions; Translation Strategies
【作者简介】刘紫瑶（1987.05-）女，汉族，四川成都人，外交学院，研究生，研究方向：英汉口译实践。
1. Chinese Translation Strategies of English Attributes
The English attributes have relatively flexible positions in a sentence. It can be extended to both left and right of the headword. The situations include the prepositive attributes， the postpositive attributes， and the coexistence of the two. The following content will discuss the classifications of attributive position and the corresponding translation strategies in Chinese.
1.1 Chinese Translation Strategies of English Prepositive Attributes
English attributes are prepositive when they are located in the left of the headword. They are usually divided into two forms： single attribute and multi-attribute. Different forms may be corresponded with different Chinese translation strategies.
1.1.1 Chinese Translation of Single Prepositive Attributes
When an English attribute is acted by a single word including that of adjectives， numerals， pronouns， nouns， participles， etc.， it is usually positioned before the headword. This is the same as Chinese language habit. Therefore， the original word order can be maintained in the Chinese translation， sometimes with a “的phrase”.
Examples：
stone building——石頭砌的大厦
faded flowers——凋谢的花
boiling water——沸腾的水
the changing world——变化的世界
1.1.2 The Chinese Translation Strategies of Multi-Prepositive-Attributes
Multi-attribute in English refers to the attributes played by more than one word. These attributes are usually placed with the order based on the “lower degree to higher degree” principle. The more substantial and definite the attributes， the closer they are to the headword. But this is sometimes exactly on the contrary in Chinese. Therefore， whether to retain the original word order or make some adjustment in Chinese translation should depend on the habit of the target language， i.e. the Chinese.
1.1.3 To keep the word order of the source language in Chinese translation
a1.? Attributes show the basic features of the headword.
Examples：
a large private home
一座高大的私人住宅
a small bachelor suite
一套小巧的单身套间
To adjust the word order of the source language
b1. In English the longer attributes are usually put after the shorter ones， which is different from the Chinese language.
Example：
the brave and hard-working Chinese people
勤勞勇敢的中国人民
b2. The English attributes indicating nationality are usually placed after adjectives for other general features. But the Chinese language usually shows ones nationality first.
Example：
the modern Indian dance teacher
印度现代舞老师
1.2 The Chinese Translation Strategies of English Postpositive Attributes
The attributive component of English being placed after the headword is the postpositive attribute phenomenon. It is very common in English language and is used in various forms. Some of them are acted by a single word or phrase， and some are phrases or clauses.
1.2.1 The Chinese Translation Strategies of Single Word Acting as the Postpositive Attributes
Adjectives acting as the postpositive attributes should be translated as the prepositive attributes in Chinese.
Examples：
All the people present witness the dramatic scene.
在场的所有人都目睹了这戏剧性的一幕。
They are searching for the only girl awake during the massacre.
他们在找大屠杀中那个唯一醒着的女孩。
They escaped from the house afire.
他们从那栋着火的房子里逃了出来。
Adjectives starting with the letter “a” are usually positioned after the headword， including “aware”“alike” “alone”“averse”“aghast”“alight”“ashamed”“a—stir”， etc. But when they themselves are modified by other words， they are placed before the headword， for example， “the half-awake patient”.
Adjectives suffixed with “able” and “ible” acting as postpositive attributes should be translated as prepositive attributes in Chinese.
Examples：
Children need the best education possible .
孩子们需要接受尽可能好的教育。
A bedspread available in three colors.
现有的三种颜色的床罩。
He is the only person reliable.
他是唯一可依靠的人。
It is worth noting that not all adjectives ending with “able” and “ible” are postpositive attributes. The words without passive meaning， such as “sensible” and “unreasonable”， can only be placed before the headword， such as “an unreasonable case” and “a sensible explanation”.
Adjectives acting as postpositive attributes， modifying words for general references， such as “things” and “matters”， or those modifying words like “some”“any”“no”and “every” should also be translated as prepositive attributes in Chinese.
English adverbials acting as postpositive attributes should be translated as prepositive attributes in Chinese.
Examples：
Her son is studying abroad.
她兒子在国外留学。
People here are happy all the days.
这儿的人成天都很快乐。
I could hear laughter all around.
我可以听见周围的笑声。
The question below is read only once.
下面的问题只读一遍。
1.2.2 The Chinese Translation Strategies of Word in Pairs as Postpositive Attributes in English
The word in pairs connected by conjunctions or conjunctive structures like “and”“or”“either…or”“both…and”， etc. are usually positioned in the middle of a sentence and separated from other parts with a comma both before and after them. The Chinese translation of them tends to keep the word order of the source language.
Examples：
Each nation， rich or poor， has its own unique and resplendent culture.
每个国家，无论富有还是贫穷，都有自己独特而灿烂的文化。
All the people， men and women， young and old took part in the carnival.
所有人，男女老少都参与了大狂欢。
He made a both humorous and cautious comment.
他发表了一番既幽默又谨慎的言论。
The dry weather，cold and invigorating，made March a very bracing? month.
三月的气候干燥而清冷，让人精神焕发，十分宜人。
He was a great soldier，firm，brave and cautious.
他是个杰出的军人，坚毅、勇敢、谨慎。
1.2.3 The Chinese Translation Strategies of English Phrases Acting as Postpositive Attributes
Phrases acting as postpositive attributes include participle phrases， infinitive phrase， preposition phrase and adjective phrases. They are usually translated as prepositive phrases in Chinese.
Examples：
He knows almost all the languages spoken in the Euro zone.
他几乎了解欧元区内的所有语言。
The old man wearing pajamas is training his dog.
穿睡衣的老头正在训他的狗。
1.3 Chinese Translation Strategies of English Attributes Positioned both Before and After the Headword
When the headword is modified by both prepositive and postpositive attributes including attributive clauses， the Chinese translation should put the postpositive attributes before the headword while maintaining the position of prepositive attributes. Postpositive attributes （attributive clauses） are usually non-restrictive while prepositive attributes are restrictive， more closely related to the headwords. In Chinese， there is similar language habit.
Example：
The young lady in yellow is the dean of the Chinese department.
穿黄衣服的年轻女士是中文系的系主任。
2. English Translation Strategies of Chinese Attributes
The Chinese attributes are for most of the time positioned before the headword. It is still quite controversial in Chinese linguistic field as to whether there is postpositive attributive phenomenon in modern Chinese language and how to define it. Therefore， the essay makes no specific classification of the Chinese attributive position but merely tries to figure out the English translation strategies corresponding to the prepositive attributive phenomena in Chinese.
2.1 To Keep the Word Order of the Source Language
The prepositive attribute phenomenon， which is quite common in Chinese is corresponding to various English translation strategies， one of which is to translate without adjusting the original language structure.
Examples：
1a. 9月8日，这是一个晴朗而风平浪静的日子。
1b. Its a sunny and calm day on September 8th.
2a. 在中国馆还陈列有大量珍贵文物和宝藏。
2b. A large number of cherish cultural relics and treasures were showed n china pavilion.
In the two examples above， attributes are “晴朗”“風平浪静” and “大量珍贵”， the position and usage of which are remained unchanged in the English translation.
2.2 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Infinitive Phrases in English
It is difficult for the English translation to still keep the structure of Chinese language when the “attribute+headword” structure is not simply composed of an adjective and a noun but some more complex components. The corresponding English translation may have to adjust not only the position， structure， usage but part of speech of the Chinese attributes. The infinitive phrase may be one of the solutions.
Examples： 3a. 她是第一个取得该考试第一名的中国人。
3b. She is the first Chinese to win the first place in the exam.
2.3 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Participle Phrases in English
To use English participle phrases to translate the Chinese attributes is another choice. The present participle phrases indicate the action in progress， while the past participle phrases indicate the passive voice for things that have happened.
Examples：
5a. 安大略湖是世界著名的淡水湖，在美国和加拿大间边界的五大湖泊中，虽是最小的一个，但也有七八个洞庭湖那么大。
5b. Lake Ontario， the smallest one of five limnetic lakes lying on the border of the United States of America and Canada， is famous around the world with an area of seven or eight Dongting Lakes.
6a. 企业要建立风险资金以补偿因管理不善而造成的亏损。
6b. Risks fund will be set up to compensate loses incurred because of poor management.
2.4 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Preposition Phrases in English
Many Chinese attributes could also be translated into preposition phrases in English.
Example：
7a. 一些地方医院和诊所会定期给有慢性病的老人送医上门。
7b. Some local hospital and clinics arrange regular home visits to the old people with chronicle diseases.
2.5 To Translate the Chinese Attributes into Clauses in English
For the Chinese attributes containing verbal structures， clauses may be the suitable choice for their English translation.
Examples：
8a. 我们停车的地方是一个集生产、旅游、农产品经营于一体的综合性农场。
8b. We parked our car at a comprehensive farm which runs tourism and agricultural products.
In example 8a， the attribute “集生产、旅游、农产品经营于一体的” could also be translated as “running tourism and agricultural products”， but from the perspective of language sense， it seems to over underline the features of “农场（the farm）” instead of objectively stating the fact.
3. Conclusion
There are many differences between the Chinese attributes and the English attributes. The Chinese attributes mainly include nouns， adjectives and verbal structures， while the English attributes include not only nouns and adjectives， but also present participles， past participles， infinitive structures， and attributive clauses. English attributes can both be prepositioned and post-positioned with various forms. They can also be extended to the left and right of the headword. In the Chinese language， attributes to be prepositioned is the mainstream usage. Analyzing the characteristics of the two languages respectively， whether from the perspective of grammar or language habits， is beneficial for the translation work. The author hopes that this essay can provide useful reference for translators who could then be clearer of choosing the strategies for translation between English and Chinese.
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