1.5《声音制造者》

(1)  E: I’m looking for a resonator, and I need more ka-chunkers.

C: 我在找一个共振器，我们需要更多能发出咔咔声的方块。

The specific meaning of “ka-chunkers” cannot be found in any major dictionaries or search engines. To put the word into context, the text describes the Foley artist looking for a resonator and some blocks that can make a "kaka" sound. Since there is no direct corresponding Chinese expression of “ka-chunkers”, the translation can be directly transliterated into "能发出咔咔声的方块". In this way, both the form and meaning of the source language are retained and the translation is also readable, fulfilling the theory of functional equivalence.

(2)  E: Elsewhere was the “boing box” that gave life to the cartoon rabbit in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” and the inertia-starter motor, from a nineteen-twenties biplane, that provided sounds for the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes.

C: 还有一个“能发出啵嘤声的盒子”，就是它让《谁陷害了兔子罗杰》里的卡通兔子变得活灵活现；还有一个惯性启动马达，是从一架20世纪20年代的双翼飞机上拆下来的，它为《疯狂小兔》里的袋獾提供了音效。

This paragraph describes the scene of dubbing for an animation. The word “boing” is very special, which is the only onomatopoeia in the text that has the exact same pronunciation both in English and Chinese. When the translator reads the original text, he can already pronounce the onomatopoeia and immediately write the Chinese equivalent. So, the translator directly translates “boing” to “啵嘤声”. This translation not only achieves formal equivalence, but also meaningful equivalence.

(3)  E: Over time, Roesch, Roden, and Curtis have developed a lexicon to describe what they want. Sounds are … ... They might be described phonetically—a “kachunk-kachunk- kachunk,”

C: 久而久之，罗登、罗施和柯蒂斯开发了一套词汇来描述他们想要的东西。比如，… …它们在发音上可以被描述为“咔嚓-咔嚓-咔嚓”。

In the context of the original text, “kachunk-kachunk- kachunk,” has no specific meaning. In order to accurately convey the meaning of the original text, the most suitable translation strategy is transliteration. So, the translator directly translates “kachunk-kachunk- kachunk,” to “咔嚓-咔嚓-咔嚓”。

(4)  E: There was some discussion about sweetening the sound with a higher zjuzz; ultimately, they added a light shhsl to the sheet sounds, for dramatic effect.

C: 他们讨论了一下如何用一个更高声调的咻咻声来使音效听起来可爱一些。最终，为了戏剧效果，他们加了一个轻声的嘶咻来模拟摩擦床单的声音。

In the original text, “zjuzz” and “shhsl”, are used to describe the sound made by rubbing sheets. Since there is no equivalent onomatopoeia in Chinese, readers may not understand if the translator create one. So here the translator chooses transliteration and translates “zjuzz” and “shhsl” into “咻咻声” and “嘶咻”. Such translation not only retains the form of the original text, but also avoids the reader's understanding deviation under the condition of combining the context.

(5)  E: As my husband showed him how to operate the espresso machine, our small relative added his own vocalized sound effects: whirs, purrs, pew-pews, ka-chinks.

C: 当我先生向他展示如何使用咖啡机时，我们的小亲戚自己配起了音：呼呼、咕噜咕噜、噗噗、咔叮。

Under the theory of functional equivalence, in onomatopoeia translation, the translator can find onomatopoeia in the target language that has similar pronunciation or rhetorical effect to the source language. Unlike the first two words, “whirs” and “purrs”, which have corresponding expressions in Chinese and can be directly translated into “呼呼” and “咕噜咕噜”, the two words “pew-pews” and “ka-chinks” can only be transliterated into “噗噗” and “咔叮”.

4.1.2 Translating to Corresponding Target Language Onomatopoeia

(6)  E:  Curtis was in the market for a squeaky hinge. “The funny thing was, the cleaning crew discovered this hinge squeak, and ... …” “It’s kinda the squeak I was looking for,” Curtis said softly.

C:  柯蒂斯想买一个嘎吱作响的门轴。“有趣的是，清洁人员注意到了门轴的吱吱声，… …” “这就是我一直在找的那种吱吱声，”柯蒂斯轻声说。

Chen Zhaoyu says in English Translation Strategies of Onomatopoeia from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence that in onomatopoeia translation, the translator can find onomatopoeia in the target language that is similar in pronunciation or equivalent in rhetorical effect to the source language. Fortunately, “squeaky” has a corresponding word with the same meaning and usage in Chinese, that is, “嘎吱作响的”, which is also a common onomatopoeia and the readers will not misunderstand it. In this way, the translation achieves lexical equivalence and also reproduces the information of the source language well.

(7)  E: “There was a door at the Paramount stage that had the best creak, “he said.

C: 他说:“派拉蒙剧院舞台上有一扇门的嘎吱声最响。

In English, “creak” is especially the sound made by a door or wooden floor. “嘎吱” is also a commonly used onomatopoeia in Chinese. The translation here adjusts the word order of the original text and presents “门的嘎吱声” as a phrase, which not only conforms to the semantics of the original text but also reflects the culture of the original text, complying with the first translation principle of functional equivalence theory.

(8)  E: Curtis lightly palmed a few in sequence, producing the pleasant rings of a tintinnabulum.

C: 柯蒂斯按顺序轻轻地拨了几下，铁链便发出了像小铃铛一般悦耳的响声。

In this situation, literal translation is highly recommended. The translation of “铁链发出了像小铃铛一般悦耳的响声” not only retains the meaning of the original text, but also retains its unique rhetorical features. On the basis of readability of the translation, it can make the whole translation vivid.

(9)  E: The trio began knocking and tapping hardware together, producing a series of chimes, tinks, and clunks.

C: 三人开始一起敲打和击拍道具，发出了一系列的钟声、叮当声和沉闷的咚咚声。

Nida says that translation is to reproduce the information of the source language from semantic to stylistic in the most appropriate, natural, and equivalent language. The three words "chimes", "tinks" and "clunks" have their counterparts in Chinese and can be literally translated. It is worth noticing that the word “clunks” specifically refers to the dull metallic sound in English, so the adjective "沉闷的" can be added in the Chinese translation, which can more accurately reproduce the source language’s culture.

(10)  E: Foley effects are custom to a film, and are synchronized to characters’ movements. They might include the sound of someone walking across a room, rolling over in bed, stirring a pot, typing, fighting, dancing, eating, falling, or kissing.

C: 配音音效可根据电影自定义，并同步人物动作，可能包括人物穿过房间的声音、在床上翻身的声音、搅拌锅的声音、打字声、吵架声、舞步声、咀嚼声、东西跌落的声音还有亲吻声。

This list of sounds may seem complicated, but in fact we can all find corresponding expressions in Chinese. So, the translator directly translates “the sound of someone walking across a room” to “人物穿过房间的声音”， “rolling over in bed” to “在床上翻身的声音”, “stirring a pot” to “搅拌锅的声音”, “typing” to “打字声”, “fighting” to “吵架声”, “dancing” to “舞步声”, “eating” to “咀嚼声”, “falling” to “东西跌落的声音” and “kissing” to “亲吻声”. In this case, literal translation can not only not affect the target language readers' understanding, but also better retain the original features.