1.2《什么是智慧生命？》

Example 1

ST: Planarian worms regrow any part of their body and are functionally immortal, a trick we can manage only in science fiction.

TT: 又比如涡虫，拥有身体再生和不死的能力，而我们人类恐怕只能在科幻小说中才能做到。

Analysis: The term “Planarian worm” in the source text refers to a biological entity. Online research confirms its established translation as “涡虫” in parallel texts. Following translation conventions for standardized terminology, it should directly appear as “涡虫” in the target text without quotation marks, retranslation, or explanatory notes to maintain referential clarity.

Example 2

ST: It is even a fundamental part of what we hope to find in alien life, made explicit in the long-running search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

TT: 另外在人类执行了数十年的搜寻地外文明计划(简称为SETI，即Search for extraterrestrial intelligence)里，智力甚至是我们希望在地外生命中能找到的基本组成部分。

Analysis: The source text employs a specialized term with an accompanying abbreviation. The translator identifies through CNKI research that “SETI” has an established parallel text equivalent in the target language: “搜寻地外文明计划” (FEI Wenxu, 2015), which can be used directly. Analysis of the source text reveals that the author parenthetically adds the abbreviation “SETI” after mentioning “search for extraterrestrial intelligence” to further introduction. To maintain functional equivalence, the translator correspondingly includes a parenthetical note in the target text explaining the source-language term, thereby achieving comparable explanatory value.

Example 3

ST: Instead, it is a hominin-shaped heuristic, a way for us to easily perceive valued characteristics in other people.

TT: 相反，它其实是一种评估方法，使我们得以方便快捷地感知他人身上有价值的特征的方法。

Analysis: The phrase in the source text presents significant comprehension challenges for non-native English speakers. The translator first analyzes the term “heuristic” by referencing the dictionary, which defines it as “enabling a person to discover or learn something for himself or herself” (Archie Hobson, 2004:205), corresponding to the target-language translation “启发式的教学或教育”. However, directly applying this translation would have created confusion in the target text. Meanwhile, the term “hominin” denotes the scientific classification of humans and closely related ancestral species. Contextual analysis of the compound term “hominin-shaped” reveals its metaphorical usage to describe “methods for evaluating, analyzing, and understanding processes such as shape, movement, cognition, etc.” To preserve both semantic accuracy and readability while avoiding undue complexity for target-language readers, the translator opts to abandon the metaphorical construction and its literal translation. Instead, the phrase is rendered as “评估方法”, with its full conceptual scope implicitly conveys through the surrounding context. This approach prioritizes functional equivalence over rigid adherence to the source text’s stylistic devices.

Example 4

ST: Absolute brain size, relative brain size, brain organisation, and neuronal density have all been used to predict where intelligence will emerge.

TT: 绝对脑大小，相对脑大小，脑组织以及神经元密度都被用来预测智力出现的部位。

Analysis: The term “organization” in the source text, though potentially confusing to readers unfamiliar with British English conventions, reflects standard UK spelling where “-sation” replaces the American “-zation” suffix (SUN Mengru, 2021), making it semantically equivalent to “organization”. The translator confirms through lexical research that its target-language equivalent remains “组织”. Since the source text does not explicitly highlight the spelling distinction between British and American English, the translator deliberately refrains from adding explanatory notes about orthographic variations to avoid unnecessary complexity, thereby achieving functional equivalence. Regarding the compound term “brain organization”, cross-referencing confirms “brain” consistently translates as “大脑” in the target language. The translator consequently renders the full term as “脑组织”, preserving both the constituent meanings (brain + organization) and the term’s technical coherence without literal adherence to the source text’s British spelling particularities. This prioritizes semantic transparency over orthographic commentary aligns with the text’s communicative purpose.

Example 5

ST: Among living animals, Homo sapiens has the highest encephalisation quotient, meaning that our brains are much bigger than expected for our body size.

TT: 在各种生物中，智人的脑商(即encephalisation quotient)是最高的，这就意味着，以我们实际的身体尺寸来说，我们的脑大小高于一般比例水平。

Analysis: The term “encephalisation” constitutes specialized terminology, adhering to British English orthography as previously addressed in Example 4 regarding UK-US spelling distinctions (e.g., “-isation” vs. “-ization”). The translator confirms through etymological research that its semantic equivalent in American English is “encephalization”. For the compound term “encephalisation quotient”, the translator identifies its semantic definition as “the ratio of actual brain volume compared to the expected brain size for a species of equivalent size” (Christopher Pestana et al., 2023). Parallel text analysis reveals an established Chinese equivalent “脑商” (JIN Gang, DING Li & LI Zhongjie, 2008). Based on this analysis, the translator determines “脑商” as the target-language rendering for “encephalisation quotient” in the target text. However, acknowledging the existence of alternative translations observed during research, the translator retains the source-language term (“encephalisation quotient”) parenthetically after its initial occurrence. This dual presentation balances terminological standardization with scholarly transparency, enabling interested readers to trace conceptual variations while maintaining textual fluency.