【正文】 is, the present author tries to take Skopostheorie of the functionalism as the 5 guiding theory. All in all, public signs translation is the first impression that China has left to all the foreign tourists, so they are not only interpreting the language。本文將以典型的例子為出發(fā)點來論證這兩類問題。 Skopostheorie 摘要 : 隨著我國經(jīng)濟(jì)的發(fā)展和對外開放步伐的加快，中國與國際間的友好往來及經(jīng)濟(jì)合作交流日益增多。本文旨在引起業(yè)內(nèi)各界人士的更加關(guān)注，從而方便我國與世界各國的交流。譯文的目標(biāo)讀者在決定翻譯目的的過程中起重要作用。 but public signs are shown publicly, offering closely related literal or graphical information, and they include slogans, road signs, place names, public notices, etc. In order to differentiate them from other varieties, we call them ―public signs‖. Here in this dissertation, the author would like to bine the definitions given by Professor Dai Zongxian and Lv Hefa together. That is, the ―public signs‖ here in this essay may refer to the signs that offer information publicly, meanwhile, in a short and brief way. Classification of Public Signs As public signs can actually cover a wide range of varieties, it is necessary to classify them in order to make a clear academic study on it. According to their usages and the places they appear, this dissertation divides them into the following types: Signs in Public Places 7 Here public places can be libraries, cinemas, hospitals, hotels, parks and public transport vehicles, etc. Signs here not only offer convenience to people, but also play an important role in building a harmonious society. For instance, ―Staff Parking‖(內(nèi)部停車場 ), which is to inform that those who are not staff will not be allowed to park here. Traffic Signs In large cities, traffic signs play an important role in traffic and social order. If the foreigners see ―Right Hand Road Blind‖(右邊車道不通 ) which provides the road information ahead, they will change their direction instead of wasting time. Road Signs Road signs tell us what this street is named, like ―zhongshan Road‖(中山路 ). Foreigners who e to China may have difficulties in recognizing roads. So road signs, which help a lot especially when we hold a map in our hands, should not be neglected. Visiting signs In places of interest, signs are provided to help visitors further understand the history or origin of the place or remind visitors to abide by the rules. ―Please Don39。 however, if we make errors belong to the cultural level, they may think this is something relates with the translator‘s attitude, and that‘s what matters. Some even think it offensive. Therefore, this type may seem not so obvious but more difficult and thus calls for more attention. Wordforword Translation Wordforword translation occurs when the translator tries to find the equivalent mechanically in the target language, despite of the cultural background. For example, when visitors see ―游人止步 ‖， the rendering is ―The passengers stop here.‖ There is obviously a failure in municating because the English version does not achieve the purpose of the Chinese one. All the visitors will stop to wait for the tour guide in front of the sign. The original meaning of the sign is to inform the visitors that they cannot enter into, so the sign should be translated into ―Out of Boundary‖. 16 ―酒 ‖ is the Chinese meaning for English word ―liquor‖, ―bar‖ is translated to ―吧 ‖ in Chinese according to its pronunciation. So some translators take ―Liquor Bar‖ as the English version of ―酒吧 ‖ . But actually, people never use ―liquor bar‖ in English speaking countries. Similarly, white wine is not ―白酒 ‖ (liquor), ―dry goods‖ is not ―干貨 ‖ (dried food and nuts). All the examples above point out that translating can never be done word for word, because they not only go against the original intention of translators, but also leave bad impression on China39。t take the job seriously. Some translators just translate the surface meaning of some isolated words instead of the profound meaning of the whole. In some cases, some translators feel it a hard task to find proper English words to replace the Chinese ones and just use some words apparently seeming to be equivalent to the Chinese ones. As a consequence, those translated 21 English expressions puzzle foreigners. With regard to the errors in cultural aspect, the causes will be more plicated. ―In an ideal situation, but one which seldom exists, the procedures in translating involve background preparation and actual processes‖ (Monday, 2021:156～ 157) [7]. Some translators do not know cultural differences between Chinese and foreign countries. Even if they do, they don‘t take them into account while translating. Experts pointed out that, generally speaking, the difference of language, value system, thinking pattern, religious belief may lead to cultural differences. As culture is introduced into translation, translation study bees more interesting and plete. Here we may stress a little on cultural factors while translating Chinese expressions into English. First of all, Chinese and westerners have different value systems. The former stresses collectivism, while the latter individualism. A ―We‖ consciousness prevails that identity is based on the social system, the individual is emotionally dependent on anizations, and the culture emphasizes belonging to anizations. Individualism means that the individual is the single most important unit in any social settings. The uniqueness of each individual is of paramount value. In cultures that tend toward individualism, an ―I‖ consciousness prevails. These cultures stress individual initiative, and they value individual decisionmaking. Such a cultural difference usually leads to the difference in the oriental and the 22 western public signs. Another cause of errors in aspect of culture lies in indirect munication and direct munication. It is known that people speaking different languages have dif