Abstract:As a crucial communication medium, the public sign exerts its growing importance in the worldwide communication. It is a special text whose function is strong and communicative purpose quite clear. Thus, its translation approaches should be based on the text’s functions and the translator’s purpose. According to Skopos theory, all the translation should obey these two main rules: Skopos rule and Loyalty rule. Skopos rule is the most powerful one. Skopos rule believes any translation is decided by its purpose, which means “The end justifies the means”. In Guangzhou, many public signs are translated into English; however, after some investigation in them, we can find a number of fatal mistakes which are already enough for us to pay attention. To overview the problem of public signs’ translation in Guangzhou, we can divide them into four problems. No unity name for place, Single word translation, Ignorance of the original culture and Ignorance of public signs’ feature. The language structures and expressions present diversity, triggered by the differences between the two cultures in social systems, values, and thinking modes. Based on the Skopos theory, the A-B-C approach (Adapt-Borrow-Create), which has a clear functional orientation, is a well-tested principle for the translation of the public sign. This essay illustrates the Skopos theory, and analyzes some bad samples in Guangzhou according to this theory. Under both the principle and real examples, I suggest the A-B-C approach for C-E translation of public signs.

Key words: public signs; translation principles; Skopos theory; A-B-C approach

中文摘要:公示语,作为重要的沟通工具,再全球性的沟通上体现着越来越重要的地位. 它所表达的文本是具有极强的功能性和沟通性的目的. 因此, 公示语的翻译过程应当是在了解其文章的结构特点和译者的目的前提上,对文章做出正确的翻译. 目的论在公示语翻译中具有指导性的作用, 它教会我们怎样在译文中达到作者和译者的共同目的的同时又能被读者清晰理解.这篇论文讨论: 在目的论的指导下公示语的一些错误示例,以广州为例,并分析公示语的中译英原则,最后介绍公示语翻译的A-B-C法则(模仿-借用-创新模式).

关键字: 公示语；翻译原则；目的论; 模仿-借用-创新模式