Draft: 2/22/2009
Chinese language does not have a grammatical way of indicating plural versus singular. When translating form English into Chinese, what do I need to translate the number of nouns? If I faithfully translate the number, I run the risk of creating non-idiomatical Chinese sentences. If I omit it, I run the risk of losing the important distinction of many versus one.
Here are a few examples:
• The uneasy reaction of European media and political leaders to the American election …
歐洲的媒體與政治領袖對美國的選舉感到侷促不安…
• Scientists said Tuesday they have devised a way to grow large quantities of blood in the lab using human embryonic stem cells.
科學家在 星期二說他們已發明出一種方法，利用人類的胚胎幹細胞在實驗室中造出大量的血。
For “Scientists” and “cells”, the TT does not indicate whether they are singular or plural. However, “a way” is translated into “一種方法”, because I feel it’s important to be clear that this is but one of the many ways not “the way”.
• The researchers outlined a four-step process for turning embryonic stem cells into red blood cells capable of carrying as much oxygen as normal blood. The procedure was published online by the journal Blood.
研究人員在科學期刊「血液」的網頁上發表了一個四步的程序，略述如何將胚胎幹細胞轉變為紅血球，而且其帶氧量不亞於正常的紅血球。
• Dr. Hazen says that origins-of-life experiments may also help create synthetic cells that can churn out biofuels, which would be a boon in these days of energy crunches and concerns about climate change.
• Since the end of the Cold War, common policy toward the Soviet Union has been replaced by allies seeking their own “special relationship” with Moscow.
自冷戰結束後，各盟邦不約而同的分別去尋求與莫斯科建立「特殊關係」。
• An Alliance That Sees Eye to Eye
- 和諧的同盟
- 一個協合的同盟
- 一個可以共謀的聯盟
- "一個志同道合的聯盟" <== Adrian left a comment suggesting this
My feeling is that there is a subtle difference between 和諧 and 融洽。融洽 is more intimate and is more often used among people who are in harmony; 和諧 is, perhaps, more formal and is more often used in the context of “in harmony with the nature”, “all instruments played in harmony”, etc. When talking about the harmony among allies, I would prefer to use 和諧。
Now comes the question: should I use 和諧 or 協和 or 協合？
協 implies the feel of "working together". 合 implies cooperation. Therefore, 協合 works better than 協和．After all, the article is proposing that the two sides of the alliance to put themselves in each other’s shoes and work together to establish a new alliance。
My wife proposed another approach: why cocoon myself to the word “harmony”. She suggested “一個可以共謀的聯盟”—an alliance that can plan and work together. In this case, the singular form “an alliance” is translated indicating this is but one way of doing it.
