Extensive Reading Lesson 14

在京媒体呼吁立法规范外来语译名

近日，有关中文新闻报道中要避免使用英语缩略语的消息在中国网民中掀起了轩然大波；不过，在京媒体对此举纷纷表示赞同。

人民日报海外版教科文卫部主任傅振国表示：“我们反对的只是英语以字母的形式直接插入汉语，我们坚持的是将英语翻译过来。”

教育部国家语言文字应用管理司文字处处长于虹则认为“英语缩略词的语音、书写形式在中文中显得另类。英文词的汉化是必要的，这不仅可以丰富我们的语言文字，而且繁荣了自己的民族文化。”

但是，针对相关法规的实施，傅振国重申，“通用语言的规范化只限于国家文化的主阵地，并不干涉公民的自由言论行为。”

4月14日在北京举行的“规范外来语译名 创造和谐语言环境”媒体负责人座谈会上，傅振国发表了自己的观点。

日前，中央电视台和北京电视台对《中国日报》表示，它们已经收到某政府部门的通知，要求在中文节目中避免使用某些英语缩略语。消息传出以来，争议不断。

广电总局宣传司副巡视员高长力称，网络上有一些不同意见，这很正常。“大家对这些变化感觉不适应，我们都理解。英文缩略语更多的是一些年轻人比较习惯，而这些人正是网民的主体，他们从小就开始接触这些英文缩略语。”

“不过，我们还是坚持我们的职责和社会责任，一定要弘扬我们的文字文化 一定要维护汉语的纯洁。”

高长力还号召其他台要向中央电视台看齐，在语言规范上做出一定调整。

为了防止大量的外来语充斥汉语、危及汉语言的发展，中国外文局副局长及中国翻译协会副会长黄友义在会上重申了他的三条建议。早在年初的全国政协会议上，他也曾提交了这个议案。

首先，要通过立法来规范外来语在出版物上的使用。

其次，翻译工作者和新闻记者要担当起责任，妥善处理好外来语的译入工作。

最后，应该成立国家翻译委员会为外文名称及科技术语提供官方的正式翻译，并及时在网站上公布。

Media welcome rules on foreign words and acronyms

A recent ruling banning the use of English acronyms in Chinese news reporting raised a storm among Chinese netizens; but some voices in the Beijing media welcome curbs on the use of foreign words.

Fu Zhenguo, director of the Science and Education Section of the People's Daily Overseas Edition, said, "We object to directly inserting English spellings and acronyms into Chinese sentences. They should be translated into Chinese."

Yu Hong, section chief of the Languages & Words Applied Administration Department under the Ministry of Education, added that "English acronyms do not fit in with Chinese, either in spoken or written forms. We should enrich our language and national culture by devising Chinese versions."

But Fu cautioned that the rules be applied sparingly. "Regulations on standards for spoken and written Chinese should only be applied to major institutions serving the national culture; everyday use of language will not be affected."

Fu was addressing a seminar held on April 14 in Beijing to discuss the controversy over new rules designed to protect the Chinese language.

A heated debate has been underway since China Central Television (CCTV) and Beijing Television (BTV) told China Daily that they had been ordered by a government department to avoid English abbreviations in their Chinese programs.

Gao Changli from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said he was not surprised by the negative response the announcement had provoked on the Internet. "It's understandable that people are uncomfortable about these changes, especially the younger generation, who form the majority of Chinese netizens and have grown up surrounded by English acronyms."

"But we have to preserve the purity of the Chinese language and promote our own culture. That's our duty and our social responsibility."

Gao called on local TV stations around China to follow CCTV's example by introducing the changes.

Huang Youyi, vice president of China International Publishing Group (CIPG), and vice chairman of the Translators Association of China, reiterated three suggestions he made to CPPCC National Committee earlier this year to help prevent the influx of foreign words "endangering the Chinese language".

First, laws and regulations should be enacted laying down guidelines on the use of foreign words in publications.

Second, translators and journalists should take greater care when dealing with foreign words.

Third, a national translation committee should be set up to formulate standard translations of foreign names and technical terms and publish the results on a website.

(China.org.cn by Wang Wei, April 16, 2010)