Interpreting Speech #5 – The World Is Changing (Mandarin-into-English)

Briefing

You have been asked to interpret for a visiting economist from China. Her speech topic is entitled “The World is Changing”, and she will cover how both China and the world has undergone significant changes both socially and economically.

 

Listen to speech

Interpreting Speech #5 – The World Is Changing (Mandarin-into-English)

Transcript and reference translation

这个世界每天都在变化。世界正在不断调整自己。变化是当今最流行的字眼。我们正处在一个从工业化社会向服务和信息社会的转轨过程。

The world changes every day, and constantly adjusts itself. The word “change” has become the buzz word of modernity. The society in which we live in is transitioning from an industrialised society to a service and information-oriented one.

同样,中国也正在发生变化,也在调整自己。中国就处在一个摆脱僵硬的计划经济体制,建立和完善社会主义市场经济体制的改革进程中。

Similarly, China is going through some changes, and adjusting itself. The country is going through a reform process in which it is freeing itself from its rigidly planned economic system, and establishing and perfecting a socialist market economy.

中国社会就在改革中变化,在变化中进行改革。中国社会的变化是许多问题得到解决,同时也产生了一些新的问题。其中有四个问题对中国人的现在甚至未来的影响作用最大。

China’s society is changing as it reforms itself, and reforming as it changes. These changes have resolved many issues, as well as created some new ones. Among these, there are four which have the largest impact on Chinese people at present, and possibly their future too.

1.人口老龄化。老人和高龄老人的数量在增加,儿童的比例,尤其是在城市中,在减少。这将影响我国的经济发展,威胁我国保健制度,退休制度,以及其他一些福利制度的健康发展。

1. The ageing population. The number of old and very old people in China is on the increase, and the proportion of children, especially in cities, is decreasing. This will affect China’s economic development and threaten its healthcare and retirement systems, as well as the development of its other welfare systems.

2.就业问题。不断推行的产业结构调整限制了就业。服务性行业的增多,对高科技劳动力需求的不断增加,国际国内日益激烈的竞争压力,农村人口大量流入大城市,这些对现阶段,以及未来的就业,对全面提高生活水平的可能性,都够成了严重的威胁。

2. Employment problems. Continuous industrial restructuring inhibits employment. As the number of service-oriented industries increases, so does the need for a highly skilled labour force. Competition both at home and abroad grows more fierce every day and more and more people from rural areas have migrated to big cities. All of these issues pose a grave threat to not only present and future employment prospects but also to improving China’s overall living standards.

3.对家庭和儿童构成的威胁。我国离婚率相对增长,整整一代青年人在独生子女家庭的环境中成长,人民频繁的职业和住居地的变动等等,这些都给家庭和儿童造成了威胁。

3. Problems for families and children. China’s divorce rate is on the rise. A whole generation of young people are growing up in single-child families. People are frequently changing their place of work and residence. These all pose a threat to the well-being of families and children.

4.对传统社会价值观的挑战。中国社会中的拜金主义,对自我的日益关注以及对工艺事业的淡漠,是中国的许多传统美德受到冲击。

4. The challenge to traditional social values. The worshipping of money in Chinese society, growing self-centeredness and indifference to the public good are eroding many of China’s traditional virtues.

这些的问题的存在值得我们每个人重视,因为他们会影响到我们每个人的生活质量,这些问题渊源于经济和社会条件的变化,它们是全国性、甚至是世界性的问题。这些问题伴随着都市化和现代化的进程而产生。我们无法回避这些问题,唯一的出路在于学会如何处理它们。

These issues demand our attention as they affect the quality of life of all. They stem from changes in socio-economic conditions and are the concern of both China and the world as a whole. They came about in the wake of urbanisation and modernisation. There is no way we can evade these issues. The only way forward is to learn how to address them.

然而,不断变化着的社会不仅给我们带来了问题,也给我们带了机会。变化可以被认为是不断产生的挑战和危机,而挑战在我们看来则是建设更好社会的机遇。

That being said, an ever-changing society not only poses issues but also provides opportunities. Change can be viewed as presenting us with both challenges and crises, and challenges can be seen as opportunities to build a better society.

汉语中“危机”这个词有两个字组成,“危”,“机”。因此,危机也孕育着机会,中国的社会变更给社会带来了许多问题,同时,也给人们带来了更多的机遇。在世界经济日趋一体化的今天,让我们迎接挑战,拥抱机遇,承担责任,共同建设更美好的明天。

The Chinese word for “crisis” is made up of two characters – “wei” and “ji” [meaning “danger” and “opportunity” respectively]. Thus, crisis entails opportunity. Changes in China’s society poses many issues, but also presents us with many opportunities. In today’s global economy which is becoming more and more integrated every day, let us meet the challenges ahead, embrace opportunities, accept responsibility and work together to build a better tomorrow.

 

The original text has been taken from a popular interpreting resource available online. The English translation is all my own. — Carl

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