2. An Overview of C-E Public Signs Translation

2.1 Definition and Classification of Public Signs

Public signs are the words and pictures that face the public, and transfer the information that notices, indicates, manifests, or warns them of their life, lives, production, and ecology which are all closely related to humans. So we can see that public signs are common. Barry Gray, the chairman of the 145th Technique Committee of International Standardization Organization, says: “Signs are anything from the simplest way finding or information ‘marker’ to the technically sophisticated communication of a message. Signing affects everybody---travelers, shoppers, visitors, drivers etc, whether in the course of business or pleasure.” So public signs can be very simple, and definitely they are related and useful to everyone.

Public signs are not only various in types, but also large in number. To make a clear list of public signs, we can classify those signs into four groups according to their applied functions, directing signs, prompting signs, restricting signs, and compelling signs. (吕和发，2004:38-39) Directing signs aim to offer good service, instead of asking the public to take some actions. Their function lies in the content of the service, such as “Information”, “Service Center”. Then prompting signs, which do not have any specific directing meaning, but only play the role of prompting, can be used widely, like “Sold Out”, “Wet Paint”. Restricting signs are used to standardize or confine the behavior of a certain group of the public with direct words but not rude, like “Ticket Only”, “Handicapped Only”. While compelling signs require the certain public must do or not do something with the words direct and strong, unyielding, like “No Smoking”, “No Overtaking on Bridge”.

Public signs can also be pided into static signs and dynamic signs, according to their information meanings. (吕和发，2004:39) Static signs are often used for indicating something in travel service, travel facilities, sports facilities, commercial facilities, education organizations, such as “International Departure”, “Shopping Mall”. While dynamic signs are often prompting signs, restricting signs, and compelling signs, which possess a large number of dynamic vocabulary, and are widely applied to traffic, public facilities, etc. such as “Turn Right”, “No Tipping”.