译者在翻译时应时刻保持语境意识。本文把Hatim和Mason提出语境三个层面理论作为理论基础,指导肢体语言的翻译。表面上非言语交际描述的翻译是文本间的翻译,而实质上是两个不同非言语系统之间的转换。本文全面阐述了非言语交际的定义,特征,研究状况并探究了肢体语言翻译中存在的问题：一是缺乏对非言语交际中文化信息的意识;二是忽视了上下文中非言语交际描述的功能。因此,如何提高译者翻译肢体语言时的语境意识是本文的核心。

Chapter Three Study of Body Language Translation from Contextual Perspective

3.1 What is context?

3.1.1 The Definition of Context

Before studying this topic we must understand what is context first. Context refers to the

environment in which language is used. Specific context can influence the conveyance of meaning of words, sentences, paragraphs and even texts in particular language environment. Because of different understanding of the contextual connotation, many linguists still can not reach the agreement on its definition, classification and functions.

Generally speaking, the term context is used in two senses: the narrow sense and the

broad sense. In the narrow sense, context refers to the words, phrases and sentences in which a word is used, which is known as linguistic context or linguistic settings. And in the broad sense，it refers to the physical, social and cultural settings, etc. which are known as non-linguistic settings. Most of the modern linguistics view context in the broad sense.

3.1.2 Classification of Context

Based on different criteria, there are a lot of kinds of context. Malinowski was the first

linguist who developed the theory of context and classified context. From Malinowski s point of view, context was classified into context of culture and context of situation.

Firth inspired by Malinowski s theory, first included in the context “not only spoken

words, but the whole group of people present during an exchange of utterance, and the part of the environment in which these people are engaged.” (Firth, 1962) Firth divided these influential factors into linguistic context, cultural context and situational context. His theory is still of great importance nowadays.

However, Halliday classified context into “field, tenor and mode”, which are different in

form, but similar in essence. Actually, after Firth, various classifications of context are more or less based on that by him, such as classifying it into linguistic and nonlinguistic context (Hymes, 1972).

Context related to translation is generally categorized into three main kinds: situational

context, cultural context and linguistic context (Hatim, B.&Mason, L, 2001, p.36-37)