Recently, with COVID-19 spreading rapidly, The Coronavirus Prevention Handbook (Comic Book Edition) has been jointly produced by the Tianjin Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department and Tianjin Publishing and Media Group. The Chinese and English version of this guide has become the first copyrighted book exported for epidemic prevention in Iran. The book is organized and compiled by Tianjin Science and Technology Press. Within just 15 short paragraphs of 14 words each, it contains suggestions for self-protection, self-isolation, correct medical treatment methods and other guidelines, as well as daily health habits, physical and mental health maintenance, internet hospital remote outpatient services and so on. Coupled with exquisite and humorous comic illustrations, it is easy to understand, making the book new popular science reading on the subject of coronavirus.

In order to promote popular science reading to more countries and to share China's anti-epidemic experience with people all over the world, the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University has undertaken multiple translations of The Coronavirus Prevention Handbook (Comic Book Edition).  Foreign teachers from Russian, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Arabic speaking countries, under the organization of Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages at Nankai University, have cooperated with each other and jointly translated the handbook into eight languages as their contribution to the global anti-epidemic campaign.

Chinese and Foreign Teachers Cooperating Together

Striving  for Faithfulness, Expressiveness and Elegance

Every word and every sentence pattern were carefully thought over repeatedly in order to render the target language accurately and appropriately. Many technical terms needed to be expressed precisely. For example, to figure out the naming of COVID-19, our team need to refer to the official definition of the State Council and of the WHO.

Understanding professional expertise in different fields and mediating between a multitude of opinions are the responsibilities that the translators have taken on behalf the readers.   It is precisely because of this that the teachers of the College of Foreign Languages have successfully delivered this translation, displaying  high-level translation capabilities.

Chinese and Foreign teachers’ Co-signature

Exhibiting the International Community’s Combined efforts to fight this epidemic

The title page The Coronavirus Prevention Handbook (Comic Book Edition)” contains the name of the translator, and the eight languages which have been translated into by the College. Each version is translated by and co-signed by the Chinese and foreign teachers.

The joint signature here no longer just has  meaning for copyright purposes. At the same time, it shows the practical action of the people of all countries working together to fight against the epidemic, and once again it proves that the concept of the community of the shared future of mankind is gradually gaining international consensus.

As Letizia Vallini, a foreign teacher, said, our nationalities are different, but when faced with COVID-19 sweeping the world, we should work together to fight this situation.  Since China has successfully fought COVID-19, passing this valuable experience to the world through professional strength is an extremely meaningful thing.

Chinese and Foreign Teachers Shoulder Responsibility in

Escorting the Shared Ark of Life

The joint translation and cooperation of Chinese and foreign teachers at the College of Foreign Languages is the epitome of the global response to the epidemic and the protection of the shared ark of mankind.

This translation endeavor was launched as the global epidemic situation was in an extremely severe position. It is a heavy charge with a tight schedule, but the teachers in the College of Foreign Languages are all hardworking and courageous professionals up to the task. The Dean of the College of Foreign Languages Yan Guodong said that “this is a righteous and generous action that we should take, and this is also a manifestation of the NKers’ spirit of dedication to public interests, acquisition of all-round capability as well as the will to shoulder up responsibility.”

Since receiving the task, with the goal of high efficiency and high quality, the College of Foreign Languages has formulated three principles for this translation undertaking: joint translation work of Chinese and foreign teachers with joint signature; accurate and authentic translation with strong readability; public welfare activities with no compensation. Within just the span of a week, sixteen Chinese and foreign teachers have been working tirelessly day and night to provide excellent work in eight languages.

(Reported by Wang Yuan, Translated by Yingjie Shang, Edited by Daniel Stefan and JianjingYun)