Chapter Four: A New Translation

When it comes to translating foreign texts, the principles of accuracy, elegance, and clarity are paramount. Yet, the translation of the manual before him was painfully awkward and difficult to comprehend. He had only read the opening lines before stumbling upon several glaring mistakes. It was evident that the previous translator had no grasp of mechanical terminology; in many instances, he had simply resorted to phonetic transcription.

The further he read, the more errors he uncovered. Moreover, Smith Company in America had business dealings with Germany, France, Italy, and other countries, importing a wealth of technical know-how. The technical parameters themselves were presented in the languages of their countries of origin. Clearly, the English translator was unfamiliar with these European languages—sometimes employing phonetic renderings, sometimes translating at random with no regard for accuracy.

Shen Guodong put the manual down, already forming a plan in his mind. Still, he needed confirmation.

“Director Jiang, may I ask where this manual was translated?” Shen Guodong tapped the translated copy in his hand.

“It was translated by one of the new university graduates in the foreign trade department. Is there a problem?” In these times, university graduates were still a rarity. This particular graduate had worked overtime to translate the manual and had even been praised by the leadership.

“I see.” Shen Guodong understood now. No wonder the factory treated the manual as gospel, strictly following its guidance, yet never managed to produce a qualified lathe. The translation was simply too amateurish.

“Director Jiang, if I can solve the lathe problem, what reward is there?” Shen Guodong didn’t reveal his intentions immediately but instead tested the waters.

“You can solve it?” Jiang Weiguo squinted in surprise, stroking his chin. “If you really can solve it, I’ll give you the title of Model Worker at year’s end!”

Jiang Weiguo’s eyes widened. In these days, honor meant everything. Out of more than a hundred workers in the whole workshop, only one could be Model Worker. To wear the big red flower and stand on the rostrum—what a moment of glory! Not to mention, there was a bonus of at least two hundred yuan. It was both honor and substance. In past years, the competition for this honor had led to countless overt and covert struggles.

To his surprise, Shen Guodong shook his head. “Director Jiang, the lathe problem, if you look at it narrowly, concerns the bonus for our workshop. But in a broader sense, it affects the factory’s entire annual production plan. One Model Worker title may not be enough, don’t you think?”

A seasoned veteran of the business world, Shen Guodong naturally knew how to maximize his interests.

“Listen to him! You’re not even satisfied with being Model Worker?” Jiang Weiguo huffed.

“Fine, say you luck out and solve the problem—what is it you want?” Jiang Weiguo assumed Shen Guodong was just bluffing.

“I want my cadre status restored and to return to the office.” Only from a higher vantage point can one see further. Stuck at the bottom, there was too little information. Only in the office could he access the latest news.

“Heh, if you’d had this drive before, you wouldn’t have been demoted here in the first place. Restoring your cadre status requires approval from the personnel department, but if you truly solve the lathe issue, I can make the case for you.”

Jiang Weiguo was a man of integrity and seniority, highly respected in the factory. With his promise, Shen Guodong was reassured.

“To solve this, you have to grab the bull by the horns. You can’t just treat the symptoms. The lathes don’t need repairs—the problem is with the production line!” Shen Guodong pushed the manual over.

“Huh…” Jiang Weiguo lit a cigarette, studying the manual with a frown. “I can’t read all this foreign gibberish. Even the translated manual is hard for everyone to understand. So, what’s wrong with the translation?”

Jiang Weiguo was no novice; as soon as Shen Guodong spoke, he realized the manual genuinely had problems.

“Every field has its specialists. The university graduate who did the translation was mediocre to begin with and knew nothing about industrial terminology. That’s why there are so many mistakes in this manual!”

In those days, even university students often lacked the equivalent of a Level Four proficiency in English. The translator had clearly been given a task beyond his abilities.

“If you follow a flawed manual, how could you ever produce a qualified product?”

“Hmm, you have a point.” Jiang Weiguo nodded, glancing at the manual, before his eyes suddenly lit up. “So, you can translate it?”

“Of course. But you’ll need to assign me a master craftsman as my assistant.”

Shen Guodong’s English was more than up to the task.

“Alright, I’ll find someone for you immediately!” Jiang Weiguo wasted no time. After a quick search, he returned with someone in tow.

To Shen Guodong’s surprise, it was his own team leader, Wang Dongliang.

“You two will stay in my office. If you need anything, call me!” Jiang Weiguo gave his instructions and left.

“Guodong, what do you need me to do?” Wang Dongliang, swept in by Jiang Weiguo’s whirlwind, was still a bit dazed.

With a smile, Shen Guodong handed him a cigarette, pulled out paper and pen, and set to work on a new translation.

When he encountered technical terms, he would use his own words to describe them. Though Wang Dongliang was only in his thirties, he had over a decade of experience and outstanding technical skills. With Shen Guodong’s descriptions, Wang could supply the precise professional terminology.

Their collaboration was seamless; the translation proceeded at a brisk pace. In just over half an hour, Shen Guodong had finished translating the first section.

“Well, no wonder the machines kept breaking down—even the maintenance steps were wrong! The amount of gear oil, the tightness of the screws—it was all off!” Wang Dongliang stared wide-eyed at the new manual.

Precision instruments are the core technologies mastered only by nations with advanced industries. Though our country boasted a complete range of industries, in this area, we lagged behind, and the Western countries would never transfer their best technologies to us. Yet, for the translation to be this far off was truly astonishing to Wang Dongliang.

He hurried out, bringing Jiang Weiguo back in.

“Damn it, this nearly ruined everything!” Jiang Weiguo cursed. Because of translation errors, tens of millions in foreign exchange and the hard work of countless workers had nearly gone to waste.

“Guodong, well done!” Jiang Weiguo praised, then clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing the room. “From now on, you two don’t need to return to the workshop. Focus on re-translating the entire manual!”

With a wave of his hand, Jiang Weiguo cleared the sturdy office desk for them. Shen Guodong and Wang Dongliang immediately set to work.

At noon, Jiang Weiguo personally brought them their lunch.

“Director Jiang, what’s the special occasion?” Shen Guodong rubbed his eyes and stretched.

The moment the lunch box was opened, a delicious aroma wafted out—braised pork and chicken stewed with mushrooms!

Shen Guodong’s stomach had been protesting after two meals of hard corn cakes. At the sight of meat, his appetite surged.

“Eat well and fill up. When you finish the manual, I’ll treat you both to a drink!” Jiang Weiguo declared heartily.