Cultural_Differences_in_the_Translation_of_English_and_Chinese_Idioms 2

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Cultural Differences in the Translation

of English and Chinese Idioms Introduction

Idioms are a set of fixed expression_rs peculiar to a nation formed through the use of language over along period of time ,including colloquialisms, proverbs, slang expression_rs and so on, making up one of the essential parts of language of that country. Chinese and English speaking countries especially Great Britain have a long history of languages and the background of cultures. Most of idioms are vivid, carrying strong local color or national features. Some of them are explicit; some are implicit and can arouse varieties of associations; some may contain more than one meaning and must be judged from the context. If language is the minor of culture, idioms, as the essence of language, are the quintessence of culture. Therefore, the quality of translation largely depends on the translation of idioms. Translation is a rendering from one language into another, i.e. the faithful representation in one language of what is written or said in another language. However, language and culture are closely are connected. On the one hand, language is part of culture and carrier of culture. On the other hand, culture has great influence on language. Therefore, with the development of translation, people no longer consider translation merely as a switching of language symbols, but as a cross-cultural communication. That is to say, the switching of language symbols is the surface level of translation, whereas cultural transmission is the essence of translation. Idiom translation is the most typical in translations field.

Content

1. Reasons of the same idioms have differences meaning. Cultural differences of English and Chinese idioms

Different living environment

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Different traditional customs Different material cultures Religious differences Different historical allusions

2 Specific strategies used in idiom translation

2.1 Literal translation

Literal translation refers to a full representation of the original when the original coincides with the target language idiom in the sequence of lexical items, grammatical structure and rhetorical device. Literal translation faithfully conveys the meaning of the original and at the some time keeps the full flavor of English idioms. This is the ideal solution. Let us look at one examples:

②A. 小时候，她长得很丑，而现在成了一位美丽的妇女。

Ｂ．小时候，她是个丑小鸭，而现在成了一位美丽的妇女。

This original sentence contains a metaphor. She is compared to an ugly duckling. Although in China duckling can not represent ugliness, her fairytale is well known by every family, particularly to the children, that is to say, this English idiom has been assimilated by Chinese culture after a long time of translation. Therefore, B adopts literal translation, it does not cause confusion, and the expression_r is vivid and living.

A omits the metaphor of the origin, produces the loss in cultural meaning, and violates ‘faithfulness’’ of translation standard.

2.2 Liberal translation

If liberal translation is also called free translation, which does not adhere strictly to the form or word order of the original. When there exist in dissimilarities or great difference bet and Chinese in the sequence of vocabulary, in grammatical structure and art device, free translation would be employed. For example:

① The teenagers do not invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket.

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Ａ．青年们不邀请他参加他们的聚会，因为他是个扫兴的人。 Ｂ．青年们不邀请他参加他们的聚会，因为他是块湿毯子。

Comparing these two versions A and B, A employed liberal translation,B used literal translation,from the view point of the sentence structure and grammar,they are all right,but according to the meaning of the original,`a wet blanket` is a reason that the teenagers do not invite Bob to their party.‘湿毯子’this version has no link with the reason of the original logically.Although‘扫兴的人’in version,A has no meaning of ‘a wet blanket’,it might express the logical reason,moreover,he readers are not confused why they do not invite Bob.On the contrary,B would make readers have a muddled ② idea. A.

B

Here,A is more suitable,people who see foreign films usually find that people in the west like making ‘cross’ on their chest to beg for good luck.In this English idiom ‘wood’ stand for ‘cross’, so this idiom should be liberally translated into ‘但愿走好运’ .On the first sight of this version,the readers would feel at a loss,but after thinking it over,they will get the exact meaning.

B belongs to ‘stiff translation’ in Chinese. The version seems to keep the ‘flavor’ of the original, but in fact, it not only does not express the spirit of the English idiom ‘touch wood’, but also produces unreasonable Chinese expression_r, which lets reader’s taster boredom in literary taste.

2.3 Literal plus liberal translation

Literal translation will decrease the readability of the version sometimes, leading to the feeling of boring reading as ineffective well as cultural transfer; liberal translation will often change the faithfulness of English idioms. In an effort to overcome this

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trouble, we may employ a combination of literal translation and liberal translation. For example:

①Make hay while the sun shines.趁着晴天晒干草，莫失良机。

‘趁着晴天晒干草’，belonged to literal translation, successfully conveys the content and flavor of the proverb. However, the reader may not perceive the implication. Thus ‘莫失良机’,a kind of liberal translation, is added. The combination of these two methods increases the readability and retains the spirit of the original.

② Until all is over, ambition never dies.不到黄河心不死。

‘心不死’is literal translation, whereas ‘不到黄河’ is liberal translation.

③ To lift a rock only to have his own toes squashed.搬起石头砸自己的脚。 ④ 你要不要活？井水不犯河水，你敢再犯，明年今日是你周年。

Are you tired of living? ‘Well water and river water leave each other alone---stay out of things that do not concern you’. If you dare to interfere again, next year at this time will be the first anniversary of your death.

‘你要不要活’ is translated into ‘Are you tired of living’;‘井水不犯河水’is translated literally at first and liberally the latter. Literal translation is used to translation ‘你敢再犯，明年今日是你周年’。

‘Only when you keep the meaning and spirit of the original sentence structure and/or its figures of speech, can your translation be regarded as proper literal translation; otherwise it is merely ‘dead’ or mechanical translation. Similarly, only when you change the sentence structure and/or the figure of speech but make no addition to or omission of the proper free translation; otherwise, it is merely ‘random’ translation,’ said Liu Zhongde.

2.4 Rhetorical devices

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Rhetoric devices would be adopted in the process of translating for the aim of making the version more vivid and living and following one of the three-word translation criteria—‘elegance’ offered by Yan Fu. This device would make the version the most perfect, arousing the interest of the readers. For example: ‘rolling stone gathers no mass’ [流水不腐，户枢不蠹]

This English idiom is constructed in a simple sentence without any. Rhetorical But the version adopted Chinese idiom as well as rhetoric-repetition and antithesis. Here is another example:

in the struggle A

Ｂ.在反对狼狈为奸的地主和资本家斗争中，工人和农民团结在一起。［或亲如手足］

Just as a glance,we know B is more suitable well,the translator not only adopted amplification but also rhetoric device—metaphor,地主和资本家－狼和狈，工人和农民－手足through metaphor,the readers are impressed by the translator in thought,motion as well as political attitude.

Conclusions

To sum up, idioms are important part of the language; we must learn about English and Chinese idioms through their different culture. Only that can we comprehend the aplenty and profound connotation of idioms in a better way. But as English idioms of particular language are hard to generalize about, they always pose a problem to non-native speakers in their comprehension and application. Generally speaking, the translation of idioms is more difficult and important. Poor translation will ultimately do harm to successful communication. For the purpose of making more Chinese readers learn about the spirit of the English culture, widening their horizons, and

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decreasing the readers’ confusion in the course of reading translated works, the author suggests employing above-mentioned five effective skills to handle the rendering of English idioms, but all these are not enough. To be a good translator, one must work hard at two languages and cultures concerned and do more practice in order to produce faithful, smooth, and elegant versions.

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