A Comparative Study of Chinese and English Proverbs 英语专业毕业论文

A Comparative Study of Chinese and

English Proverbs

Acknowledgements

In writing this paper, I have benefited from the presence of my dear classmates. They generously helped me collect materials I needed and gave me the invaluable suggestions. I hereby extend my grateful thanka to them for their kind help, without which the paper would not have been what it is.

Particularly, I am deeply indebted to teacher ***, my supervisor, who guided me throughtout my writing of this thesis. He carefully read the whole draft and offered painstaking and precious criticism. His standards of academic excellence have made my revision an exciting and gratifying experience. I also wish to sincerely thank my cassmates and friends Zhang Yang and Zhang Weibing, whose brilliant ideas and perceptive have proved immensely constructive.

My parents took good care of my life and gave me a lot of encouragement when I was working at this thesis. They always share my weal and woe. I feel much grateful and heartily owe achievement to them.

Lastly, I aslo thank to my school *****

Abstract

Proverbs are the cream of a language. They reflect the relationship between language and culture. Human beings‘ common social activities are in many aspects similar, so English and Chinese proverbs have similarities. Because of the cultural differences, English and Chinese proverbs have differences in their detailed contents. The author compares their similarities and differences and also proposes that English and Chinese proverbs will break the boundary and accomplish interfusion. English and Chinese proverbs have similar origin and similar linguistic characters. They both originate from folk life, mythology, literary works and from other languages. Differences between English and Chinese proverbs also exist. That is different geography; different history customs; different religions and different value concepts. So it is not a easy job for translation between Chinese and English proverbs. Therefore the auther analyses the problems when translating and proposes four translation methods:free translation, literal translation, substitution translation, literal translation combined with free translation.

Key Words：proverbs; definition；similarities; differences; theory; translation

内容摘要

谚语是语言的一个重要组成部分，是各国语言文学艺术宝库中的一朵奇葩。谚语体现了语言与文化的关系。由于人类的普遍社会活动和心理思维过程有许多共同之处，因此英汉谚语也存在着相同之处。但由于各国具体历史文化背景的不同，所以英汉谚语又存在着差异。本文分析了英汉谚语的相同点与不同点，并提出英汉谚语在跨文化交际中的渗透与融合。英汉谚语有着相同的起源和语言特点。都来自民间生活，神话传说，文学作品和外来语。英汉谚语的语言具有简炼和生动形象的特点。但从具体内容来看，英汉谚语表现了不同的地理、历史、宗

教和文化价值观念。正是以上这些原因使得英汉谚语的翻译比较困难，所以作者分析了在翻译时应该注意的问题并在最后讨论了四种不同的翻译方法：直译，意译，对等翻译，直译和意译相结合。

关键词：谚语；定义；相同点；不同点；理论；翻译

Contents

Acknoledgements (i)

Abstract(English) (ii)

Abstract(Chinese) (iii)

1.Introduction (1)

2.The definition of proverb and the comparasion with adage, byword, idiom,

saying and phrase (2)

3.Similarities between English and Chinese proverbs (2)

3.1 Similar origins (3)

3.1.1 Originating from folk life (4)

3.1.2 Originating from religion (5)

3.1.3 Originating from literary works (6)

3.1.4 Originating from other languages (6)

3.2 Similar linguistic characters (6)

3.2.1 Conciseness (7)

3.2.2 Vividness (8)

4. Differences between English and Chinese proverbs (8)

4.1 Different geography (9)

4.2 Different history customs (10)

4.3 Different religions (10)

4.4 Different value concepts (11)

5. Translation methods of proverbs (12)

6. Conclusion (13)

.

1. Introduction

Proverbs, in colorful and vivid language, reflect important typical cultural values of every culture . Simple and popular, concise and pithy, they are passed on from gengeration to generation in the readable oral form and have gradually become a component indispensable to the dominant culture of that nation. Proverbs have a long history. They are brief and well-polished expressions embedded in philosophical ideas concerning different aspects of life. They are the summary of people experience in everyday life, so they originated from people‘s daily life and experience. To be specific, they come from folk life, religion, mythology, literary works, other langu ages, famous writers‘ wisdom, a nation‘s history and so on. English proverbs are rich and colorful. With regard to the everlasting charm of the English proverbs, there are many different reasons. The most important one is the extensive use of rhetorical devices and rhythmatical ways, so their language is full of image and vividness and has a strong artistic beauty and power

Proverbs are short sayings of folk wisdom of well-known facts or truths compendious expressed and in a way that makes them easy to remember. Because the proverbs are so brief, they have universal appeal. Many people love to pick up proverbs. The use of one or two in the original language is often a minor victory for the beginning foreign language learners. Proverbs may provide interesting little glimpses or clues to a people‘s geography, history, social organization, social views, and attitudes. People who live along seacoasts and whose livelihood is dependent on

the sea will have proverbs about sailing, about braving the weather, about fish and fishing. In cultures where old age is revered, there will be proverbs about the wisdom of the elders.

Proverbs tell much about a people's traditional ways of experiencing reality, about the proper or expected ways of doing things, about values and warnings, and rules and wisdoms the elders want to impress on the minds of their young. The

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important character of proverbs ?the shorter the better‘ makes it easy to commit them to memory for ready recall when the occasion calls for serious or humorous comment or warning. Created by people in high and low status, humble folk and great authors, borrowed from ancient or neighboring cultures, proverbs have been accumulating over many centuries. Some are only locally known; many are shared around the world. If one wants to have better knowledge of English culture，he should be familiar with the sources and functions of English proverbs.

2. The definition of proverb and the comparasion with adage, byword, idiom, saying and phrase

The definition of proverb by Ox ford Advanced Learner‘s English-Chinese Dictionary is ―short well- known saying that states a general truth or gives advice.‖ Wu Zhankun said that proverbs are the crystal of national wisdom and experience. They are frequently used orally and handed down from generation to generation and usually give people information and speak the truth. They are short sentences with common style, concise structure, and vivid language. Wang Qin said that proverbs are the summing up of practical experiences. They are the oral forms of language that give people experience, advice or warning. The great English philosopher Francis Bacon once said:―The genius, wit and spirit of a nation are discovered in its proverbs.‖

From these definitions, we can see common characters of proverbs. Proverbs are the crystal of the national wisdom and experience. Proverbs are colloquial, so they are

very easy to be remembered and handed down. They usually give people advice and warning.

Proverbs are the cream of a language. Language and culture are tightly interacted with each other; each influencing and shaping the other. Language is part of culture. The Chinese language is part of China culture and English language is part of English culture. Language is the carrier and container of culture. Human knowledge and experience are described and stored in language. As a part of language, proverbs closely integrated with the society and culture. Proverbs reflect many aspects of the nation such as geography, history, religious faith and values.

English and Chinese belong to two different language systems, having great differences in their cultures. But human beings‘ common social activities and emotional reflection and observation of the world are in many aspects similar. So not only differences but also many similarities exist in English and Chinese proverbs. With the communication of world, English and Chinese proverbs are permeating and interfusing each other.

3. Similarities between English and Chinese proverbs

The similarities between English and Chinese proverbs mainly lie in their origins and linguistic characters.

3.1 Similar origins

3.1.1 Originating from folk life

Proverbs are the summary of people experience in their everyday life. The summarized experience and reason are abstracted from the practice of people‘s life and work. They express people‘s simple and healthy thoughts, feelings and sentiments. More often than not, it reveals a universal truth from a particular point so as to enlighten people.

A great number of proverbs were created by working people such as seamen,

hunters, farmers, workmen, housewives and cooks and so on, using familiar terms that were associated with their own trades and occupations. For example, Living without the aim is like sailing without a compass was first used by seamen; If you run after two hares, you will catch neither by hunters; April rains for corn, May, for grass by farmers; New broom sweeps clean by housewives and Too many cooks spoil the broth by cooks, etc. Such expressions were all colloquial and informal and once confined to a limited group of people engaged in the same trade or activity. But they were proved to be vivid, and forcible and stimulating, so later they broke out of their bounds and gradually gained wide acceptance. As a result, their early stylistic features faded in some way and many have come to become part of the common core of language, now being used in different occasions. Some proverbs are related to some folk practice and customs. For example, Good wine needs no bush. This proverb is from an ancient popular English practice. In the past, English wine merchants tended to hang some ivy bushes or a picture of ivy bushes on their doors as a symbol of wine selling. But some merchant‘s wine was so good that it can‘t be ignored without sign. This in fact shows the past common practice that merchants of different trades would hang different particular things as signs for their goods.

Some proverbs came from ancient people deeply rooted beliefs such as their superstitious tendency and belief. In the past, English people believed that if a person spoiled salt from the salt bottle, misfortune and bad luck would follow. Then this person must scatter the spoiled salt from their left shoulders so as to drive off their ill luck. In turn, English people have got the proverb Help me to salt and you help me to sorrow. Some proverbs come from people‘s distinction between sexes such as their discrimination against women. It comes from a deeply rooted traditional viewpoint. Such as Three women and a goose make a market; Long hair and short wit; The more women look in their glass，the less they look to their house.

3.1.2 Originating from religion

Bible is essential for British and American cultures. It is said that their cultures are not integrated without Bible. It is safe to say that Bible influences every aspect of its disciples‘ life. Consequently, many sayings and sentences in Bible have been popularly accepted. They have been deeply rooted among people and people frequently use them to cite a truth or express their ideas without paying any attention to their origins any more. These sayings are no longer only confined to religion and they have become proverbs which reflect English people religious faith such as Every man must carry his own cross This proverb is from Bible, Matthew, on the grounds of Matthew, the main idea is like this: ―As the soldiers went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry Jesus‘ cros s. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a skull), they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watching over him. Over his head they put the charge against, which read, ―This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.‖‖ From this, we can know that cross means sufferings. The proverb tends to tell us that everyone should put up with misery in daily life and undertake the life‘s burden.

Another proverb is also from the Bible: One doesn‘t live only by bread. It is from the Bible, Deuteronomy，the general idea is: ― Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with Manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.‖ From this, we can kn ow that material is not the only thing that is indispensable to men. Spirit is also very important. Is one is only searched for material, he will be considered as animals, for the most distinctive characteristic between men and animals is that men have pursuit of spirit but animals haven‘t. Many images in these proverbs have didactic meanings.

English people believe in Christianity, which is by far the most influential religion in the west. Every aspect of man‘s life is touched by this religion, so tha t it has become part of western culture. And the Bible, which includes the Old Testament and the New Testament, is regarded as the scriptures. Almost every family has a version of Bible, so it has come to be one of the major sources of English culture. Many English proverbs show the doctrines of their religion. For example, Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. According to the doctrines of Bible: all human beings are brothers and sisters, and they should help each other. So when you give hands to others, never keep the memory that you have helped them. Another example, If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. It implies that if one has little knowledge, it is difficult for him to teach others some useful things. Even if he tried to help others, he would do nothing good to them.

3.1.3 Originating from literary works

Many English proverbs involve events or characters of English literature, especially from Shakesp eare. Shakespeare‘s insight into human beings, his sensitivity to the problem of state, and his genius with words have left an everlasting mark on the English language and the thinking of English-speaking people all over the world. Native speakers of English quote his works every day, often without realizing they are doing so. Although his plays were written over three hundred years ago, many English proverbs from his plays are cited commonly in daily English.

Shakespeare‘s works are probably the most colorful literature origin of proverbs. For example, All is not gold that glitters. This proverb is from the great works of Shakespeare The Merchants of Venice. It shows us that those who have a good appearance are not really learned. So we should be careful not to be deceived by those who are superficially flashy but without substance. Another example, Patience perforce is medicine for a mad dog is from Shakespeare‘s works Antony and Cleopatra. It tells us that those who cannot endure anything would lose his temper likes a mad dog.

Many English proverbs are also from The Fables of Aesop. These proverbs are very concise and humorous, and they reflect the essence and the true meaning of life. It is very easy for people to understand them and to put them into practice. Many of them are passed down till today. For example, The camel going to seek horns, lost his ears. The general idea of the allusion is: a cow showed off his horns in front of a camel. The camel was envious of cow‘s horns, so he requested Zeu s to give a pair of horns to him. Zeus was very angry, because he thought that the camel was greedy to ask for horns with his so huge body. At last, he made a decision that he let the camel have horns but with the cost of cutting off a part of his ears. This proverb tells us that if one is greedy to occupy everything, he will be punished by his greed.

Another proverb is also from the Fables of Aesop. ―The grapes are sour‖, as the fox said when he could not reach them. The allusion, which this proverb came from, is generally like this: one day, a hungry fox saw a lot of ripe grapes hanging on the grape vine. He beat his brains hard but could not find a way to pick the grapes. The hungrier he felt, the angrier he got. Finally, he gave up. In order to com fort himself, ―The grapes are sour‖, the fox said while walking away. Nowadays, people widely use it to express that someone who wants to take hold of something with all his effort but fails to get it will lower the value of this thing.

3.1.4 Originating from other languages

With the development of society, a language cannot avoid contacting with other languages. In the contact, the certain language surely absorbs some proverbs from others. With a long history, English language borrowed a large number of proverbs widely from many other languages including Greek, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, and other languages, among which Latin, Greek and French provide the richest nutrition. Most of the borrowed proverbs in English, due to the remoteness of time, have already assimilated or merged into the English language with their traces almost impossible to follow.

Many English proverbs originated from French. William, Duke of Normandy, France, landed his mighty army at Peven sy and defeated Saxon king Harold‘s men

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