论文模板-英汉习语差异的翻译

淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）

The Cultural Differences and Translation of
English and Chinese Idioms

Abstract This paper can be divided into two parts. The firstpart
analyses chief cultural differences between English and Chinese idioms.
And cultural differences between Chinese and English are due to different
historical backgrounds, geographical features; living conditions and
conventional customs. Only when people have a good survey of the above
can we translate the idioms across the two cultures in a proper way. The
second part mainly discusses some concrete methods dealing with cultural
differences in translating idioms across the two languages.



Key words cultural differences, ways of translation , Chinese and
English idioms






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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）



摘要 本文分为两部分。第一部分分析英汉习语之间的文化差异。
以及由不同历史、地理、生活条件、风俗习惯 所形成的文化差异。只
有对以上因素有过很好的研究，才能以一种合适的方式透过两种文化
对习 语进行翻译。第二部分主要讨论些具体的方法来处理在翻译习语
过程中的文化差异。



关键词
文化差异，英汉习语, 翻译方法























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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）

Content
1
.
Introduction........... .................................................. ...........................1
2. Cultural differences……………………………………………..2
2.1. Historical differences............................ ........................................2
2.2. Different psychological characters………………………………3
2.3. Different views of cultural values……………………………….3
2.4. Religion一cultural differences…………………………………3
2.5. Living environment differences…………………………………4
2.6. Conventional difference…………………………………………4
3. Concrete ways of translation……………………………………….5
3.1. Literal translation……………………………………………….5
3.2. Liberal translation……………………………………………....6
3.3. Additional translation…………………………………………...6
3.4. Transferred translation………………………………………….7
sion…………………………………………………………..8

cited………………………………………………………….9










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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
Ⅰ. Introduction

The thesis analyses the influence of cultural differences on Chinese and English
idioms, then studies English-Chinese Chinese- English idiom translation from the
angle of culture and aims to draw specific approaches to the problems of cultural
transmission in idiom translation.
The importance of studying idiom translation from the perspective of culture lies
in the following aspects:
First of all, studies of the cultural distinction in idiom translation are still
relatively weak in the field of translation in China. We know that cultural connotations
engage in idioms. Exclusive research on the translation of idioms is still inappropriate
and incomplete. In the last twenty years, idiom translation has mostly emphasized on
the level of Interlingual communication, but cultural differences were rarely involved
in it. In 1998, Chen Ding-an wrote a book on comparison and translation of English
and Chinese idioms, in which he used general translation strategies: literal translation,
free translation, borrowed translation and additional translation and tried to find
solutions in idiom translation. It can be concluded that it is time for us to study idiom
translation from the perspective of culture and researchers today are paying more
attention to such studies.
Secondly, it is inevitable that cultural transmission will affect the
English-Chinese Chinese-English idioms translation. In the broad sense, culture and
language are closely related to each other. Language is part of culture; it is also the
carrier of culture. In the narrow sense, cultural differences have great influences on
idiom translation. Idioms are culture-loaded linguistic symbols and we can find almost
every aspect of national culture in idioms. Idioms are just like a huge mirror whereby
we can see the kinds of cultural views of a nation. It is certain that the special
difficulties for the translation of idioms will rise. Translation, in fact, is not only
interlingual communication but also intercultural communication. A good translator is
supposed to translate idioms underlying the culture.
England and China have totally different cultures while their sources and
development roads are distinctive. Having different living environments, social
customs, religious beliefs and historical allusions, Chinese and English idioms loaded
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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
with cultural connotations are characterized by certain cultural terms. The idioms were
endowed in the two different cultures and were brought about by cultural barriers for
the receptors to comprehend and appreciate. In that case, a translator should consider
the cultural terms in idiom translation and make efforts to find the accurate solution
underlying these terms. We can achieve “faithful” translation in that way. It means
that we can manage the interpretation of both the semantic information and cultural
connotations of idioms in question.

Ⅱ.Cultural differences

Idioms are special and fixed expressions in a certain language. Here what I want
to talk about are sayings and by their concise, rich and vivid expressions, which were
passed from generation to generation. They are indirect, humorous or serious. Due to
geographical, historical: religious belief and living conventional differences. English
and Chinese idioms bear different cultural features and information. They are closely
related to cultural tradition. Based on my study, the differences across the two
cultures are presented in the following aspects.

1. Historical difference
What's the definition of history culture? History culture is formed by a
specific history, development and historical legacy. They hive different historical
orbits because Chinese and English are totally different culture system. History culture
is composed of allusion, tradition. decrees and regulation, myth, poems, ancient books
and records. Among them, allusion is the most important and national characteristics.
Due to different historical culture,the produce of idioms usually different. In china,
idioms about history culture come form history stories. These idioms are simple in
structure but hard to understand (Tylor 59). We cannot learn and translate them gust
form the words literal meaning. We must fully .comprehend its culture connotation
and make proper translation. But in English, idioms mainly come form bible stories
and Rome mysterious. In this way, we must be familiar with them and make proper
translation. Such as ‘Achilles' heel'(唯一的致命弱点)，‘meet one's waterloo'(一败
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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
涂地). ‘Penelope's web'(永远完不成的工作).
2. Different psychological characters
The special psychological characters among the Chinese people who
choose the stable life are on the basis of‘benevolence', ‘practicalism', as well as
‘patience'. Therefore, they have the following awareness characterized by unity. They
matter power but not fact, collectism but not individualism, benefit but not deep
thought, morality but not effect, cooperation but not competition. On the countray,
the westerners tend to be engrossed in complicated and loose psychological structure,
which is characterized by ‘human一centered thinking? ‘cognition' and `behavior'.
3. Different views of cultural values
The view of Chinese value has profound spirit of humanism. In which one's value
of life is demonstrated by introspection and self一restraint. The Confucianism
proposals emphasize that the lever of consciousness originates from morals that
characterized the introversive side of Chinese people. aoyang, a Chinese
American, once believed that in an advertisement, the Chinese lay stress on the
products' quality and the concrete evidence, which can be traced to the influence of
Taoism: Buddhism and Confucianism ideas. Moreover, the influence of religious
behavior that bears the fatalism color and entirety orientation which formed on the
base of the concrete evidence. Conversely, the western people tend to一 be
extroversive which pay attention to the external form of products and the sense effect.
4. Religion一cultural differences
Religion culture formed by religions belief and consciousness of different
nation is the main component of human culture. It reflects different attitudes
toward admiration and taboo of each nation. Chinese culture is deeply affected by
Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism among which the effect of Buddhism,
which 'was brought in china one thousand years ago, is the most inveterate. So
Chinese idioms obviously reflect the influence of Buddhism. And people born in china
mainly believe that their life, death and everything are in the control of the
about religion are also mainly related to Buddhism. But in western
countries, especially in England and American: people mainly believe Christian.
They believe that ?God controlled people's everything?. So many English
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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
idioms are closely related to Christianity. Such as ‘Goal help those who help
themselves?, ‘God to the hell?(Boone 254).
5. Living environment differences
The presentation of idioms has always been related to humans' work and their
living experiences. British is an island country. Its seafaring has been going far ahead
than any other countries in the history. So English idioms is much more related to
water. For example, English people use ‘spend money like water’ to express those
who are waste of money. Instead. Chinese idioms are much more related to soil.
Because the Chinese ancestors lived in Asian land and their life cannot be separated
from the earth. For example, Chinese do not use‘spend money like water’ but use
‘spend money like dirt’ to describe one's waste of money. In Chinese culture ‘east
wind' refers to ‘wind in spring', the word ‘hot' always makes people think of summer.
So ‘It's hot as fire burns' often be used to describe summer. On the country, the sign of
spring's turning up in British, which located in the west half of the world with oceanic
climate, is west wind. In English people's eyes, summer is a very good season. So such
words ‘lovely' ‘gentle' and ‘pretty' often be used to describe summer. Take `shall I
compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.’as
example. In this sonnet, Shakespeare, the author of the sonnet, compare summer to his
beloved.
6 Conventional differences
Differences between English and Chinese are various. But the most distinguish
difference between them lies in the attitudes of the two country's people toward dogs.
In china, dog is considered as a kind of low一down animal. So most of idioms, which
related to dogs are considered as negative aspects. Such as“狐朋狗友”(compare to
those who are a group of dishonest friends)“狗急跳墙”(compare to those who do
anything without thinking when in dangerous situation.“狼心狗肺” (compare to
those who are malevolence).However, dogs are considered as the most loyalist friends
of human beings in western countries. Therefore, most idioms related to dogs are
positive aspects except some expressions influenced by other languages. What's more,
people usually compare dog's behavior as theirs. Such as 'you are a lucky dog' in
Chinese“你是一个辛运儿”，'Every dog has his day' in Chinese“凡人皆有得意日”.
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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
Ⅲ.Concrete methods of translation

To translate one language into another cannot only make people who live .
in different countries easy in‘communication but also helpful in development of
language itself ’(Nida 157). However, translation is not an easy yob especially for
idioms translation: We can say that idioms‘ translation is the most difficult for
translators. Because most of idioms are usually carved with strong local and
ethnic cultural characteristics. Some of which can be easily understand, but some are
totally different from its words meaning. Some even have several meanings. So when
we translate them we must deal with them in different ways in different situation and
make sure that our translation is faithfully, smoothly and elegantly to the original
meaning.
ouliang said:
target language's characteristicsWhen translate idioms, a translator can not only
faithfully express the original text's language meaning but also can tell exactly it's
cultural connotation through two kinds of language cultural comparison. The translator
must convince that his translation is equal to the original text. Only in this way, the
readers would dell almost the same as reading the source language. If we want to
translate idioms well; I think the following methods should be followed.
1. Literal translation
Literal translation is a method in which we use idioms of language directly to
translate corresponding idioms of source order to remain the original text
structure meaning, especially its local and ethnic cultural characteristics, this method
always be used. But it must be on the condition that we don't change any aspects of the
original text(Ernst 105). Though English and Chinese are belong to different ethnics.，
these two kinds of people live on one earth. And they have common views of most
things一Sa literal translation method can:be adopted in translation between English
and Chinese. For example, ‘sour grapes’ comes from Grace and be translated into
Chinese“酸葡萄”more examples, ‘to go into the red' is translated into“出现赤字”
'to break the record' is translated into“打破记录”,`to be on the thin ice is translated
into“如薄冰”，'to strike while the iron is hot'' is translated into“趁热打铁” ‘tooth
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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
for a tooth' is translated into 以牙还牙” ‘first-hand material' is translate into“第一
手材料”‘a castle in ‘the air' is translated into“空中楼阁”‘to burn the boat' is
translated into“破釜沉舟”to have something at one's finger's end' is translated into
了如指掌”Conversely, some English idioms also comes from Chinese translation.
Such as 坐山观虎斗)' ‘to pour oil on
the flame'(火上加油).
2. Liberal translation
Liberal translation is a kind of translation according to meaning. Due to the
influence of cultural differences. We have to gave up the original text's literal meaning
in order to keep the target language accordance with source language. When this two
kinds of languages have different expressions·and meanings. We should avoid using
literal translation but adopt liberal translation. British people and Chinese people are
two different kinds of people. They have different views on many things because of
different geography, living environment, religion belief, customs and different
expressions. If we use the literal method to translate, we cannot translate
exactly to the source language's meaning and will make the readers fell confused.
In this way, our translation would be a failure. In such a case, we should adopt litieral
translation way. For example, as easy as pie“易如反掌”,be wise after the event“事
后诸葛亮”`each has its own merits' `‘各有千秋”`don't count your chickens before
they are hatched'“夜长梦多”.

3. Additional translation
In this kind of translation, we add some substance to express the meaning of the
original idioms more faithfully. This method has the advantages of containing cultural
color of the source language. It's suitable to be used in the translation of some idioms
containing history differences and religion differences. As a great part of idioms have
their specific culture background, this method can be applied to compensate the
cultural differences and decrease cultural loss. There are the following methods:
3.1 Adding notes to the translation of pronunciation
Adding notes to the translation of pronunciation not only can remain the original
text's specific，expression but also can help readers understand the author's writing
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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
purpose through the adding words. This is a kind of using both structure and meaning
way. And it is mainly used to translate some names of persons or places. In Chinese,
there are lots of names that are familiar to us but totally strange to foreigners because
of cultural differences. In such a case，I think `to add notes' is a good translating way.
For example,“班门弄斧”is translated into‘to show off one's proficiency with the exe
before Lu Ban. The master this sentence, Lu Ban the master
carpenter is adding notes. Lu Ban is a master at carpenter work in china. But English
readers dose not know. After adding some notesthe cultural information of the original
text can be show to readers.
3.2 Adding interpretative words.
To avoid tediousness caused by too many notes, some interpretative words are
sometimes added in proper placed to compensate the meaning. But this method should
be cautiously used in the avoidance of being regarded as explanation.

4. Transferred translation
On the base of communicative meaning, original vocabularies can be replaced
with vocabularies having different concepts but the same cultural connotation. In the
development of English and Chinese language, some corresponding stable idioms rich
in contents and metaphorical images are formed. These idioms vividly express images
that we should remain in the translation. But because there are cultural differences, we
must use a metaphorical image of one language to replace another in accordance with
cultural meaning. Lets have a comparison between some idioms with animals as
images and their translation: such as `a lion in the way' is translated into“拦路虎’，
‘beard the lion' is translated into 虎虎口拔牙”`as majestic as a lion' is translated
into 虎虎生威”`goose flesh' is translated into,“鸡皮疙瘩”`kill the goose thet lays
golden eggs' is translated into“杀鸡取卵”， 'chicken一hearted, pigeon一hearted
and as sacred as rabbit can all be translated into“胆小如鼠”.`like a duck to water' is
translated into“如鱼得水”，` the “亚洲‘四小
龙”’，`like a cat on hot bricks' is translated into“热锅上的蚂蚁”. `like a drowned rat'
is translated into“象只落汤鸡”. black sheep is translated into “害群之马”，In all these
idioms, the lion refers to `tiger' in Chinese, goose refers to chicken, chicken refers to
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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
rabbit, duck refers to fish, tiger refers to trogon, cat refers to brick, rat refers to chicken,
sheep refers to horse, and fish refers to cattle. To make a conclusion, most idioms have
their metaphorical images and make people think of other things. But this
kind of metaphorical image and thinking are based on each nation' living
environment and social condition. Due to ethnic cultural differences, different
animals are used as metaphorical image to express one concept. But for the same
animal.，people in different countries have different metaphorical image.
Ⅳ. Conclusion

To sum up. English idioms are very rich in contents and characterized by concise,
rich and vivid expressions. To translate them into Chinese is not easy for every one of
us because translation does not gust a transfer literal meaning but a transfer of culture.
If one wants to translate them well. he or she needs to be a real knowledge person with
both
English and Chinese culture. and cultivate his or her ability and develop
originality. In addition, a good quality of translation cannot be separated from the
guidance of translation theory and lots of translation practice. Only we master a
certainmethods of translation, can we be a good translator.









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淮阴师范学院本科生学年论文（设计）
Works Cited
Boone, Mike. Contemporary Business. Chicago: The Dryden Press, 1990.
Ernst, August. Translation and relevance: cognition and context. Shanghai: Shanghai
Foreign Language Education Press, 2004.
Liu Xaohong 刘晓红.“Zhang Ruogu?s Translation Viewpoint: Idiomatic Translation.”
Journal of MuDanJiang College of Education. 6 (2006): 49-50.
Nida, E. Language Culture and Translation. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language
Education Press, 1993.
Tylor, E.B. The Origins of Culture. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1958.

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