成语翻译论文
篇一：汉语成语翻译原则方法论文
浅析汉语成语的翻译原则与方法
摘要：文学语境下的汉语成语英译要灵活运用各种方法，尽可能保留原成语的文化内涵，保全原文的风格，尽量使译文简洁、流畅，再现原作的文学性和美学价值。本文通过对中国文学名著中的汉语成语英译的实例分析，探讨了汉语成语翻译的原则和方法。 关键词：文学语境 汉语成语 翻译
成语(或习语)、谚语是一个社会的语言和文化的重要组成部分。汉语和英语都是有丰富成语、习语、谚语的高度发达的语言，两种语言中的这些固定表达方式有不少相通之处。有时候，汉语成语英译时，某些汉语成语可以借用某些英语成语来翻译，尽管表达的方式不同，描写的事物不同，但表达的意义却是相同的。然而，成语翻译在多数情况下是较难的。这是因为各民族的成语都有其鲜明的特色，在某一特定文化背景下的成语所隐含的特定意义，到了另一种语言中会完全消失或部分地消失。因此，这种成语具有不可译或难译性，即使想方设法翻译了出来，也会失去原有成语所具有的光泽。下面就汉、英成语翻译中的一些问题进行一番讨论。
一、成语翻译的原则
1.形象性原则
不管是汉语成语还是英语成语，一般都有着生动的形象。有些成语数百年甚至数千年来一直为人所运用，具有永久的生命力。汉语中广泛存在着这些成语。如：望梅止渴，削足适履，狗急跳墙，张冠李戴，狼吞虎咽，沧海一粟，等等。因此，在翻译这些成语的时
篇二：英语论文-汉语成语翻译的若干方法
汉语成语翻译的若干方法 【摘 要】 汉语成语承载着中华五千年的文化特色和文化信息.而翻译并非只是两种语言之间的一种简单的对应转换过程，而是一种文化的交流和传递。
因此，在汉语成语英译的具体操作过程中，首先要充分理解汉语成语的内在含义，灵活运用不同的翻译方法，对比英汉语言中习语（成语）的异同，进行适当的结构调整，将汉语成语所承载的文化特色和文化信息最大限度地传译给外国读者。帮助外国读者消除或减少语言及文化障碍就要求译者尽最大努力把汉语成语翻译成外国读者乐于接受的形式。与此同时要在英语中再现汉语文化，这是一个很大的挑战。
把汉语成语翻译成英语，译者们掌握和熟悉两种语言以及其文化是非常重要的。他们必须从风俗和文化背景的角度，通过对汉语和英语语言学和文化差异的理解，尽量去把握成语的内在含义，从而使其观点与原文的精神相一致。本文简单介绍了汉语成语英译的几种方法。
【关键词】 汉语成语，英语习语，翻译，文化内涵，源语，目标语
[Abstract] Chinese idioms bear five thousand years of Chinese cultural characteristic and the cultural messages. Translation is not only one kind of simple correspondence switching process between two languages, but is one kind of cultural exchange and transmission.
Therefore, translating Chinese idioms into English is a concrete operating process. First, the translators must fully understand the intrinsic meaning of the Chinese idioms; second, they should utilize several different translation methods nimbly and contrasts the similarities and differences between the English idioms and Chinese idioms; third, they should carry on the suitable structure adjustment and translate Chinese idioms which bear cultural characteristic and cultural
information in maximum limit for the foreign readers. Helping the foreign readers eliminate and reduce language and cultural barrier requests the translator to work diligently to translate the form of Chinese idiom in the way that the foreign readers are glad to accept. At the same time, this is a very big challenge to reappear Chinese culture in English.
To understand and translate Chinese idioms into English，it is very important for the translators to master and well acquaint themselves with the original language and the target language and their cultures. They should set out from the aspects of customs and cultural backgrounds and try to grasp the connotation of the original idiom by understanding linguistic and cultural differences between English and Chinese so as to make his version alike the original text in spirit. This article introduced several methods on translation of Chinese idioms concisely.
[Key Words] Chinese idioms；English idioms；translation；culture connotation；original language；target language
1. Introduction
About translation, the translation theoreticians have proposed many different viewpoints. In China, the most popular theory is Mr.Yanfu?s “faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance(信，达，雅)”while in the western countries, the most popular one is “equivalent value, equivalent effect and function equivalence(等值，等效，功能对等) ”.These viewpoints are mutually influenced and
supplemented. Although the translators have different emphasis points, they all advocate that the translation must express the connotation of the original text faithfully and the style of the original work should reappear in translation. “所谓忠实表达原文的意义，应指忠实表达原文的字面意义，形象意义，隐含意义三个方面。”[1] p65(So-called “expressing the indication of the original text faithfully”, is to express the wording meaning, the image meaning and the implied meaning of the original text faithfully.) But not all expressions, words, even characters in the original text simultaneously have these three kinds of meanings. Maybe some of them only have the wording meaning, but without the image meaning; some may have the wording meaning and the image meaning, but lack of the implied meaning. Any two languages are impossible to be all coordinated completely. Therefore, it is impossible to completely reproduce the three kinds of meanings of the original text. First, because the cultural differences produce the contradiction in the translation process, the wording meaning or the image meaning must obey the implied meaning. Second, the image meaning of the original text cannot be found in the target language. Sometimes the images are the same but the implied meanings are actually different. In this situation, what the translators need to consider first is the accurate expression of the implied meaning. The images of the original text should be changed into other images that the foreign readers are familiar with.
2. Several methods of Chinese idiom translation
The existence of cultural differences brings certain difficulties to the cultural exchange. It is also the biggest barrier in the translation. When the translators translate one language to another, besides understanding the writing of these two languages thoroughly, the translators also have to understand the cultural differences between these two languages profoundly.
In Chinese “Idioms” means that “成语：人们长期以来习用的，简洁精辟的定型词组或短句。汉语的成语大多由四个字组成，一般都有出处。有些成语从字面上不难理解，如?小题大做?，?后来居上?等。有些成语必须知道来源或典故才能懂得意思，如?朝三暮四?，?杯弓蛇影?等。”[2] P 130(Since long ago the people have used habitually, concise and succinct words or short phrases. Most Chinese idioms are composed by four characters, generally all of which have the source. The meanings of Some idioms are available from the word writing, such as: ?小题大做?and ?后来居上?; The meaning of some idioms should be got from its source or allusion. Such as ?朝三暮四? and ?杯弓蛇影?.) On Chinese idiom translation, culture has a great influence on the translators' logical thinking and the glossary choice of the language.
The semantics of idiom has the integrity. Usually we cannot get its significance from a single character. If many Chinese idioms were translated into English directly according to the wording meaning, although the foreign readers can understand the meaning of each character, they still have difficulties in understanding the overall significance of this idiom.
2.1 Metaphrase
Metaphrase is a method that the image and the forms of the original text are preserved, which can be translated literally. The readers also can catch the implied meaning by the wording translation. Some Chinese idioms have similar images, which the foreign readers can associate to the
equivalent English idioms.
2.1.1 Literal Translation
In idiom translation, there is a tendency to find English equivalent idioms, equivalent in referential meaning rather than in the images. The reason is that the target text must be idiomatically English. Therefore, literal translation of Chinese idioms is often considered non-idiomatic. As long as the translation conveys a vivid image and the referential meaning is not distorted, literal translation can introduce Chinese culture to the world. Literal translation is a way by which the rhetoric, national and regional characteristics are kept in the target language. In this way the meaning and the form of the source language are unchanged.
Some Chinese idioms can be translated literally with the same vivid figurative result of the original ones, which can make the foreign readers associate to the equivalent English idioms. For example:
⑴对牛弹琴 —— To play the lute to a cow. The readers can associate it to the equivalent English idiom “to cast pearls before swine”.
⑵竭泽而渔 —— To drain a pond to catch all the fish (the equivalent idiom: To kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.)
⑶易如反掌 —— To be as easy as turning over one?s hand (the equivalent one: As easy as falling off a log.)
⑷口蜜腹剑 —— To be honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted(the equivalent one: A Judas kiss) Though there are not equivalent English idioms, some Chinese idioms with the literal meanings can also be translated literally with the accurate images. Such as:
⑸井底之蛙 —— To be like a frog at the bottom of a well
⑹史无前例 —— To be without precedent in history
⑺七嘴八舌 —— With seven mouths and eight tongues
2.1.2 Replacement
Regarding Chinese idioms translation, what many translation books discussed mainly was the replacement technique. Sometimes, equivalent translations can be found, but mostly only similar ones. Usually the replacement technique is necessary in the following situations.
(ⅰ) Chinese idioms have same meanings and culture messages as those in the target language. There are many Chinese and English idioms, which have the same images as well as the expression forms.
⑴In Chinese, “浑水摸鱼” means “[释义]浑水：浑浊的水。指在浑浊的水中摸鱼。[用法]比喻趁混乱的时机捞取不正当的利益，也作?混水摸鱼?。”[3]P259 But the English idiom “to fish in troubled water” means “take advantage of troubled or uncertain condition for personal profit”. These two idioms are similar in both expression form and intrinsic meaning.
The similar idioms are as follows:
⑵赴汤蹈火 —— Go through fire and water
⑶随波逐流 —— To go with the tide
⑷知识就是力量 —— Knowledge is power.
⑸眼不见，心不烦 —— Out of sight, out of mind.
⑹谋事在人，成事在天 —— Man proposes, god disposes
⑺空中楼阁 —— Castles in the air
⑻充耳不闻 —— Turn a deaf ear to
(ⅱ) Chinese idioms share similar meanings but different culture messages and images with the target language.
The Chinese idioms, which have same or similar vivid analogy with the English idioms, should be exchanged into the same or corresponding English idioms directly. Different languages have different images.
⑴For example: if translators translate the Chinese idiom “胸有成竹” directly into “have a
bamboo in one? s stomach” according to the wording meaning. The foreign readers not only have difficulties in getting the meaning that this idiom contained, but also have the wrong association easily. Therefore, the translators must discard the images in this idiom and change them into the images that the foreign readers are familiar with. So it may be translated as “have a card in one?s sleeve”
⑵The Chinese say “噤若寒蝉”(as mute as a winter cicada)”, yet the native English say , “as mute as a fish”. Fish and cicada have similar function in the above examples though they are not similar at all. As far as “silence” is concerned, fish is a familiar image to English speakers, yet the Chinese tend to associate the sense with winter cicada.
⑶The Chinese idiom “瓮中之鳖（the turtle in the jar）”means “[释义]瓮：大坛子；鳖：甲鱼。大坛子中的甲鱼。[用法]形容已在掌握之中，逃脱不了。”[4]P651 .But the English idiom “likes a rat in a hole”, whose image is a mouse, which is stranded in a hole. It is in an extremely difficult situation. These two scenes agree without prior consultation but happen to hold the same view. Though the translators replaced the image, the foreign readers have no difficulty to understand its meaning.
The similar Chinese idioms included:
⑷胆小如鼠 —— As timid as a rabbit
⑸挥金如土 —— Spend money like water
⑹东张西望 —— Look right and left
⑺缘木求鱼 —— Seek a hare in hen?s nest
⑻抛砖引玉 —— To throw a sprat to catch a herring
So, familiar images of the target language are often used to replace those of the source language. It is very regret that the foreign readers cannot understand the exotic atmosphere of Chinese culture.
(ⅲ) Chinese idioms share similar images but different culture messages and connotation with the target language.
Some Chinese idioms and English idioms are almost the same in the expression form, but the
commendatory or derogatory meaning, which the idioms contained, is different. So they cannot be mutually translated.
“习俗文化指的是贯穿于日常社会生活和交际活动中由民族的风俗习惯形成的文化。.[5]P64”（ The custom culture refers to the activities, which formed by nationality's manners and customs in the social daily life）As a result of the custom culture differences, the translators must pay attention to the animal words in the idioms whose meanings are different. For example, in China, the people often think the dog is loathing. Therefore, most dog-related idioms include the derogatory meaning.
⑴For example, “狐朋狗友（Pack of scoundrels）”, “狼心狗肺（heartless and cruel）”and so on. But in the western nation, the dog was considered as human's good friends. For example: “help a lame dog over a stile (雪中送炭)”, “love me, love my dog. (爱屋及乌)”and so on.
⑵For example: the Chinese idiom “笑掉大牙” includes the meaning “ridicules”. The English idiom “to laugh off one?s head” is only the expression of “laugh” or “laugh loudly”. It is a neutral word. These two idioms look very similar literally. But the commendatory and derogatory terms of two words are dissimilar. So they cannot be mutually translated.
⑶The Chinese idiom “说曹操，曹操到(when you mention CaoCao ,he soon arrives)” means “I was just talking about you!” it did not bring the derogatory meaning, but English idiom “talk of the devil and he will appear” has the derogatory meaning。
⑷If you translate “亡羊补牢” to English proverb “lock /close the stable door after /when the horse has been stolen”. The direct translation mistakes the meaning of “亡羊补牢" which means “still has not been late “! But this English proverb expressed the meaning “has already been late , beyond any help”。Therefore, 亡羊补牢can correspond to the English proverb “a stitch in time save nine” or “better late than never”
⑸In the Chinese idiom“令人发指” and the English idiom “to make one?s hair stand on
end”,[6]P164 the former one means “to make the person extremely angry “,the latter one refers that “ frighten or horrify someone”. So ?令人发指? can be translated into “make the blood boil”.
2.2 Paraphrase
Paraphrase is a method that the original contents are preserved, but the forms are changed in the target language.
When Chinese idioms are metaphrased into the target language, readers still cannot grasp the meanings due to cultural difference. “有些习惯用语带有很浓的中国文化色彩…对于这部分成语，字面翻译是无法为外国读者所接受的。如加上许多解释性的文字，就失去了成语精粹的特点。最好的办法就是绕开其文化背景，译出其真正的内涵意义。”[7]P139 (Some idioms have the Chinese culture characteristic.. Regarding this kind of idioms, the wording translation is
unable for the foreign reader?s acceptance. If we add many explanations, the idiom characteristic will lose. The best method is to discard its cultural context and translate its connotation.)
Thus, paraphrase is needed to keep meanings to point and keep connotation in line with the culture in the target language, though it may fail to show the style of the original language. It is a good way to convey the connotation of Chinese idioms.
篇三：英语翻译论文题目
A Stylistic Analysis of Disaster Reports in Written English 英语灾难新闻书面报道的文体研究
The Transformation of Word Class in Translation翻译中词性的转换
A Comparative Study of the Two Chinese-English Versions of Pi Pa Xing 《琵琶行》
篇四：有关翻译的论文选题
翻译方向毕业论文选题汇总
The Semantic Contrast of Color Words between English and Chinese and their Tran
中英颜色词的语义对比及翻译
Chinese Reduplicated Words and their Translation into English
汉语叠词及其英译
Brand Translation
商标翻译
On Translating Methods of Numerals between Chinese and English中英数字的翻译Literal and Free Translation in the Translation of Advertisement Headlines and
广告用语的直译和意译
On the Translation of Chinese Trade Mark into English
中文商标的英译
Culture Differences and Translation
文化差异和翻译
Charactecistics and Translation of Adventisement
广告英语的特征及其翻译
Principles and Methods on Brand-Translation
商标翻译的原则和方法
The Study on Features of Advertising and its Translation 广告语的点及其翻
Non-Correspondence in English-Chinese Translation of Color Words中英文翻译中颜色
A Study on the Translation of Movie Titles
电影片名的翻译 On the Cultural Signification of Animal Idioms and Translation
动物俚语文化含义与翻译 The Translation of Color Terms
试论颜色词的翻译
A comparative Study of the Old Man and the Sea---Concerning the Perfection in Literar
《老人与海》译文比较－谈影响文学翻译完美性的因素
On the Translation of Advertisement ??From the Perspective Of Functionalist
从功能派理论角度看广告翻译
Influence of Cultural Differences on Translation of Idioms文化差异与习语翻
Foreignizing and Domesticating Translations in Cross-cultural Vision
跨文化视野中的异化和归化翻译
The Subject and Topic in Chinese-English Translation Shift
汉译英中的主位与话题
The Loss of Affective Meaning in Translation ?from the Perspective of Cultural D
从文化差异的角度看翻译中情感意义的丢失
On the Explicitness and Implicitness of Conjunctions in English-Chinese Translati
论连词再英汉翻译中的显性和隐性存在
Approaching Domestication and Foreignization in Translation from a Functional Pe
从功能翻译角度看归化与异化
On Translation of Idioms
论习语的翻译
Translation of Chinese Receipts and the Differences of Cookery Culture between Ch
English-speaking Countries
中餐菜谱的英译及中西饮食文化差异
On the Untranslatability due to Cultural Differences 不可译现象在中英文化差异中的体现
Extra-linguistic Context and Translation
非语言语境与翻译
Comparison and Translation of Chinese and English Idioms
汉英习语对比与翻译
On Translation of Chinese and English Idioms from Cultural Perceptives
从文化的角度谈英汉习语的翻译
CulturalDifferences BetweenEnglish and Chinese Idioms And Transl
中英文习语翻译中的文化差异比较 Impact of Culture Differences on Brand Translation of Trademarks 文化差异对商
Cultural Context and The Translation of Metaphors
文化语境和隐喻的翻译
Conversion of Part of Speech in English-Chinese Translation英译汉中词类Foreignizing and Domesticating strategies in Cross-cultural
Translation跨文化翻译中的异化
A Study of the Chinese-English Translation of Trademarks 浅谈商标的汉英How To deal with culture-loaded words in idioms translation
习语翻译中文化词的处理
Cultural Connotation and Translation for Color Words
颜色词的文化内涵与翻译
The Translation of English Loanwords into Chinese
英语外来词汉化的基本途径
When in Rome do as the Romans do——On translation of Chinese trademarks into
入乡随俗——论中文商标的英译
Cultural differences and Translation between Chinese and English Idioms汉英习语的文
Foreignization In Translation in the 21st in China
21世纪中国的异化翻译
The Transfer of Culture Image and of English and Chinese Idioms in Transl
论英汉习语翻译中的文化意象的转化
Basic Strategy for Advertisement Translation-Target-language Oriented Strat
广告翻译的基本策略－－以目的语言为取向的翻译策略
Lexical Rhetorical Devices in English-Chinese Translation
英汉翻译中的词义修辞格
The Criteria of the Translation of Computer English
计算机英语的翻译标准
Comprehension: A Very Important Part of Translation
理解：翻译中不可或缺的一部分
The Translation of the Brand Name
商标名称的翻译
Strategies for Translationg English Slang into Chinese
英语俚语汉译的技巧
Cultural Factors in the Translation of Poems
诗歌翻译中的文化因素
Cultural Differences and the Translation of Brand Names
文化差异与商标翻译
Cultural Differences and Untranslatability
文化差异和不可译性
Cultural Differences and Vocabulary Translation
文化差异及词汇翻译
The Application of Fuzziness in the Translation
翻译中的模糊语现象
Translator as Artist -Translator's Individuality in Literary Translation
译者作为一位艺术家--论文学翻译中的译者个性
The Translation of Movie Titles
电影名的翻译
Translating the English Verbs into Chinese 英 语 动
Colour Words and the Translation
颜色词及其翻译
Domestication and Foreignization
in The Book of Songs
诗经翻译的归化和异化
Cultural Comparison and Idioms Translation 文化对比与习语的翻译
Social-cultural Context and the Translator’s Choice of
Words——A Comparison of Two Chinese Version
社会文化背景和译者的选词 ——对简爱两种译本的比较 The Effect That Non-linguistic Context Has on Translation
非语言语境在翻译中的作用
Cultural Gaps between English and Chinese
Idioms and Their Translation 英汉习语的文化差异及其翻译
Words Translation between Different Cultures
文化中词汇的翻译
On Cultural Differences and Idiom Translation
文化差异与习语翻译
On Translation of English Trademarks Into Chinese----On Beauty In Sense Sou
浅谈英文商标的汉译－－意美、音美、形美
Some of the Ways to Idiom Translation 习语翻译法
Paralanguage and Literature Translation -With Reflections on the Version of Dream of
副语言与文学翻译－－对《红楼梦》译本的思考
Methods of Translating Color Words Based on Cultural Differences between Chinese a
Culture-gap Words and the Translation
文化空缺词及其翻译
Understanding-the Key to Translation
理解是翻译的关键
A Brief Talk about Two Approaches to the Translation of Metaphor浅谈隐喻翻译的
A Glimpse of English Film Title Translation
英语电影名翻译一瞥
Social-cultural Differences and the Translator’s Choice of Words
社会文化差异与译者的选词
The Application of Domestication and Foreignization in the Translation of Cul
文化翻译中归化与异化的应用
Cultural Differences and Untranslatability 文化差异与不可译性
The Context in Relation to Translation
语境与翻译
Female and Translation
女性与翻译
Effects of Difference between the Chinese and Western Cultures on Translat
中西文化差异对于翻译的影响
The Cultural Differences and Translation of English and Chinese Idioms
英汉习语的文化差异与翻译
Cultural Gaps and Translation Limitation 文化差异与翻译局限
The Approaches to Proverb Translation in Cultural Context从文化语境谈谚语翻
Allusion Translation in Song Poems
宋词典故的翻译
Blind Spots in English Proverbs Translation
英谚汉译中的盲点的探讨
Advertisement Translation
广告翻译
Differences Between Chinese Headline and English Headline aswell as Their Trans
论中英文新闻标题的差异与翻译
On the Mistranslation of Idioms
习语的误译
The influence of Culture onthe Translation of Advertisements
文化对广告翻译的影响
On English Idioms and Their Translation
英语习用语的翻译
On the Translation Strategy of Chinese Classics
----With Special Reference to Arthur Waley’s English Version of THE ANALE
浅谈中国典籍的翻译策略
----从阿瑟?威利的《论语》译本悟其翻译之道
Cultural Differences and Untranslatability
文化差异与不可译性
Unveil the Cultural Elements of English --On the Translation of English Idi
揭开英语中文化因子的面纱
——浅谈英语习语的翻译
Adaptation And Alienation in Intercultural Translation
跨文化翻译中的归化与异化 Cultural Connotation and Translation of E-C Animal Words
英汉动物词的文化内涵及翻译
A Brief Talk on Trademarks Translation
浅谈商标翻译
On the Translation of English and Chinese Proverbs from the Perspective of Intercultural
从跨文化交际角度谈英汉谚语翻译
Cross-cultural Awareness in Translating Tourist Materials from Chinese into E
中文旅游资料英译的跨文化意识
Connotative Comparison and Translation of Chinese “Hong” and English “R
论中英文红色内涵意义对比及其翻译方法
On the Principles of Equivalence in the Translation of English I(来自:www.zaidian.cOm 书 业网:成语翻译论文)dioms into Chinese and T
Application
英语成语翻译中的对等原则及具体应用
Translation of Animal Words
动物词语的翻译
On Cultural Factors in English and Chinese Trademark Translation and Four Translat
英汉商标翻译中的文化因素及四种翻译方法
On the Comprehension and Translation of English Proverbs
论英语谚语的理解与翻译
The Influence of Christian Culture on Translation
基督教文化对翻译的影响
Cultural Differences and Idiom Translation
文化差异和成语翻译
The Subjectivity of the Translator in Literary Translation
文学翻译中的译者主体性
How to Teach English in Communicative Way in Middle School交际法教学在中
的运用
Cultural Differences and Transplantation in Translation
文化差异和翻译中的文化移植
Translation of English Advertisement under Aesthetic Principles of Rhetor
英语广告翻译与修辞格美学原则
A Study on the Translation of the English Idioms
关于英语习语翻译的研究
The Influence of Feminism on Translation
女性主义对翻译的影响
On the Role of Context in Literal Translation and Free Translation谈语境在直译和意
The Cultural Differences and Translation of English & Chinese Idioms
英汉习语的文化差异与翻译
On the Differences between Eastern and Western Cultures Viewed From Proverb Tran
从英汉谚语翻译看东西方文化的差异