英汉谚语的互译--毕业论文.doc

Contents1. Introduction42. Characteristics of Proverbs52.1 The Brief Introduction of Proverb52.2. Characteristics of Proverb62.2.1. Personification and Contrast62.2.2. Antithesis and Repetition and Climax73. Practicability of Proverb Translation83.1Literal Translation93.2Free Translation113.3. Combination of Literal and Free Translation123.4. The Interpretive Method.134. Limitation of Proverb Translation144.1. Limitation of Proverb Translation144.2. Causes of Limitation of Proverb Translation155. Conclusion.16References17Translation of English and Chinese ProverbAbstract: Proverbs can be used as elements of sentences and it can be used alone. It reflects knowledges of human society, social environment, history and geography. Proverbs act as the precious heritage of people culture which express the wisdom, thought and culture of people. Besides, being the essence of languages and culture, proverbs possess abundant cultural connotation. The cultural image many proverbs contain possess strong cultural color. In fact, every cultural image in proverb stands for a kind of culture. When we translate proverbs, we should know that it is not only the change of languages, but also a shift in cultural information. Based on some english-Chinese proverb translation examples, this paper starts from the relationship between proverbs and culture, later investigates the origin of proverb and characteristics of proverb, then, it emphasizes on different ways of translation of English and Chinese proverbs. At last, it analyses the limitation of translation of English and Chinese proverb.Key words:proverb; translation; culture1. IntroductionBacon, a famous english philosopher once said “the genius ,wit and spirit of a nation are discovered in its proverbs”. Like other nations proverb, English proverbs are the essence of English peoples wisdom. A well-translated English proverb can not only teach, enlighten and persuade people, but also can enrich our Chinese language and culture, so it is necessary to study a nations proverbs when we try to study its language and culture. Proverbs have some characteristics, such as:Concise structure, short form, precise words, deep meaning, vivid comparison, bright ethnic and geographic characteristics. In addition, proverbs have distinctive cultural background. If we want to keep the original proverbs language form and taste, these characteristics make difficulties for us to translate english proverbs. Moreover, because of these characteristics, English proverbs and Chinese proverbs carry on the different national cultural characteristics and information. If we do not know these cultural background, we cannot understand the connotations and cannot translate them precisely. So when studying english, we should try to study its culture firstly.Translator Tyler argues, since idioms are special language phenomenon. Therefore, it is always difficult to make the target language match the source language. To some extent, because of lingual and cultural differences, interlingual translation is inadequate and even impossible. Language is the vehicle of culture and contains rich cultural connotation.Besides, languages are the reflection of culture and the differences of languages reflect culture gap.Similarly, proverbas the most essential part of language, also as the mirror of culture, is indispensable to cross-cultural communication.Actually, proverb translation means cross-cultural communication. It is not an easy job for the translator to pass cultural information of the source language to the readers of target language. Firstly, the translator must be based on the cultural information of source language proverb, to find the best translation method, using the most appropriate vocabulary in the best context for translation; Secondly, the translator should have a good understanding of the target languages cultural background. Therefore, in the translation of proverb,the translator should have not only a certain bilingual ability, but also strong cultural awareness, thus can guarantee the cross-cultural communication activities carried out smoothly.2. Characteristics of Proverbs2.1 The Brief Introduction of ProverbGenerally speaking, proverb is from factual experience of people. Most are from folk, which are called popular proverb and others from document, religious, literally quotation. Proverb consist of a lot of history story or literary quotation. In China, there are many proverbs in Confucian classics, legend and so on. Those proverbs are simple but far-reached, brief but colorful.Such as “他山之石，可以攻玉”, Stones are good for working jade, in the book of Book of Songs.In analects, the master said, is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?English proverb comes from Bible and old Greed and Rome and western classics etc. For example,“We are all Adams children”“我们都是亚当的子孙”. Bible Far from Jupiter, far from Thunder.“离丘比特越远，离雷神越远”Old Greek and Roman . In the works of Shakespeare, proverbs spread here and there.For example, All the world is a stage. “世界就是一台戏。” It is wise father that knows his own child.“聪明的父亲才了解自己的孩子。”Of course, English proverb comes from not only English documents, but also from Western, Europe, etc. In one of Russia works writers, All happy families resemble on another, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. “幸福的家庭彼此相似，不幸的家庭各有不幸。”Proverbs of Europe is “All is not gold that glitters.”“发亮的东西不一定都是金子。”From above mentioned analysis, people can arrive ar a conclusion that proverb is closely related to special national history, economics, culture, living , custom and geography and so on.2.2. Characteristics of ProverbThough English and Chinese belong to different language family, they use similar rhetoric in the application of witting styles.For example:personification, contrast, and repeat, etc.with those expression,proverbs can become more vivid and expressive. However, different history, customs and living standards may lead to different aesthetic values .2.2.1. Personification and ContrastPersonification is one of rhetorician devices that most proverbs use: People use intimate objects to describe living things. In addition to leave a person the feeling of original, it could be better to make abstract things become concrete when using personification. Please look at the following example:Example1:the wish is father to the thought. 理想是思想之父。Example2:隔墙有耳。 Walls have ears.Contrast is a rhetorician device that put two relatively corresponding things or phenomena together, thus making this contrast effect more distinct and clearer. In this way, good things will become more gorgeous, and the obverse side of things will be more despised by people.Example1:art it long, life is short. 生命有涯而艺术无涯。Example2:强将手下无弱兵。 There are no weak troops under an able general.2.2.2. Antithesis and Repetition and ClimaxIn rhetoric, antithesis is the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences(as in “actions not words”or “they promised freedom and provided slavery”). Even though english and Chinese have much differences, this rhetoric device requires parallel structures and tidy sentences.Example1:lean liberty is better than fat slavery. 宁为自由瘦，不做奴隶肥。Example2:十年树木，百年树人。 It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear people.Though they are much different in the form of language, the intension meaning was described fully.Repetition is the simple repeating of a word, within a sentence or a poetical line, with no particular placement of the words, in order to emphasize. This is such a common literary device that it is almost never even noted as a figure of speech. It also has connotations to listing for effect and is used commonly by famous poets such as Larkin.“Today, as never before, the fates of men are so intimately linked to one another that a disaster for one is a disaster for everybody. (Natalia Gibsonburg, the little virtues, 1992)”.Proverbs used in repetition more or less may affect the balance of sentence structure, so in the process of translation, the translator need to do:Copy or imitate the structure to make this proverb character fully showed in the translation skills.Example1:eat to live, but not live to eat. 吃饭是为了活着，而活着不是为了吃饭。Example2: 活到老学到老。 One is never too old to learn.Climax is a figure consisting of a series of related ideas so arranged that each surpasses the preceding if force or intensity.when using the rhetoric climax, you will be more and more profoundly impressed by the continuous pace. In the development process of things, this characteristic makes proverbs more logical and rational. Also it enhances the representability and persuasiveness of language.Example:Speech is silver, but silence is gold. 言语是银，沉默是金。Example：衣不如新，人不如故。New clothes are best and so are old acquaintances.3. Practicability of Proverb TranslationRousseau said: Proverb is the wisdom of men and the wit of one. Proverbs are the daughters of daily experience, the glows of wisdom, the precipitability of history and culture. It is a certainty that proverbs translation reflect the essence of proverbs and reveal the connotation of proverbs. Earlier in the Tans dynasty, the learned Xunzang designed the criteria for translation is accuracy and general idea. In the Qing dynasty,YanFu established a three-character stand in translation:信（faithfulness）, 达(expressiveness), 雅(elegance). After the May 4th movement, LuXun proposed faithfulness and smoothness as the criteria of translation.Influential criteria created by foreign experts on translation is as following:American translator Eugene A. Nadir is one of the most distinguished contemporary translation theorists and linguists in the west. Nadirs translatability theory is based upon his two premises: The freedom of languages as symbols and the existence of the universal human experience. He laid down “功能对等”（functional equivalence）“动态对等”(dynamic equivalence). “A translation of dynamic equivalences aims at complete naturalness of expression, and tries to relate the receptor to modes of behavior relevant within the context of his own culture; It does not insist that he understands the cultural patterns of the source language context in order to comprehend the message.” The minimal definition of functional equivalence is “The readers of a translated text should be able to comprehend it to the point that they call conceive of how the original readers of the text must have understood and appreciated it.” The maximal definition of it could be stated as “The readers of a translated text should be able to understand and appreciate it in essentially the same manner as the original readers did.”In the last decade of the 18th century, Alexander Fraser Tyler, laid down fundamentals by which a translation should be made or judged. They were “A translation should give a complete transcript idea of the original work. The style and manner of writing should be of the same character of the original.” Smoothness and faithfulness are qualities contradictory to each other. It seems that a translation, which is faithful to the original work, is usually not smooth in the target language, while a translation, which is smooth in the target language, may not faithful to the original language. So we should use a variety of translate methods to recreate the connotation and essence of english proverbs. Below introducing different methods of translation in view of different proverbs.3.1Literal TranslationLiteral translation, or directed translation, a main translation method, is the rendering of text from one language to another” word-for-word”rather than conveying the sense of the original. That is, Literal translation means we need to translate proverbs literally.Human experience and observation of the world are very similar in many aspects. So in spite of the Chinese and the English-speaking peoples, the number of proverbs or sayings that are equivalent or close approximate is rather surprising. In this case, literal translation is the best approaches because it can mainly convey the meaning and the style of the original sentence. Some English proverbs and Chinese proverbs have the same form and meaning, and these English proverbs do not have too many cultural backgrounds. It is easy for the readers to understand them. When translating this kind of proverbs, we can translate them literally. This approach can not only keep the original proverbs form and meaning, but also can be easily understood by readers. What is important of all, literal translation can transplant the English proverbs into Chinese culture. We all know that English proverbs have many fresh expressive methods and comparisons. We can introduce these fresh expressive methods and comparisons into China. Finally, these English proverbs will enrich Chinese language and culture. It is better for literal translation to remain the “original”elements .therefore, if readers can know the meaning of the translated proverb after a glance, we should use literal translation firstly.Example: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.Using this method, we can translate it into:在盲人国里，独眼人为王。It not only keeps the fresh expression, but also has the cultural features of source language. Of course, Chinese readers would try to find the similar proverb in their own language. That is : 山中无老虎，猴子称霸王。However, it is another form of english proverb translated to Chinese proverbs.Chinese are so familiar with the ways of expression that they even do not pay attention to vocabulary in the source language.Similarly, some proverbs are pure literal translation, but they have been successfully introduced into english. Gradually, these proverbs enriched english in different degrees.Examples:a.Another example:a home without love is no more than a baby without a soul.（没有爱的家庭就像一个没有灵魂的躯体。）b.He who laughs last laughs best. (谁笑到最后笑得最好。）c. Knowledge is power.（知识就是力量。）d. Time is money.（时间就是金钱。）e. Life is short and time is swift.（人生苦短，岁月易逝。）f. The eye is the window of the mind.（眼镜是心灵的窗户。）g .A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. (双鸟在林，不如一鸟在手。)h. Catch the bear before you sell the skin. (没有捉住熊，先不要卖皮。)i. 明枪易躲，暗箭难防。 （ It is easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding.）j. 城门失火，殃及池鱼。 （ A fire on the city hall brings disaster to the fish in the moat.）k. 跑得了和尚，跑不了庙。 （ The monk may run away, but the temple cant run with him.）l. 人在屋檐下，怎敢不低头。 （ When you are under the eaves of a low house, you have to lower your head.）m. 人不可貌相。 （ A man cannot judged by his looks.）Visibly, literal translation not only preserves the original image and metaphor, but also retained its expression and the original charm.3.2Free TranslationWhen literal translation does not work, free translation is exploited on the basis of full comprehensive, “If all language differs in form (and this essence of their being different language), the quite natural the form must be altered if one is to preserve the content”(E.A.Nadir C R Taber5).Because of the complication of languages, their equivalent proverbs are relatively few.Every country has its own unique culture. So every nations customs, experience and observation are different. English proverbs contain some unique historical stories and cultural backgrounds, and our Chinese people are not familiar with the comparisons in these English proverbs. If we translate them literally with explanations or footnotes, the translation may express the original proverbs literal meaning, but this translation makes proverbs lose their characteristicsconcise words, precise structure, short form, etc. Meanwhile, we can not find the Chinese proverb with the same meaning to translate it. In this situation, we should use free translation method.For example, “Choose a wife on a Saturday rather than a Sunday”. (包通法徐洁，2002).If we translate it literally like this, “择妻宜在星期六，不宜在星期日”, it is very difficult for our Chinese people to understand it, because this proverb implies British religious custom. In Britain, people believe Christianity, every Sunday people will take off their working suits, and put on their best beautiful clothes going to the church to do church, and “a Saturday” means the working days. This proverb implies that when people choose girlfriend, he should pay attention to her usual behaviors rather than her beautiful appearance. So if we translate it according to its connotation like this, 择妻宜重德，不可只重貌 /择妻看平时，不宜重衣着, it is easier for our Chinese people to understand it.There are many English proverbs translated freely. For example： a. Two can play the game. 孤掌难鸣。b. New broom sweeps clean. 新官上任三把火。c. The grass is greener on the other side of the hill. 这山望着那山高。d. Putting the cart before the horse. 本末倒置。e. A little bait catches a large fish. 本大利小。f. There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with cream. 别在一棵树上吊死。g. Love me little, love me long. 细水长流爱最甜。h. The best friends must apart. 天下没有不散的宴席。i. 塞翁失马焉知非福?A loss may turn out to be a gain.j. 天有不测风云。Sometimes unexpected may happen anytimek. 一心不可二用。If you run after two hares, you will catch neither.l. 仇人见面，分外眼红。When enemies meet, they recognize each other clearly.m. 偷鸡不成反蚀把米。Go for cool and come home shim.3.3. Combination of Literal and Free TranslationWhen translating English proverbs, we will find a problem that some English proverbs have complicated historical and cultural backgrounds. If we adopt literal translation method, it can express the proverbs literal meaning, but it can not expres