从英译《红楼梦》俗语浅析语言迁移对翻译的影响.doc

毕 业 论 文Impacts of Language Transfer on Translation From the English Translation of Chinese Old Sayings in Dream of Red Mansions从英译红楼梦俗语浅析语言迁移对翻译的影响教务处 制 Abstract: Language transfer can be defined as the impact on new knowledge learning from original knowledge that already existed in our mind，which experienced a long period of development, from the domination of behaviorist point of view to prevalent of mentalist point of view and to influence of cognitive point of view. Translation is the process of exchanging information between language 1(L1) and language 2(L2), which inevitable impacted by language transfer. This paper aims to research the impact on translation from language transfer, as well as how to select the translation skills and strategies on the basis of the old sayings in Dream of Red Mansions. The discussion of translation methods and strategies could help teachers guide students to improve the negative transfer actively, to avoid negative transfer in the process of translation teaching. Key words: language transfer；positive transfer; negative transfer; translation; idiom ContentsChapterOne .1Introduction .11.1 Research Motivation.11.2 Research Objectives11.3 Organization of the Thesis1Chapter Two Language Transfer and Translation22.1 Language Transfer2 2.1.1 Historical Development of the Study of Language2 2.1.2 Definition3 2.1.3 Major Elements That Affect Language Transfer32.2 Translation5 2.2.1 Definition of Translation5 2.2.2 Translation Strategies6 2.2.3 Major Elements That Affect Translation7 2.2.4 Contrast of Ways of Thinking Between Chinese and English.8Chapter Three Impacts of Language Transfer on Translation93.1 Impacts of Positive Transfer on Translation9 3.1.1 Impacts of Positive Transfer on Translation From the Perspective of Linguistic Characteristics.10 3.1.2 Impacts of Positive Transfer on Translation Fom the Perspective of Thinking Methods10 3.1.3 Impacts of Positive Transfer on Translation From the Perspective of Culture10 3.1.4 Impacts of Positive Transfer on Translation Methods and Strategies.113.2 Impacts of Negative Transfer on Translation11 3.2.1 Impacts of Negative Transfer on Translation From the Perspective of Linguistic Characteristics11 3.2.2 Impacts of Negative Transfer on Translation From the Perspective of Thinking Methods13 3.2.4 Impacts of Negative Transfer on Translation Methods.16Chapter Four Conclusion174.1 Choosing of Translation Methods and Strategies Under the Impact of Language Transfer.174.2 Methods to Promote Positive Transfer174.2.1 Strengthen Students Basic Level of Foreign Language.174.2.2 Create Appropriate Condition and Use Method of Comparative Analysis.174.2.3 Bridge the Gap Between Language and Culture.17Bibliography.19 Acknowledgement.20Chapter one Introduction The chapter is an introductory one briefing the present study. The motivation of this study is first presented. In the second section, research objectives are stated. And the organization of the thesis is presented in the final section.1.1 Research MotivationWith the implement of Chinas opening and reform and the development of foreign trade, the activities of translation become more and more important. Translation is not just a process of language communication, but a way of thinking and cultural exchanges. On the one hand, every language, increasing with time and experience, help to shape and form of the way of things and culture. On the other hand, ways of thinking patterns and cultural characteristics also contribute to generate various models of language. Therefore, the translation process is influenced by two languages, while learning a second language bear deeply impact from language transfer. This brings the feasibility of the study of the impact on translation from language transfer.1.2 Research Objectives Based on the language transfer and old sayings in Dream of Red Mansions, this study examines whether the English learners are interfered by Chinese when they dealing with translation.（1） To explore how language transfer impact translation（2） To explore how could we choose translation methods and strategies when encounter with the impact on translation from language transfer（3） To give some advices of how to promote positive transfer.1.3 Organization of the ThesisThis thesis has four chapters. Chapter one gives a brief introduction to this whole thesis. Chapter two provides the theoretical knowledge. The first part of chapter two is relevant theories of language transfer. The second part of chapter two is of translation. Chapter three is concerned with the empirical study conducted in this study. Chapter four is the concluding part, in which the findings and suggestion are presented.Chapter Two Language Transfer and Translation In foreign language learning, the impact on target language from native language called “language transfer”. （赵松，2010）Translation, which involved in the process of information conversion of two languages, would be easily impacted by language transfer. With the impact of native culture and thinking at different degree, translator would leave clear traces of mother tongue in their production.2.1 Language Transfer 2.1.1 The Historical Development of the Study of Language Transfer Domination for Behaviorist Point of View Early language transfer research can be tracked back to the 1940s and 1950s. The first two influential people: Charles C. Fries and Robert Lado. Fries(1945:9) pose the issue from the angle of the compilation of teaching materials and formulate the important of contrastive analyses. He states that: “The most efficient materials are those based upon a scientific description of the language to be learned, carefully compared with a parallel description of the native language of the learner” (1945:9).Robert Lado proposed a rigorous model: “Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) (Lado, 1957) based on this assumption will find some features of it quite easy and others extremely difficult. Those elements that are similar to his native language will be simple for him, and those elements that are different will be difficult” (1957:2).During 1950s, language transfer was always integrated with behaviorism, and then became the theoretical basis of comparative analysis. For one thing, the behaviorist understanding of transfer often implies the extinction of early habits. For another，transfer is viewed as mother tongue interference.In other words, the acquisition of a second language is totally separated from learners primary language. This and other considerations suggest that behaviorism may never have been relevant to the study of transfer (Odlin, 1989:33). Prevalence of Mentalist Point of ViewFrom the late 1960s to the 1970s, the influence of Chomskys linguistic theory replaced the behaviorists view. Chomsky (1965:5) advocates a strong version of the innateness hypothesis. He argues that children are born with a specific and unique kind of knowledge which equips them for language learning. This knowledge is embodied in a mechanism called a language acquisition device. He believes that a child must be predisposed to learn any language as a native language and the Language Acquisition Device must contain language universals. He then seeks to identify linguistic universals by the in-depth study of a single language. He argues that only in this way is it possible to discover the highly abstract principles of grammar that constrain the form of any specific grammar. He refers to these principles as Universal Grammar. Therefore, following Chomskys attack on behaviorism, its drawbacks were exposed gradually and the function of language transfer phenomena were treated coldly and ignored and the role of L1 were played down. This minimalist view of L1 transfer, however, has not withstood the test of time (Ellis, 2000:18). Influence of Cognitive Point of View During the mid-to-late 1970s, researchers turn their attention on the determination of how and when learners used their L1 and on explanations for the phenomena. Little by little, the study of language transfer has come into a cognitive period. The word language transfer did not merely refer to the mechanical transfer from L1 to L2. It was treated as a kind of important learning strategy in Second Language Acquisition, a complicated cognitive procedure that is influenced by various factors. Ellis points out that one clear advance in transfer research has been the reconceptualization of the influence of the L1; in behaviorist accounts it was seen as an impediment (a cause of errors), whereas in cognitive accounts it is viewed as a resource which the learner actively draws in interlanguage development. The positive role of language transfer in SLA has gradually been acknowledged.From the development of language transfer, we could find that the impact on the acquisition of second language from language transfer is very important. Although different scholars has different opinions about the proposition of its positive and negative aspect, we cant deny that it play a very critical role in the process of language learning.2.1.2 Definition Discussions of language transfer are considered to begin with the work of American linguists in the 1940s and 1950s. Serious thinking about the influence of cross-linguistics dates back to a controversy in historical linguists in the 19th century, whose primary interests are not in second language acquisition or language teaching, but rather language classification and language change. Weinreich (1953:9) have discussed the interference phenomenon in phoneme, vocabulary, grammar and other aspects in language in the process of performing two kinds of languages. In 1957, U.S. Linguist Robert Lach elaborated in his book cross-cultural study of linguistics: “Learners always migrant the structure，meaning and word order of his or her own ancestral language and culture to foreign ones.”(1957:16) In his definition, language transfer means that learners migrant the language form，meaning and associating cultures to the process of the acquisition of second language.Odlin(1989)comment：Transfer is the influence resulting from the similarities and the differences between the target language and any other language that has been previously(and perhaps imperfectly)acquired. In his definition, the language that has been acquired refers to native language. The transfer caused by the similarities of native language and target language called “positive transfer”, on the contrast, the not properly migration knowledge of native language to target language called “negative transfer”(1989:27).2.1.3 Major Elements That Affect Language TransferThere are two kinds of factors would influence the type and amount of the language transfer: learner-based factors and language-based factors. Learner based-factors are more individual and largely depend on how and where the learner has acquired the second language. how the learner views and perceives target language from the native language is a factor both relating to the learner-based and language-based factors. Learner-Based Elements.1 Language Awareness“Language awareness is the special cognitive state toward new language in the process of second-language learning.”(Odlin,1989:78).The learners language awareness plays an important role in his language performance and acquisition. Linguistic awareness can be acquired and is more related to the educational background. While linguistic awareness is mainly conscious, our mind does often make linguistic identification on an unconscious level..2 Amount of Target Language Exposure and UseThis factor interacts with the learners age and with the learners proficiency. It tends to be defined in terms with the amount of L2 instruction. Amount of exposure has a strong effect on the likelihood of both positive and negative language transfer and is one of the reasons why the young is better principle is not always reliable guideline (Odlin, 1989).In the process of acquiring second language, transfer is manifested at various levels, such as lexis, syntax and discourse. The effective ways to get around L1 interference is the increase of inputting knowledge of second language so as to enhance awareness of the right target language form..3 Proficiency and Stage of Learning Ringbom (1987) considers stage of learning to be one of major factors. At the early stage of learning, the role of first language is more important than it is at more advanced level. The individual characteristics of learner as well as the individual style of learning all have effect on the learners production. Therefore, proficiency is one of the factors determining the likelihood of language transfer..4 Social and Educational Background As all language acquisition takes place in social environment, it is evident that some social backgrounds make an important role in cross-linguistic influence. Taron (1982) examined social-linguistic factors and came to the conclusion that cross-linguistic influence from first language is more evident when learners pay more attention to how they speak as they are using all their potential resources. This is rather surprising claim as it could be thought the more careful the learner is in his or her production, the more he or she is paying attention to the rules and lexicons of a particular language and therefore less cross-linguistic influence would arise. Language-Based Elements .1 Language Level Language level refers to the common belief that transfer appears more frequently and noticeably at the level of phonology, lexis, and discourse than grammar. Ellis (1997:11) considers the above to be the most important findings in explaining the learners errors. Learners more developed meta-linguistic awareness of grammar could be one of the reasons why cross-linguistic influence does not seem to be as frequent at grammatical level. In the classroom environment, learners are often exposed to grammatical rules and it seems that the grammar is the area of language learning, which is given most attention..2 Language Distance Language distance could be regarded as linguistic, meaning and actual difference between the languages, or as psycholinguistic, meaning the learners assumption of the degree of difference (Eliss, 1994). Kellerman used term pychotypology to refer to the language distance. He refers to the perception of the second language and distance from the first language is pychotypology. According to him, transferability depends on the perceived distance between the first language and second language and the structural organization of learners first language. Hence, the perception of linguistic distance and the perception of the transferability can prove to be two important factors in second language learning..3 ProductionOdlin (1989) identifies four types of negative transfer: underproduction, overproduction, production errors and misinterpretation.Underproduction is what is often seen as avoidance due to language distance and occurs when learner produces very few or no examples of a target language structure.Overproduction is what can often result from the underproduction, namely relating to our previous example the avoidance of relative clauses leads to the use of too many simple sentences.Production errors Odlin (1989:28) names substitutions, calques, and alternation of structures. According to him, substitutions involve the use of native language forms in the target language production, and are therefore what is often seen as borrowing. Calques are errors that reflect a native language structure and often do so very closely and alternation of structures is seen in hypercorrection.Misinterpretation is what Odlin sees as the influence of the first language structures in the interpretation of target language messages. This may occur when word order patterns of the two languages are different..4 Lexical Transfer Cross-linguistic influence on the lexical is often more obvious and easier to notice than influence on grammar. It is worth pointing out that lexical transfer is not always negative. In fact, it is generally more beneficial than transfer at level of phonology or syntax. Ringbom (1983) notes that cognates (cognates are words with similarly formed translation equivalents in the L2) can be extremely helpful to L2 learners, leading to positive transfer. Transfer can also manifest itself in indirect forms such as avoidance and under-representation of lexical expressions..5 Linguistic FactorsAffective factors such as attitude or motivation are inherently unlikely to affect the sequence of development, though clearly they may determine the rate of development. But the situation of the