汉语成语英译

1、Translation of Chinese Idioms,Ultimate goal,The goal of translation is to strive for cultural coexistence and communication. Thats why we have to try hard to retain the original cultural flavor by keeping the formal elements or linguistic image of the original. But because of the great disparity bet

2、ween languages, the cultural flavor is sometimes very hard to retain. As a result, such cultural coexistence can not always be achieved. At such occasions, we have to turn to cultural supplementation or cultural integration.,The general techniques,The general techniques: direct literal rendering, fr

3、ee (liberal) translation, annotation, replacement with the target idioms. (直译、意译、直译加注释、意译加注释、套译等方法),对牛弹琴,Direct translation: to play a tune for a cow, to play the lute to a cow, （ harp） liberal translation: to reason with stubborn people or talking to the wrong audience to address the wrong listener

4、, replacing with English idioms: to cast or throw pearls before a swine to preach to deaf ears,班门弄斧,to wield ax at the door of Lu Ban a famous carpenter in ancient China; to show off ones carpentry skill before a master, to display ones slight skills before an expert to teach fish how to swim; to te

5、ach ones grandma how to suck eggs,Principles of Idiom Translation,1. 以对上下文的理解作为选择译法的依据 2. 译“意”而非译“字” 3. 认识汉语行文特点，适当“清理”（重复信息），以适应英语习惯 4. 正确使用汉英词典, 忌讳就词译词，忌讳死查汉英词典,Direct translation,贾母听了，如火上浇油一般，便骂：“是谁做了棺椁？” （曹雪芹 红楼梦第二十五回） This added fuel to the fire of the old ladys anger. “Who ordered coffins?” sh

6、e screamed. (杨宪益、戴乃迭 译),（2）direct translation with notes 直译加注释,“难道这也是个痴丫头,又像颦儿来葬花不成?”因又自笑道:“若真也葬花,可谓东施效颦了;不但不为新奇,而是更加可厌。”(红楼梦) 第34 回) “Can this be another absurd maid and comes to bury flowers like Tai Yu?” He wondered in some amusement. “If so, shes Tung Shih imitating Hsi Shih, (Hsi Shih was a fam

7、ous beauty in the ancient kingdom of Yieh. Tung shih was an ugly girl who tried to imitate her way) which isnt original but rather tiresome. ”,Semantic translation意译,1）东施效颦 2) 南柯一梦 3) 初出茅庐 4）毛遂自荐 5）悬梁刺股,Semantic translation意译,1）东施效颦 crude imitation with ludicrous effect 2) 南柯一梦 a fond dream or illus

8、ory joy 3) 初出茅庐 at the beginning of ones career 4）毛遂自荐 to volunteer ones service 5）悬梁刺股 to be extremely hard-working in ones study,examples,人大会议应向毛遂自荐者敞开大门. The National Peoples congress should be open to those who volunteer to attend the meeting. 他初出茅庐，就知道三分天下。 Though at the beginning of his career

9、, he could already see the empire would be divided into three states. 原来主角是个初出茅庐的小白. The leading player turns out to be a green hand with his operation at the beginning level.,谭招弟碰不得吗？你是三头六臂，我也敢碰。（周而复 上海的早晨 第一部第三十四章） Is Tan Chao- ti some sacred being that no one dares to offend? But I dare, even if

10、youre a demigod! (A.C. Barnes 译),（4）naturalization: replacement of the 套译法,1) 孤注一掷 to pull all ones eggs out of ones basket (鸡蛋篮子) 2) 出尔反尔 blow hot and cold （热气冷气） 3）无稽之谈 an old womans tale (老太太的),exercises,她经常在邻里之间搬弄是非。(sow discord, make mischief, tell tales) 这些问题盘根错节，三言两语说不清楚。,我不过看着太太的面子上, 你又有年纪,

11、叫你一声妈妈, 你就狗仗人势, 天天作耗, 专管生事。(第七十四回) 狗仗人势 (like a dog relying on the strength of its masters power / be a bully with the backing of a powerful man. It is only for Her Ladyships sake and because you are old that I call you “nurse ”, but like a dog counting on its masters backing, you are always making

12、trouble.,这位小姐，德行温良，才貌出众。鲁老先生和夫人，因无子息，爱如掌上之珠。（吴敬梓 儒林外史第十回） I know the young lady, and she is virtuous, gentle and beautiful. Because Mr. and Mrs. Lu have no son, this girl is t,这也难怪，自幼被长公主当做掌上明珠，不让她受一点委屈，久而久之，也就养成了这种性格。（徐飞凤求凰第七章） This was hardly surprising, as she had been adored by her mother, the p

13、rincess royal, who had always let her have her own way. (Paul White 译) （舍弃形象）,中国有句古话:“不入虎穴, 焉得虎子”, 这句话对于人们的实践是真理, 对于认识论也是真理。 There is an o ld Chinese saying, “How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tigers lair?”. This saying holds t rue for mans practice and it also holds t rue for the theory of knowledge.,不入虎穴, 焉得虎子? 我决定冒险进去看看。 Nothing ventured, nothing had. I decided to take the risk in going inside to have a look.,所以在创业板上市之前采取的办法最好是观望态度，袖手旁观，守株待兔，隔岸观火。 袖手旁观: Standing by (look on) with folded arms 守株待兔: stand by a stump(树桩)waiting for more hares to come and dash themselves a