英语隐喻习语的汉译策略毕业设计论文.doc

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题目： 英语隐喻习语的汉译策略

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English-Chinese Translation Strategies for Metaphorical Idioms

by
XXX

Under the Supervision of
XXXX

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

School of Foreign Studies
Shandong University of Finance and Economics
Jan 2016

B. A. Thesis of Shandong University of Finance and Economics

Acknowledgements

Upon the completion of the thesis, first of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor Prof. Li Wentao, for his enlightening guidance, incessant encouragement and careful modification throughout the process of writing this thesis. Without his patience and prudence, I could not have brought my thesis to its present form.

X. X.

ABSTRACT

English-Chinese Translation Strategies
for Metaphorical Idioms

XXXX

Idiom is the essence of language. Metaphorical idiom is a crucial part of English idioms and it plays an important role in daily communication. Correctly understanding and using metaphorical idioms can develop students’ English level and expand their range of knowledge.
Metaphor, embodied through culture，appears frequently in translation, which enjoys a high status in cultural exchange. While translating metaphors，translators help the target language readers to receive as much information as the source language readers can，trying to keep the original imagery and cultural elements.
Through the analysis on Chinese translation of English metaphorical idioms，this paper focuses on improving the English learners’ cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication ability to convey rich cultural and semantic meaning to target language readers.

Keywords: metaphorical idiom; foreignization; domestication; literal translation; free translation; metonymy translation

摘要

英语隐喻习语的汉译策略

XXX

隐喻习语是习语的重要组成部分，在我们日常的交流中扮演了重要的角色,正确的理解并使用隐喻习语可以提高英语学习能力和扩展知识面。
隐喻由文化体现出来，在语言翻译中出现的频率很高。隐喻的翻译在文化交流中具有举足轻重的地位。在隐喻翻译的过程中，翻译者应该帮助目标语读者获取和源语读者同等的信息，并且保持原文的意象及其文化要素。
本文通过对英语隐喻习语的汉译进行分析研究,以提高英语学习者的文化意识和跨文化交际能力,并向目标语读者传达丰富的文化和语义。

关键词：隐喻习语；归化；异化；直译；意译；类比翻译

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………………...
ii
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………….
iii
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
1
Chapter One Idioms and Metaphor Idioms in English……………………………………………….
2
I. English Idioms…………………………………………………………………………………
2
II. Metaphor Idioms……………………………………………………………………………...
2
III. Characteristics of English Metaphorical Idioms……………………………………………..
3
Chapter Two Metaphorical Idioms in English-Chinese Translation……………………………………
4
I. Importance of Metaphorical Idioms Translation………………………………………………
4
II. Similarities and Differences between Chinese and English Metaphorical Idioms…………...
4
Chapter Three English-Chinese Translation Strategies for Metaphorical Idioms ……………………
7
I. Literal Translation…………...………………………………………………………………...
8
II. Free Translation………………………………………………………………………………
9
III. Foreignization……..…………………………………………………………………………
11
IV. Domestication……..…………………………………………………………………………
12
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………
15
References……………………………………………………………………………………………….
16

v

Introduction

Idioms play a very important role in language and culture. They are usually regarded as the essence of languages with simple structures but extraordinary implications. The effect of idioms in expression is “1+1>>2”. How to translate idioms accurately and smoothly is very crucial for intercultural communication. The main difficulty in Chinese translation of English idioms is the large numbers of metaphors contained in. Therefore, the study of English metaphorical idioms is very valuable.
Idioms are considered as the essence of English language, meanwhile metaphorical idioms are the basic of the idioms. Learning English involves the study of metaphors of English idioms; how to translate idioms in a correct and vivid way is the key issues in translation. In listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation, metaphors play a role that cannot be ignored. However, the idioms cast a barrier in English learning and translating, because of the different cultures attribute to differences on historical background, religious beliefs, geographic location, customs and habits. Most of idioms cannot be translated literaturally, as the whole meaning of idioms is usually much broader than the sum of single meaning of each word. Thus it is especially significant to know the characteristics and the semantics of the English language and to explore translation tricks and methods. Therefore, this paper will analyze the concepts and features of metaphorical idioms firstly. And from cognitive and cultural difference between English and Chinese, the author will have a further discussion on the translation of idioms. It will be helpful to the study of English idioms and its translation undoubtedly.
Chapter One
Idioms and Metaphor Idioms in English

I. English Idioms
“An English idiom is a group of words with a meaning of its own that is different from the meanings of each separate word put together.”(Collins English Chinese Dictionary，2008). The figurative meaning is comprehended in regard to a common use of the expression that is separated from the literal meaning or definition of the words. Idioms are numerous and they occur frequently in all languages. It is estimated that there are at least 25,000 idiomatic expressions in English language.
Idioms are the essence of English language and they have unique semantic structure and cultural features. Understanding idioms’ features from a multi-dimensional perspective can help English learners well understand English idioms and translate them into Chinese appropriately.
II. Metaphor Idioms
“Metaphor is an imaginative way of describing something by referring to something else which is the same in a particular way.”(Collins English Chinese Dictionary, 2008) Both this “something” that is metaphorically described and “something else” that is used to take the place of “one thing” have many names. For example, “tenor” and “vehicle” (Newmark, 1982), “focus” and “frame” (Max Black, 1962), “primary subject” and “secondary subject” (Max Black, 1979), “object” and “image” (Newmark, 1982), and “target domain” and “source domain” (Newmark, 2001:104) are used in connection with metaphors. The two components of metaphor come together to reach a point of similarity or resemblance (simile and metaphor), a point of representation (metonymy and synecdoche), a point of deduction (models), or a point of allusion, which illustrates the deep structure of human thinking----linking one thing with another.
The creation of metaphor is based upon the psychological activity of association of one thing with another, and those forms might be similarity, resemblance or comparison, etc. It is not only a linguistic phenomenon but also a psychological process. “Metaphor is in fact based on a scientific observable procedure. The perception of a resemblance between phenomenon, i.e. object or processes.” (Bassnett&Levefere, 1990:104)
III. Characteristics of English Metaphorical Idioms
i. Retaining Specific Imagery
The meaning of metaphorical idioms is expressed through a specific imagery, like “dog eat dog”. It uses dog as the imagery to represent “ruthless competition (残酷无情的竞争；自相残杀)”. So we use the specific imagery to visualize the idioms thus to be well accepted by readers.
ii. Achieving Semantic Coherence
Another important characteristic of metaphorical idioms is the semantic coherence. The meaning of metaphorical idioms is not the sum of individual words that make up the idiom, but a new one. For example, “cat burglar”, which means burglar who enters houses by climbing up walls, drain-pipes, etc.
Chapter Two
Metaphorical Idioms in English-Chinese Translation

I. Importance of Metaphorical Idioms Translation
Translation is the first step for the communication between different languages, which actually takes on the communication between different cultures. The metaphorical idioms in different languages demonstrate the unique/similar culture characters. Generally, to transmit the information hiding in those characters of different cultures is the most practical task of the translation. Also, it is the criterion to measure the level of translation. Ignoring those characters in translation will lost the aesthetic perception of a language and lead to the misunderstanding in communication. The metaphorical idioms were figured by different geographical locations, different historical traditions, different economic conditions, etc. Those resources increase the difficulty of the translation of metaphorical idioms in different languages. As a matter of a fact, any strategy or tricks cannot be used individually to express the whole meaning of idioms completely. How to translate metaphorical idioms entirely, correctly and graceful, is the key issue in translation, practically and theoretically.

II. Similarities and Differences between Chinese and English Metaphorical Idioms
i. Similarities
From the same human nature not only in western but also in estern, the usage of language is similar between Chinese and English. Focus on metaphorical idioms, there are some homologous characters both in English and Chinese, as the human life and the process of social development, thinking pattern and cognitive style in China and English speaking countries are similar to a certain degree.
Besides the retaining specific imagery and achieving semantic coherence just mentioned above, the metaphor logic of both languages is same in many expressions. For example, expressing a help in time, “雪中送炭” is a traditional expression in Chinese, at the same time “offer fuel in snowy weather” also express the same meaning. The reason may be that a timely help could warm one’s heart always. And that comes from the humanity.
Due to the similarities between Chinese and English metaphorical idioms, some idioms could be translated literally into Chinese. It is the simple trick in English-Chinese translation, which will be mentioned in the next Chapter.
ii. Differences
To study the translation of English idioms in to Chinese, we need to understand the differences of cultural connotation between Chinese idioms and English idioms. “Culture is a complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” (Wikipedia) In general, idioms are closely linked to a specific culture like historical background, religion, geographical location, customs, and so on. All of these elements will greatly influence on the forms and meanings of idioms in the particular environment.
Different from the English speaking countries, China, an ancient nation with 3,000 years of feudal history, has never experienced a capitalist society. Because of the influence of the feudal mentality on Chinese people in the last 3,000 years, Chinese idioms are full of ethnic color and have a distinct cultural identity. For example, “三纲五常” comes from the feudal ethics, in which the “Three Basic Rules” demand that a king should rule over his ministers, a father should rule over his son and a husband should rule over his wife. In general, they refer to benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and fidelity (连淑能, 2006: 334). That is what the ancient Chinese people must obey in ancient time.
China is a polytheistic country, and the traditional Chinese philosophy was a mixture influenced by Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism, which is different from the Christian culture and Western philosophy of English speaking countries. Take “三生有幸” as an example. “According to Buddhism, there are three lives for a person, the life before birth, the present life and the life after death, to be fortunate in the three lives.” (程同春, 2005: 336-337) Hence, this idiom means “to be exceedingly fortunate” or “rare good luck”. There are also other examples, such as “借花献佛”, “闲时不烧香, 临时抱佛脚”, “立地成佛”and so on. Besides Buddhism, we can also find some idioms related to Confucianism and Taoism. For example, the idiom “三教九流” in the ancient time are three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and Nine Schools of Thought which were the primary schools during the Hundred Schools of Thought period of China during the Eastern Zhou dynasty.“Later it comes to mean different schools of religion and learning or various occupations. It is also used to denote various gangs or shady characters at the bottom of society.” (程同春, 2005: 336)
The formation of culture is inseparable from geographical environment. Britain is an island nation. The maritime industry and fisheries in U.K. played an important role in its economy. As a result, they generated a lot of idioms with navigation and fishing-related industry. For example, “spend money like water” means waste money. However, China is a land-based nation with a long history of agriculture. For thousands of years Chinese people mainly live on agriculture, and the linkage between people and land is indivisible. Therefore, the land-based productive activities and economic activities are also reflected in Chinese language, producing many farming-related idioms and proverbs, like “五谷丰登”, which means a bumper grain harvest.
Customs and habits are reflections of a specific cultural awareness. The imagery of the same animal may cause different understanding between Chinese people and Westerners, as the feelings towards the same animal imagery may not be the same. For example, the imagery of rabbit is a symbol of agility in the eyes of the Chinese people. We say, “静如处子，动如脱兔”. But to Westerners, the rabbit is a symbol of timidity, so they have “as timid as a hare”. Instead, we Chinese use the imagery of mouse to describe a coward, like “胆小如鼠”.
Chapter Three
English-Chinese Translation Strategies for Metaphorical Idioms

The study of metaphor as a figure of speech has a history over 2000 years and comprehensive research works spring up like mushrooms. However, the framework of the m