汉语成语英译

TranslationofChineseIdiomsUltimategoal•Thegoaloftranslationistostriveforculturalcoexistenceandcommunication.That’swhywehavetotryhardtoretaintheoriginalculturalflavorbykeepingtheformalelementsorlinguisticimageoftheoriginal.Butbecauseofthegreatdisparitybetweenlanguages,theculturalflavorissometimesveryhardtoretain.Asaresult,suchculturalcoexistencecannotalwaysbeachieved.Atsuchoccasions,wehavetoturntoculturalsupplementationorculturalintegration.Thegeneraltechniques•Thegeneraltechniques:•directliteralrendering,•free(liberal)translation,•annotation,•replacementwiththetargetidioms.•(直译、意译、直译加注释、意译加注释、套译等方法)对牛弹琴•Directtranslation:•toplayatuneforacow,•toplaythelutetoacow,（harp）•liberaltranslation:•toreasonwithstubbornpeople•ortalkingtothewrongaudience•toaddressthewronglistener,•replacingwithEnglishidioms:•tocastorthrowpearlsbeforeaswine•topreachtodeafears班门弄斧•towieldaxatthedoorofLuBan•——afamouscarpenterinancientChina;•toshowoffone’scarpentryskillbeforeamaster,•todisplayone’sslightskillsbeforeanexpert•toteachfishhowtoswim;•toteachone’sgrandmahowtosuckeggsPrinciplesofIdiomTranslation1.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Directtranslation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）Thisaddedfueltothefireoftheoldlady’sanger.“Whoorderedcoffins?”shescreamed.(杨宪益、戴乃迭译)（2）directtranslationwithnotes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)•“CanthisbeanotherabsurdmaidandcomestoburyflowerslikeTaiYu?”Hewonderedinsomeamusement.“Ifso,she’sTungShihimitatingHsiShih,(HsiShihwasafamousbeautyintheancientkingdomofYieh.Tungshihwasanuglygirlwhotriedtoimitateherway)whichisn’toriginalbutrathertiresome.”Semantictranslation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Semantictranslation意译•1）东施效颦•crudeimitationwithludicrouseffect•2)南柯一梦•afonddreamorillusoryjoy•3)初出茅庐•atthebeginningofone’scareer•4）毛遂自荐•tovolunteerone’sservice•5）悬梁刺股•tobeextremelyhard-workinginone’sstudyexamples•人大会议应向毛遂自荐者敞开大门.•TheNationalPeople’scongressshouldbeopentothosewhovolunteertoattendthemeeting.•他初出茅庐，就知道三分天下。•Thoughatthebeginningofhiscareer,hecouldalreadyseetheempirewouldbedividedintothreestates.•原来主角是个初出茅庐的小白.•Theleadingplayerturnsouttobeagreenhandwithhisoperationatthebeginninglevel.•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）•IsTanChao-tisomesacredbeingthatnoonedarestooffend?ButIdare,evenifyou’reademigod!(A.C.Barnes译)（4）naturalization:replacementofthe套译法•1)孤注一掷•topullallone’seggsoutofone’sbasket(鸡蛋篮子)•2)出尔反尔•blowhotandcold（热气冷气）•3）无稽之谈•anoldwoman’stale(老太太的…)exercises•她经常在邻里之间搬弄是非。(sowdiscord,makemischief,telltales)•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,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(likeadogrelyingonthestrengthofitsmaster’spower/beabullywiththebackingofapowerfulman.•ItisonlyforHerLadyship’ssakeandbecauseyouareoldthatIcallyou“nurse”,butlikeadogcountingonitsmaster’sbacking,youarealwaysmakingtrouble.•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）•Iknowtheyounglady,andsheisvirtuous,gentleandbeautiful.BecauseMr.andMrs.Luhavenoson,thisgirlist•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）•Thiswashardlysurprising,asshehadbeenadoredbyhermother,theprincessroyal,whohadalwaysletherhaveherownway.(PaulWhite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。•ThereisanoldChinesesaying,“Howcanyoucatchtigercubswithoutenteringthetiger’slair?”.Thissayingholdstrueforman’spracticeanditalsoholdstrueforthetheoryofknowledge.•不入虎穴,焉得虎子?我决定冒险进去看看。•Nothingventured,nothinghad.Idecidedtotaketheriskingoinginsidetohavealook.•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:Standingby(lookon)withfoldedarms•守株待兔:standbyastump(树桩)waitingformoreharestocomeanddashthemselvesagainstit.Waitforawindfall;•隔岸观火lookonsb’stroublewithindifference•Beforetheissueofcarveoutboardstocks,thebestattitudeshouldbewaitandsee.You’dbetterstandbywithindifferenceandwaitforgains.