中英文化差异与翻译

EnglishandChineseCulturalDifferencesAndTranslation•Becauseofthedifferencesingeography,history,religionandbeliefs,customsetc,EnglishandChinesetranslationarecloselyconnectedwithculturesandtraditions,andtheyreflectdifferentnationalcharacteristicsandareloadedwithrichculturalinformation.•一.Culturaldifferences•Translationmaintainsclosetieswithpeople'slifeandtheculturewheretheyarecreatedandused.•1):AsChinahasalonghistoryofagriculture,alargenumberofidiomsrelatedtoagriculturehavebeeninuse.e.g.（1）骨瘦如柴——beleanasarake（2）对牛弹琴——castpearlsbeforeswine(3）众人拾柴火焰高——Manyhandsmakelightwork•2):Livingonanisland,theEnglisharekeenonsailingandtraveling,theEnglishlanguageaboundsinidiomsconnectedwithnavigation.•e.g.(1)allatsea——茫然不知所措•(2)inthesameboat——处境相同•(3)sinkorswim——靠自己在人世间沉浮，不管成败如何•(4)takethewindoutofsomebody'ssail——先发制人地占某人上风•(5)tokeepone'sheadabovewater——奋力图存•(6)totideover——顺利度过•二.Differencesofcustoms•IDifferencesofcustomsaremulti-sided,ofwhichthemosttypicaloneistheattitudetowardssuchanimalsasthedog,thecat,etc.Takethedogforexample.•1):InChina,thedogisofahumblestatus.MostoftheChineseidiomsconcerningwithdogsareusedinaderogatorysense,usuallydescribingwickedpersons,thoughthenumbersofpetdogshaveincreased.•e.g.（1）狗腿子——lackey•（2）狗杂种——bastard•（3）狗崽子——sonofabitch•（4）狗胆包天——monstrousaudacity•（5）狗急跳墙——Aconcernedbeastwilldosomethingdesperate.•2):IntheeyesoftheEnglish,thedogisalovelypet,afaithfulfellowandisregardedasman'sbestfriend.AlthoughsomeotherlanguagesexertpassiveinfluencesoncertainEnglishidiomsconcernedwithdogs,suchasasurlydog(性情乖戾的人),inthedoghouse(名声扫地，theyalwaysshowsympathyandtenderaffectiontodogsratherthandisgustandevenhatred.•e.g.(1)aluckydog——幸运儿•(2)atopdog——左右全局的人，重要的人•(3)dielikeadog——悲惨地死去(4)asfaithfulasadog——像狗一样忠诚•(5)Everydoghashisday.——凡人皆有得意日。(6)Loveme,lovemydog.——爱屋及乌•三.Differencesinthoughts•Languageexpressesthoughts,whichinturnreflectsubjectiveimagination.Undertheinfluenceofdistinctculturalcustoms,eachpeoplereferstothesameconceptindifferentways,leadingtovariedimagination.•e.g.（1）天生有福——bornwithasilverspooninone'smouth•（2）一箭双雕，一举两得——tokilltwobirdsinonestone•（3）山中无老虎，猴子称霸王——Inthelandoftheblind,theone-eyedmanisking.•（4）胆小如鼠——astimidasarabbit•（5）如鱼得水——likeaducktowater•（6）水中捞月——tofishintheair•(7）蠢得像猪——asstupidasagoose•（8）挥金如土——tospendmoneylikewater•（9)掌上明珠——theappleofsomebody'seye•（10）健壮如牛——asstrongasahorse•四.Differencesinreligiousbeliefs•Religiousbeliefsproduceanimpactonpeople'slifeandmind,andontheEnglishandChineselanguagesaswell.•1)Buddhism,oneofthethreegreatreligionsintheworld,hasbeenpracticedinChinafornearly2,000years.ItisaChineseconvictionthatBuddhahascontrolofeverythingintheworld.Itisbelievedthatlifeisabedofbitternessandeverythingisempty.Itisnotnecessarytofeelnostalgicforthegoodolddays.OnecannotbefreeofworriesandanxietiesunlessheisatruthfulBuddhistandbevoidofalldesires.Sotherearemanyidiomsinthisregard.–e.g.借花献佛不看僧面,看佛面放下屠刀,立地成佛闲时不烧香,临时抱佛脚做一天和尚撞一天钟•2):WhileintheWesterncountries,especiallyinEnglandandAmerica,themajorityofpeopleareChristians,believingthatGodisthecreatorofeverythingandthemasteroftheworld.Jesus,theonlysonofGod,befallstheworldtosavethesinfulmen,who,canonlygotoHeavenbyfollowingtheteachingsofJesus,sincerelyprayingandrepentingtheirsins.Otherwise,theywillgotoHell.IdiomsconcernedwithGodarecountlessintheEnglishlanguage.•e.g.(1)Godhelpsthosewhohelpsthemselves.——自助者天助也。•(2)Godsendsfortunetofools.——傻人有傻福。•(3)Godisonthesideofthebigbattalions.——天助强者。•(4)Manproposes,Goddisposes.——谋事在人，成事在天。•五.Differencesinhistoricalevents•Thereisnolackofidiomsalludingtohistoricalevents.Suchidiomsaresimply-structuredbuthighlysignificant.Andtheycannotbejustunderstoodandtranslatedfromtheliteralmeaning.•e.g.东施效颦守株待兔掩耳盗铃亡羊补牢三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮•班门弄斧龟兔赛跑名落孙山叶公好龙解铃还须系铃人•MostofEnglishidiomsofhistoricalallusionscomefromtheBibleandGreekandRomanmythologies.•e.g(1)aPandora‘sbox——潘多拉之盒，灾难和祸害的根源•(2)thelostsheep——迷路的羔羊，比喻失足少年•(3)Judas'kiss——犹大的吻，比喻叛徒口蜜腹剑的可耻伎俩IV.ConclusionsTosumup,everypeoplepossessesherownuniqueculture,whichmakestheirwayofexpressionunique.Soidiomsofonepeopledifferfromthoseofanother,duetoculturaldifferences.HavingdiscussedtheculturaldifferencesreflectedinEnglishandChinesetranslation,aprincipleispresented,underwhichsomemethodsfollowtohandleculturaldifferencesintranslation.Andagoodjobintranslationissupposedtohaveathoroughunderstandingofculturaldifferencesandtocomprehensivelyutilizethemethodswithflexibility.