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1、The Cultural Differences and Translation of English and Chinese IdiomsAbstract This paper can be divided into two parts. The firstpart analyses chief cultural differences between English and Chinese idioms. And cultural differences between Chinese and English are due to different historical backgrou
2、nds, geographical features; living conditions and conventional customs. Only when people have a good survey of the above can we translate the idioms across the two cultures in a proper way. The second part mainly discusses some concrete methods dealing with cultural differences in translating idioms
3、 across the two languages.Key words cultural differences, ways of translation , Chinese and English idioms摘要 本文分为两部分。第一部分分析英汉习语之间的文化差异。以及由不同历史、地理、生活条件、风俗习惯所形成的文化差异。只有对以上因素有过很好的研究，才能以一种合适的方式透过两种文化对习语进行翻译。第二部分主要讨论些具体的方法来处理在翻译习语过程中的文化差异。关键词 文化差异，英汉习语, 翻译方法Content1. Introduction.12. Cultural differences
4、.2 2.1. Historical differences.2 2.2. Different psychological characters3 2.3. Different views of cultural values.3 2.4. Religion一cultural differences3 2.5. Living environment differences4 2.6. Conventional difference43. Concrete ways of translation.5 3.1. Literal translation.5 3.2. Liberal translat
5、ion.6 3.3. Additional translation.6 3.4. Transferred translation.74.Conclusion.85.Works cited.9. Introduction The thesis analyses the influence of cultural differences on Chinese and English idioms, then studies English-Chinese Chinese- English idiom translation from the angle of culture and aims to
6、 draw specific approaches to the problems of cultural transmission in idiom translation.The importance of studying idiom translation from the perspective of culture lies in the following aspects:First of all, studies of the cultural distinction in idiom translation are still relatively weak in the f
7、ield of translation in China. We know that cultural connotations engage in idioms. Exclusive research on the translation of idioms is still inappropriate and incomplete. In the last twenty years, idiom translation has mostly emphasized on the level of Interlingual communication, but cultural differe
8、nces were rarely involved in it. In 1998, Chen Ding-an wrote a book on comparison and translation of English and Chinese idioms, in which he used general translation strategies: literal translation, free translation, borrowed translation and additional translation and tried to find solutions in idio
9、m translation. It can be concluded that it is time for us to study idiom translation from the perspective of culture and researchers today are paying more attention to such studies.Secondly, it is inevitable that cultural transmission will affect the English-Chinese/ Chinese-English idioms translati
10、on. In the broad sense, culture and language are closely related to each other. Language is part of culture; it is also the carrier of culture. In the narrow sense, cultural differences have great influences on idiom translation. Idioms are culture-loaded linguistic symbols and we can find almost ev
11、ery aspect of national culture in idioms. Idioms are just like a huge mirror whereby we can see the kinds of cultural views of a nation. It is certain that the special difficulties for the translation of idioms will rise. Translation, in fact, is not only interlingual communication but also intercul
12、tural communication. A good translator is supposed to translate idioms underlying the culture.England and China have totally different cultures while their sources and development roads are distinctive. Having different living environments, social customs, religious beliefs and historical allusions,
13、 Chinese and English idioms loaded with cultural connotations are characterized by certain cultural terms. The idioms were endowed in the two different cultures and were brought about by cultural barriers for the receptors to comprehend and appreciate. In that case, a translator should consider the
14、cultural terms in idiom translation and make efforts to find the accurate solution underlying these terms. We can achieve “faithful” translation in that way. It means that we can manage the interpretation of both the semantic information and cultural connotations of idioms in question.Cultural diffe
15、rencesIdioms are special and fixed expressions in a certain language. Here what I want to talk about are sayings and by their concise, rich and vivid expressions, which were passed from generation to generation. They are indirect, humorous or serious. Due to geographical, historical: religious belie
16、f and living conventional differences. English and Chinese idioms bear different cultural features and information. They are closely related to cultural tradition. Based on my study, the differences across the two cultures are presented in the following aspects. 1. Historical differenceWhats the def
17、inition of history culture? History culture is formed by a specific history, development and historical legacy. They hive different historical orbits because Chinese and English are totally different culture system. History culture is composed of allusion, tradition. decrees and regulation, myth, po
18、ems, ancient books and records. Among them, allusion is the most important and national characteristics. Due to different historical culture,the produce of idioms usually different. In china, idioms about history culture come form history stories. These idioms are simple in structure but hard to und
19、erstand (Tylor 59). We cannot learn and translate them gust form the words literal meaning. We must fully .comprehend its culture connotation and make proper translation. But in English, idioms mainly come form bible stories and Rome mysterious. In this way, we must be familiar with them and make pr
20、oper translation. Such as Achilles heel(唯一的致命弱点)，meet ones waterloo(一败涂地). Penelopes web(永远完不成的工作).2. Different psychological charactersThe special psychological characters among the Chinese people who choose the stable life are on the basis ofbenevolence, practicalism, as well as patience. Therefor
21、e, they have the following awareness characterized by unity. They matter power but not fact, collectism but not individualism, benefit but not deep thought, morality but not effect, cooperation but not competition. On the countray, the westerners tend to be engrossed in complicated and loose psychol
22、ogical structure, which is characterized by human一centered thinking cognition and behavior.3. Different views of cultural valuesThe view of Chinese value has profound spirit of humanism. In which ones value of life is demonstrated by introspection and self一restraint. The Confucianism proposals empha
23、size that the lever of consciousness originates from morals that characterized the introversive side of Chinese people. Prof.Yangzhaoyang, a Chinese American, once believed that in an advertisement, the Chinese lay stress on the products quality and the concrete evidence, which can be traced to the
24、influence of Taoism: Buddhism and Confucianism ideas. Moreover, the influence of religious behavior that bears the fatalism color and entirety orientation which formed on the base of the concrete evidence. Conversely, the western people tend to一 be extroversive which pay attention to the external fo
25、rm of products and the sense effect.4. Religion一cultural differences Religion culture formed by religions belief and consciousness of different nation is the main component of human culture. It reflects different attitudes toward admiration and taboo of each nation. Chinese culture is deeply affecte
26、d by Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism among which the effect of Buddhism, which was brought in china one thousand years ago, is the most inveterate. So Chinese idioms obviously reflect the influence of Buddhism. And people born in china mainly believe that their life, death and everything are in th
27、e control of the Buddhist.Idioms about religion are also mainly related to Buddhism. But in western countries, especially in England and American: people mainly believe Christian. They believe that God controlled peoples everything. So many English idioms are closely related to Christianity. Such as
28、 Goal help those who help themselves, God to the hell(Boone 254).5. Living environment differencesThe presentation of idioms has always been related to humans work and their living experiences. British is an island country. Its seafaring has been going far ahead than any other countries in the histo
29、ry. So English idioms is much more related to water. For example, English people use spend money like water to express those who are waste of money. Instead. Chinese idioms are much more related to soil. Because the Chinese ancestors lived in Asian land and their life cannot be separated from the ea
30、rth. For example, Chinese do not usespend money like water but use spend money like dirt to describe ones waste of money. In Chinese culture east wind refers to wind in spring, the word hot always makes people think of summer. So Its hot as fire burns often be used to describe summer. On the country
31、, the sign of springs turning up in British, which located in the west half of the world with oceanic climate, is west wind. In English peoples eyes, summer is a very good season. So such words lovely gentle and pretty often be used to describe summer. Take shall I compare thee to a summers day? Tho
32、u art more lovely and more temperate.as example. In this sonnet, Shakespeare, the author of the sonnet, compare summer to his beloved.6 Conventional differencesDifferences between English and Chinese are various. But the most distinguish difference between them lies in the attitudes of the two count
33、rys people toward dogs. In china, dog is considered as a kind of low一down animal. So most of idioms, which related to dogs are considered as negative aspects. Such as“狐朋狗友”(compare to those who are a group of dishonest friends)“狗急跳墙”(compare to those who do anything without thinking when in dangerou
34、s situation.“狼心狗肺” (compare to those who are malevolence).However, dogs are considered as the most loyalist friends of human beings in western countries. Therefore, most idioms related to dogs are positive aspects except some expressions influenced by other languages. Whats more, people usually comp
35、are dogs behavior as theirs. Such as you are a lucky dog in Chinese“你是一个辛运儿”，Every dog has his day in Chinese“凡人皆有得意日”.Concrete methods of translationTo translate one language into another cannot only make people who live . in different countries easy incommunication but also helpful in development
36、of language itself (Nida 157). However, translation is not an easy yob especially for idioms translation: We can say that idioms translation is the most difficult for translators. Because most of idioms are usually carved with strong local and ethnic cultural characteristics. Some of which can be ea
37、sily understand, but some are totally different from its words meaning. Some even have several meanings. So when we translate them we must deal with them in different ways in different situation and make sure that our translation is faithfully, smoothly and elegantly to the original meaning. Prof.Wa
38、ngzhouliang said: Translator must be one who is very familiar with the target languages characteristics. When translate idioms, a translator can not only faithfully express the original texts language meaning but also can tell exactly its cultural connotation through two kinds of language cultural c
39、omparison. The translator must convince that his translation is equal to the original text. Only in this way, the readers would dell almost the same as reading the source language. If we want to translate idioms well; I think the following methods should be followed.1. Literal translationLiteral tra
40、nslation is a method in which we use idioms of language directly to translate corresponding idioms of source language.In order to remain the original text structure meaning, especially its local and ethnic cultural characteristics, this method always be used. But it must be on the condition that we
41、dont change any aspects of the original text(Ernst 105). Though English and Chinese are belong to different ethnics.，these two kinds of people live on one earth. And they have common views of most things一Sa literal translation method can:be adopted in translation between English and Chinese. For exa
42、mple, sour grapes comes from Grace and be translated into Chinese“酸葡萄”more examples, to go into the red is translated into“出现赤字”to break the record is translated into“打破记录”,to be on the thin ice is translated into“如薄冰”，to strike while the iron is hot is translated into“趁热打铁” tooth for a tooth is tra
43、nslated into 以牙还牙” first-hand material is translate into“第一手材料”a castle in the air is translated into“空中楼阁”to burn the boat is translated into“破釜沉舟”to have something at ones fingers end is translated into 了如指掌”Conversely, some English idioms also comes from Chinese translation. Such as to sit on the
44、 mountain and watch the tiger fight(坐山观虎斗) to pour oil on the flame(火上加油).2. Liberal translationLiberal translation is a kind of translation according to meaning. Due to the influence of cultural differences. We have to gave up the original texts literal meaning in order to keep the target language
45、accordance with source language. When this two kinds of languages have different expressionsand meanings. We should avoid using literal translation but adopt liberal translation. British people and Chinese people are two different kinds of people. They have different views on many things because of
46、different geography, living environment, religion belief, customs and different expressions. If we use the literal method to translate, we cannot translate exactly to the source languages meaning and will make the readers fell confused. In this way, our translation would be a failure. In such a case, we should adopt litieral translation way. For example, as easy as pie“易如反掌”,be wise after the event“事后诸葛亮”each has its own merits 各有千秋”dont count your chickens before they are hatched“夜长梦多”.3. Additional translationIn this kind of translation, we add some sub