1、On the translation of English and Chinese IdiomsAbstract:English and Chinese are both languages with long history, there are a lot of idioms in them; but we may have many problems while translating. As for the different original languages, this essay is to analyses the possible problems we will meet
2、 when we translate the Chinese s into English ones. English and Chinese idioms embody different national cultural features and different cultural information which result from the various geography positions, histories, customs, religious beliefs and literature tradition. This paper mainly investiga
3、tes the types which lead to the difference between Chinese and English idioms through numerous examples.Key words:idiom, culture, literal translation, free translationI.Introduction Language is the carrier of culture,language reflecting culture,culture influencing language.A countrys language can re
4、flect its own specifical culture,which have assignable influence on the language.Idiom is the essence of language and national culture,besides,it is the daughters of laboring peoples experience.We often say“Talk Shop.”Laboring people in different sectors draws their own lessons in the daily producti
5、ve labor,concentrating into popular classic sentence.From the differences in English and Chinese idioms, we can find some cultural differences between the two countries.Compare the two kinds of idioms between English and Chinese in two languages,we can roughly divide it into four categories:II. Simi
6、lar-appearing,same-meaning.Although there are many differences between English culture and Chinese culture,people upbringing in the two kinds of culture live in the same planet and have the same survival environment,same living condition.Besides,they have common cognitive.No matter lifestyle,mind ha
7、bits or values,they show same mostly.There is something in Chinese ,there is something in English.For instance,eat three meals a day,or the way we dressed.Since the two kinds of culture show many similities ,the same to language.Because of that ,we can translate one language to another.Idioms are th
8、e daughters of life experience,so there are many cases of similar-appearing words showing the same meaning between English and Chinese languages.Such as:A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush(一鸟在手胜似双鸟在林 )，out of sight ,out of mind(眼不见心不烦) or constant droping wears the stone(滴水穿石),as to those ki
9、nds of idioms,which are similar appearing and same meaning,literal translation is proper,in this way,Not only can it keep the style of the original text,but also it is easy to understand for readers.When the implied meaning of idioms is evident or easy to deduce,readers can get meanings through the
10、literal,so we choose literal translation.All roads lead to Rome translate into Chinese is“条条大路通罗马”，that is a famous example.Except that ,we can find many cases,such as, To offer fuel in snowy weather.(雪中送炭)，Even the dog swaggers when its master win favour (一人得道，鸡犬升天)，these kinds idioms ,readers easi
11、ly understand the implied meanings.Using this translation method,add some of reading enjoyment.Some images in idioms are strange to readers,as it carry strong political significance or local flavor,it should adopt the literal translation.象牙塔 could translate totower of ivory,八股文 translate toeight-leg
12、ged essay. III.Different forms, same meaningAlthough the whole habitant circumstance of British and American and Chinese are similar, their living environment is different. In addition to the difference of their religious belief, social background and historical culture, their specific expressions a
13、re different. So, it has produced many idioms which have different forms, but same meaning. For example, British is an island, its seafaring is well-developed, so many idioms are relevant to it. Like,Fish begins to stink at the head.（上梁不正下梁歪。）Never offer to teach fish to swim.（不要班门弄斧。）Although those
14、 two idioms have different forms, English is refer to the knowledge of fish while Chinese is refer to building and literary allusions, they have the same connotative meaning.While China is an agricultural country, land is important to people, so many idioms are relevant to land. For examples, if you
15、 describe one person luxurious and wasteful, British and American will say spend money like water, while Chinese would like to say 挥金如土. And British and American love keeping pets, pets are play an important role in their life, so pets like, dog, cat etc. appear frequently in English idioms. Like,Be
16、tter be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. （宁做鸡头，不做凤尾。）If the old dog barks, he gives counsel.（不听老人言，吃亏在眼前。）Love me, love my dog.（爱屋及乌。）In religion, Christian is the main religious belief of British and America, so words like, God etc. which are accompanied with religious considerations are
17、frequently appeared in English idioms. While Chinese religion mainly are Buddhism and Taoism, so heaven is deity who dominates everything. Like,Man proposes, God disposes.（成事在天，谋事在人。）Speak of angels and you will hear their songs.（说曹操，曹操到。）IV.Similar-appearing , different-meaningSince Western culture
18、 and Chinese culture are highly diverse , to translate this sort of idioms is more difficult than others. We should be more careful when we do this kind of translation. Most of them have similar appearing but different meaning. For instances, strange bedfellowslooks like the Chinese idiom 同床异梦，but a
19、ctually it equals to 萍水相逢; Most of us would regard childs playas 儿戏, wheras it means 做某事非常容易；There are two idioms we are familar with: pull ones legand ones hair stands on end, we may translate them into 拉后腿and 怒发冲冠，while their Chinese translations are 开某人的玩笑and 非常恐惧. As to these idioms , by no mean
20、s can we translate them literally ，wed better take Free Translation 、Paraphrasis or Literal Translation and Notation into translation.V.Culture BackgroundIn cross-cultural communication,it will often appear such circumstance when one party tries to input information to the other party who cant give
21、the corresponding response, which result in the failure of social interaction.This phenomenon is called cultural vacancy.In other words,it means that a nations language,cultural phenomenon doesnt exist in another nation.For example,in English idioms,rain cats and dogs ,it means it is raining heavily
22、.carry coal to new castle,send owls to athens ,it means someone does things in vain.a wet blanket,it means disappointing people or things.But as for an English learning beginner,it is really hard for them to guess the meaning.In Chinese idioms,草船借箭，it means someone relies on others ingenuity and fin
23、ancial resources to achieve his own purposes. 拔苗助长，it means someone obeies the objective law of things development and is impatient for success which will always result in bad outcome. But as for Chinese learning beginner,it is also hard for them to guess the meaning.There are many reasons lead to t
24、he result.To begin with,it is the different geographical environment. Britain is an island country surrounded by the sea while China has vast land.For example,English uses spend money like water,but Chinese uses 挥金如土.Moreover,it is the different historical allusion.A lot of English idioms are from a
25、ncient Greek and Roman culture and Bible while a lot of Chinese idioms are from the vast unknown texts,fable stories,myths legends and also Buddhism.Such as Cupids Bowin English idioms and 项庄舞剑，意在沛公 in Chinese idioms.Whats more,it is the unique viewpoint of thinking.For example,Chinese people like t
26、o call themselves descendants of the dragon.There are lots of idioms about dragon,真龙天子龙凤呈祥望子成龙 etc.But in western culture,the dragon is a ferocious monsters and the devil incarnate.In heroic epic Beowulf ,hero Beowulf was killed by evil and cruel fire dragon.Due to the cultural vacancy phenomenon,we
27、 could use foreignizing method and domesticating method properly to translate.In terms of foreignizing method,the translator keeps the image of the source language ,at the same time, the pragmatic meaning can also be got through.For instance,we could use this method to translate赴汤蹈火intojump into hot
28、 water or walk through fire.In terms of domesticating method,the translator always makes the source language close to the target language as much as possible and adopts the used way to convey the original content.For instance,we could use this method to translate 三寸不烂之舌into a silver tongue.Conclusio
29、n The existence of English idioms make the language more rich, more energetic.It played an special irreplaceable important role in the translation of English and Chinese languages. A good translation of idioms, is a difficult problem for translators, only the use of several main methods mentioned ab
30、ove is not enough. To do a good job in the translation of idioms, translators must also have a profound cultural foundation, also need to accumulate all in western history, geography, customs, literature and other aspects of knowledge.All in all,as for the translation of idiom cultural vacancy,we sh
31、ould fully understand the implied meaning and adopt the proper method to translate carefully.Bibliography1张维友.英语词汇学教程M.武汉:华中师范大学出版社,2004.2 陆国强.现代英语词汇学M.上海:上海外语教育出版社,1999.3邓炎昌,刘润清.语言与文化M.北京:外语教学与研究出版社,1989.4胡壮麟.语言学教程M.北京:北京大学出版社,2001.5戚雨村.英汉语言文化对比研究M.上海:上海外语教育出版社,1996.6尤金.奈达.语言文化与翻译M.内蒙古:内蒙古大学出版社,1998.7路世平.英语习语研究M.上海:上海外语研究出版社，2006. 8连淑能.英译汉教程M.北京:高等教育出版社，2006.
