[Abstract] Idioms are fixed phrases that go through the test of history and cannot be treated separately. In order to be loyal to the original text, the translation of English idioms should not only keep the original taste of the source, but also meet the standards of writing, especially for mythology and allusion. Because English idioms have manifested and absorbed the different national culture of ancient Greek, ancient Rome, and Northern Europe, it is more typical and representative than other forms of language on reflecting the cultural diversity. Domestication and foreignization are two main methods of translation. And there are some concrete translation skills as follows: 1. Literal translation 2. Free translation 3. Borrowing 4. Literal translation with annotation. In the trend of cultural globalization, culture among various nationalities permeate and stick together mutually. And the readers’ ability to accept the new cultural imagery has improved day by day. Therefore so long as not to affect the understanding of source language, the author advocates translating English idioms directly as far as possible to carry on the culture, which promotes the exchange and fusion of culture all over the world.
[Key Words] idioms; allusion; translation methods 【摘 要】 习语是指那些经受了历史的长期考验,千锤百炼而形成的固定词组。为了忠于原文,习语翻译既要保持源语的原汁原味,也要符合译入语语言文字的需求。尤其在翻译习语中的神话典故时更应注意以下三点1.译入语结构的平衡2.译出源语的民族特色和地域色彩3.尽可能保留源语的形象。因为法语习语吸收了众多来自古希腊，古罗马，北欧古代神话等欧洲各民族的文化精髓，所以在体现语言的文化异同方面,习语比其他语言成分更具有典型性和代表性。基本的法语翻译措施有归化和异化，具体体现直译法，意译法，借用法，法语论文范文，直译加注。在当前文化全球化的时代背景下，各民族间的文化相互渗透和融合的趋势愈来愈强。 人们关于外来文化、异国情调的包容、接纳以至欣赏能力也日渐提高。因此,作者认为只要在不作用译语读者理解的前提下,应提倡尽量以文化直入模式进行习语翻译,以促进世界文化的交流与融合。
【关键词】 习语；神话典故；翻译措施 1. Introduction
When opening Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, one can see such an entry: “Idiom (n.) Phrase or sentence whose meaning is not clear from the meaning of its individual words and which must be learnt as a whole unit.” [1] And English translation theoretician Peter Newmark also said: “An idiom is a current and frequently used group of words whose meaning is not clear from the common meanings of its constituent words”. In brief, idioms are fixed phrases that go through the test of history and cannot be separated. So the whole meaning usually cannot be surmised in translation and the components must not be separated at one’s ease. 2. Background
English as an international language, its usage is wide-ranging. Many countries choose English as their official language. What is more, sixty percent of broadcasting in the world use English to propagate their information. Of course, there are many idioms in English and parts of them are loanwords. The features of assimilating loanwords in English are evident. On the one hand, it belongs to Germanic language family that enables it to take possession of the common words in Germanic language. On the other hand, English keeps in touch with French and Roman language family closely for a long time. The ancient Greek mythologies, Roman myths and fairy tales of northern Europe are the publicly owned wealth of European nations. They have deep influence on development of whole European culture in which many stories provide source materials for English idioms. Therefore, English idioms take in any word that can represent the main European culture. And it is more typical and representative than others in reflecting the cultural diversity. Just like Bacon said: Talent, quick-witted and spirit in a nation can all be found in its idioms.
2.1 The sources of English idioms
As everyone knows, idioms come from different aspects: different living environments; everyday life; religion; historical events; literary works and mythology and allusion.
2.1.1 Idioms from different living environments
Idioms are closely related to people’s labor and life, because people in a particular culture need words to name and explain objects and appearance present in that culture. The Han People, live on land, and belong to an agrarian society that places agricultural production at the top of the national agenda. During the long history of farming, the Chinese language has accumulated large numbers of farmers’ idioms like 瑞雪兆丰年 (a time snow promises a good harvest), 五谷丰登(abundant harvest of all food crops). While British live in an island country, probably have idioms about water and sailing. For example, we speak挥金如土in Chinese，but we should render it into English as “spend money like water”. And there are similar examples as follows: “to keep one’s head about water” (奋力图存)，“in full sail” (全力以赴), “tower one’s sail” (甘拜下风).
What is more, there come different special products determined by the different geographical surroundings. For example, “like mushrooms” and “spring up like mushrooms” in English , means 像蘑菇一样, and 雨后春笋般地涌现 in Chinese. Both of them have the same meaning of the great development of a thing, but they use their respective things to form the metaphor, because China abounds with bamboo, whereas it does not grow in England. So the Chinese people are quite familiar with bamboo; while the English don’t. This case is quite the same with the idiom “plentiful
as blackberries”, for blackberries are easily available in England while in Chinese, 多如牛毛 is used, for cattle can be found everywhere in China.
2.1.2 Idioms from everyday life
Entertainment and activities, which are parts of national culture, are quite different in various countries. Horse racing, boxing and cricket are ancient and traditional sports in England, so in English, there are idioms like “neck and neck” (不分上下)，“down and out”(倒下出局)，“not cricket” (不讲信用)，and “straight from the shoulder” (直截了当)，and “have a good innings” (一帆风顺)；whereas the ancient Chinese preferred hunting and chess: 棋逢对手 (diamond cut diamond), 剑拔弩张(at daggers drawn), 明枪易躲，暗箭难防(False friends are worse than open enemies). There are some aspects in everyday life in the following.
(ⅰ) Idioms from food
In England, bread is usually eaten together with butter, and salt, milk and cream are their everyday diet. All of them are the everyday diet for western people and thus appear “There is no use crying over spilt milk” (不要做无谓的后悔)，“baker’s dozen” (面包师的第十三个面包), and “polish the apple” (拍马屁)；China has a long history of cooking and the Chinese are known as the most critical, for who attach greater importance to food than any other people, as is reflected in the saying like: 画饼充饥 (to draw cakes to allay hunger)
(ⅱ) Idioms from sea
Both in the Chinese and the English languages, idioms about the sea are numerous, because both of these two countries are surrounded and half-surrounded by sea, and they are rich in natural resources of fish. Fishing plays a vital role in their economy, so a large number of idioms concerning fish are handed down: “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)，and “to fish in troubled water” (浑水摸鱼).
(ⅲ) Idioms from military affairs
The history of mankind is almost the history of war, which is the source of numerous idioms. The Chinese nation has a long history of war for more than two thousand years, and therefore the Chinese language is rich in such idioms: 项庄舞剑，意在沛公 (Xiang Zhuang performed the sword dance as a cover for his attempt on Liu Bang’s life.---act with a hidden motive); 四面楚歌(be in desperate straits); 暗度陈仓(to steal a march on). And it is also mirrored in the following English idioms: “What millions died that Caesar might be great” (一将功成万骨枯); “Meet one’s Waterloo” (遭遇惨败); “Pyrrhic victory” (得不偿失的胜利); and gentleman’s agreement (君子协定).
2.1.3 Idioms from religion
Religion is an important source for idioms. It is a social phenomenon and mainly a code of ethics governing personal and social conduct. Comparatively speaking, Buddhism has greater influence in Chinese culture although China is a multi-religious country. It was first introduced into China in the first century AD, and has shaped the Chinese language, diet, arts, etc., and greatly stimulated the development of Chinese literature. The large number of words and idioms derived from Buddhism is one of the manifestations of its influence, such as 放下屠刀，立地成佛 (A butcher becomes a Buddha the moment he drops his cleaver---a wrongdoer achieves salvation as soon as he gives up evil) and 做一天和尚，法语毕业论文，撞一天钟 (take a passive attitude toward one’s work). And there are quite a few English idioms from religion. Such as: Benjamin’s mess (最大的份额);
raise Cain (大吵大闹); apple of Sodom (金玉其外，败絮其中); sop to Cerberus (贿赂); handwriting on the wall (不祥之兆) and so on.
2.1.4 Idioms from historical events
In most language, people embellish their speech or writing with references to characters or events from their history, that is to say, idiomatic expressions are closely related to a country’s history. There are a lot of idioms in the Chinese language cannot find an equivalent in the English language because the history of the two countries are quite different. Many idioms are from their own history. The English language has much less idioms from historical events than the Chinese language because English just has a history of more than one thousand years during which less important historical events happened. For example, “to meet one’s Waterloo” (遭遇滑铁卢) is from the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, which means to be completely defeated.
2.1.5 Idioms from literary works
Literary works are also one of the main sources of English idioms. In English literature, the most glittering star is Shakespeare. His dramas are the major source of this kind idioms: “to claim one’s pound of flesh” (割某人的一磅肉) is from The Merchant of Venice; “make assurance doubly sure” (加倍小心) comes from Macbeth. And there are other examples: “Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, writing an exact man”---Bacon On Study; “ the ugly ducking”(丑小鸭) is from Han Anderson’s tales; “Jekyll and Hyde” (双重性格) originates from Stevenson’s The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; “open sesame” and “old man of the sea” come from Arabian tales.
2.1.6 Idioms from mythology and allusion
In this thesis, the author focuses on the translation of mythologies and allusions in English idioms, which come from stories of Gods and heroes. As we all know, Greek and Roman civilizations have a great influence on English, so the Greek and Roman civilizations have great influence on English idioms. Let’s pay attention to the following idioms:
(1) “Achilles’ heel” (致命弱点) which comes from the Greek mythology has the meaning “the one weak spot in a man’s circumstances or character”. In Greek epic, his mother took Achilles upside down into the Styx when he was a child. So he was arms-proof except his heel because it was held in his mother’s hand. Therefore in Troy war, he died for Paris shot a poisoned arrow into his heel.
(2) Other examples, “Hercules’s choice” means “the reward of toil in reference to pleasure”, “the Herculian efforts” (九牛二虎之力)，and “the pillars of Hercules” (天涯海角). It is said that Hercules was one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythologies. He killed two snakes when he was a baby, and was known as a man of muscle. He refused the Pleasure Goddess’s allure, went through innumerable hardships and in the end, he won the eternal life.
Idioms have been called the crystallization of language. An appropriate use of them in our speech and writing will add to the strength and vividness of idioms. Perhaps some people are quite familiar with “to cut the Gordian knot” and “A Pandora’s box” such allusions not only make the language richer, but also make communication much more vivider and easier. However, in daily communication, people usually don’t know why “Hobson’s choice” means no choice at all (别无选择); “pile Pelion on Ossa” means extremely difficult (难上加难), or “Mercury fig” means the first fruit (最初的果实). If the source of an idiom is known, it is easier to figure out its meaning. It is
difficult to translate idioms faithfully because idioms reflect the wisdom of ordinary people that is
all-inclusive. The knowledge of the sources of these idioms will help us comprehend what they really mean.
2.2 The difficulties in the translation of English idioms
In the 1950’s the American writer Hockett put forward the concept “random holes in patterns”文化空缺which means “the accidental gap” in conservation when contrasting two languages. And Nida had said: There must be information drains in any course of conservation and the absolute equity is never possible. The goal of translation is conservation in maximum to enable the foreign readers understand the source culture. There are two reasons as follows. Firstly, the formation and solidification of English idioms are in relationship with the different histories, environments and cultural backgrounds. It contains certain national culture characteristics and information. Furthermore, Chinese and English live in different regions, so their living environments and experiences are different, especially in their ways to observe the world, understand the world and transform the world. Their culture atmospheres are unique. Secondly, Chinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family while English belongs to the Indo-European language family, so their language structures are different. All mentioned above enrich the idioms and make them more complex.
2.3 The development of translation principle
The principle of translation between English and Chinese has developed for a long time. About translation standards, translators from home and abroad put forward different opinions. From Yan Fu’s “faithfulness, expressiveness, elegance” to Mr. Zhang Peiji’s “faithfulness and smoothness”; from Fu Lei’s “approximation in spirit” to the American famous translation theoretician Eugene Nida’s “functional equivalence” or “dynamic equivalence”, we may see that these positions affect each other, supplement each other although their emphases are different. The focus is to translate the source text faithfully, meanwhile, to keep the original taste as much as possible.
The quality of idioms translation has the direct influence on the entire article. In order to be loyal to the original text, the translation must not only maintain its original taste and flavor, but also conform to the demand of writing in target language. However, the idioms translation is difficult to meet these two standards at the same time. It is extremely important to translate idioms faithfully, and the translation between English and Chinese must pay attention to following three points:
(ⅰ) Idioms are heavily culture-loaded; they have manifested different national flavors. Therefore, the translation of idioms must try to keep the original taste and not to use those target words that have strong national characteristics.
(ⅱ) Chinese idioms stress to the rhythm and structure. So it is necessary to augment or readjust the original language structure when translating English idioms.
(ⅲ) Do one’s best to translate the original images, metaphoric meaning and rhetoric of the source language. |
