英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究
透过英汉习语浅析中西文化差异

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英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究

英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究1. 引言1.1 研究背景随着经济全球化和文化交流的深化,英汉语谚语的翻译问题备受关注。
如何准确、恰当地翻译英汉语谚语,不仅涉及语言能力和翻译技巧,更需要深刻理解和把握两种文化之间的差异,这对提高翻译质量、促进跨文化交流具有重要意义。
对英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究具有重要的理论和实践价值。
1.2 研究意义研究谚语文化差异对于促进英汉语之间的跨文化交流具有重要意义。
谚语是某种文化的精髓和智慧的集合体,通过研究不同语言中的谚语,可以更深入地了解各自文化的价值观和生活方式。
谚语翻译是语言翻译中的一个重要领域,对于提高翻译质量和效率具有积极的推动作用。
通过比较英汉语谚语的异同,可以挖掘出两种语言背后隐藏的文化内涵,有助于提高翻译的准确性和地道性。
研究谚语文化差异还可以帮助人们更好地理解和尊重跨文化交流中的差异,促进不同文化间的和谐共处。
探讨英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究具有重要的学术和实践意义。
2. 正文2.1 英汉语谚语的概念与特点英汉语谚语是一种常见的语言表达方式,在英语和汉语中都有着丰富的谚语资源。
谚语是人们在长期生活实践中总结出来的具有智慧和哲理的短小句子,具有较高的文化内涵和智慧。
英汉语谚语在表达形式、文化内涵和使用场景等方面存在一些共同点和区别。
英汉语谚语都是用简练的语言形式表达深刻的哲理和经验。
它们在几个词汇中蕴含着丰富的含义,能够直观地传达人们的思想和观念。
英语谚语"Actions speak louder than words"传达了实际行动比空谈更有力量的道理;而汉语谚语"知己知彼,百战百胜"则强调了了解对手和自己才能取得胜利。
英汉语谚语在文化内涵方面存在一定的差异。
英语谚语多以自然、动物、日常生活等为载体,强调实用性和生活智慧;而汉语谚语则更注重历史、文化、宗教等方面,反映了中国传统文化的思想和价值观。
英语谚语"A rolling stone gathers no moss"比喻不安定的生活方式不利于积累财富和成就;而汉语谚语"塞翁失马,焉知非福"则讲述了一个塞翁因失马而获福的故事,强调了看问题要有全面的思考。
英汉谚语对比研究

英汉谚语对比研究作者:陈志军来源:《文教资料》2014年第20期摘要:谚语是各国文化的重要组成部分,是各国民间文学艺术宝库的一朵奇葩。
本文分析了英汉谚语的相同点与不同点,并研究了英语谚语在翻译时的一些技巧,最后着重指出了英汉谚语在跨文化交际中的渗透与融合。
关键词:谚语英汉对比跨文化交际谚语是各国文化宝库中的串串明珠,是整个民族中千百万人长期生活经验的积累,谚语是人民大众和文学作家在自身的长期生活实践中创造和锤炼出来的最通俗、最简练、最实用的大众化语言。
谚语一般都具有浓厚的民族色彩,它们的共同特点是结构紧凑、风格鲜明、寓意深刻,使人回味无穷。
英汉两个民族虽然语言各不相同,历史文化和风俗习惯相去甚远,但由于人类心理活动过程和个性心理特点的某些共性,英汉谚语所表达的内容和表达方式都有很多共同之处。
它体现了语言与文化的关系。
由于人类的普遍社会活动和心理思维过程有许多共同之处,因此英汉谚语也存在相同之处。
由于各国具体历史文化背景的不同,因此英汉谚语又存在差异。
英汉谚语有相同的起源和语言特点,都来自民间生活、神话传说、文学作品和外来语。
英汉谚语的语言具有简练和生动形象的特点。
英汉谚语产生差异的原因主要有以下几点。
一、价值观差异价值价值观是支撑人类生活的精神支柱,它决定人类行为的取向,决定人们以什么样的心态和旨意开创新生活。
一定的价值观念孕育于一定的历史土壤之中,是一个民族文明的折光反映与思想标记。
中、西传统价值观念在历史发展过程中,各自形成了一套完全不同的品格。
总的看来,西方传统价值观念以个人主义为基点,以幸福主义为目标。
中国传统价值观念以整体主义为基点,以禁欲主义为目标的英美价值观念的主线是个人主义,崇尚个人相对社会的独立自主性。
谚语“Don’t put your finger in the pie(不要多管闲事)”体现的就是英美社会奉行的个人主义处世哲学。
英美价值观还体现在时间观念上的守时,追求效率和乐观态度。
英汉谚语的文化差异及翻译方法

英汉谚语的文化差异及翻译方.法周玉梅(吉林工商学院外语分院英语教研室)摘要:因为英汉两种文化体系在历史文化背景、地理环境、习俗、宗教信仰、道德观念等诸多方面存在差异,所以翻译英语谚语时需较多运用汉语的表现手段.力求能再现英语谚语字面以外所特有的语言风格和丰富内涵。
本文分析了英汉谚语的文化差异.并针对荚语谚语的翻译。
提出了一些常见的翻译方法。
即直译法、意译法、同义词套用法、直意译结合法。
关键词:谚语;文化差异;翻译方法文化的覆盖面和内涵很广。
所谓文化是一复合的整体,其中包括知识、信仰、艺术、法律、道德、风俗以及人们作为社会成员而获得的任何其他的能力和习惯。
谚语(pr o ver b)是习语的重要组成部分。
是民间流传的内容精辟、寓意深邃的至理名言。
正如英国哲学家弗兰西斯.培根所说:“谚语是一个民族‘天才、机智和精神’的体现。
”尽管所创造的谚语在某些方面.如人类共通的情感等方面有着极大的一致性.但在外附的文化色彩上却有着不一致之处。
某些方面甚至有着天壤之别。
为沟通不同的文化,促进知识的交流。
我们在翻译外民族谚语文化时,必须深入比较两种文化的不同之处。
选择恰当的翻译方式。
力争准确传神地传达出对方民族文化精华的精妙之处。
一、汉英谚语中的文化差异1.历史文化背景差异。
一个民族的历史是其社会发展的如实记载,其中收藏着丰富的文化遗产,反映在谚语上尤为明显。
如:“说曹操.曹操到”、“逼上粱山”、。
过五关,斩六将”等。
这些都是具有明显民族特点的谚语,是与汉文化紧密联系的。
英语国家的一些谚语也包含其历史文化背景。
如:M eet one’s W a t e rl oo.一败涂地。
C ross t he R obi con a nd bum one’8boat s.背水一战。
2.地理环境的差异。
一个国家的地理环境是语言和文化发展的框架。
地理特色会不可避免的反映在其语言中。
尤其是在谚语中。
英国是一个岛国,历史上航海业曾一度领先世界,所以许多谚语都起源于他们的航海经验。
浅谈英汉谚语中的文化差异

浅谈英汉谚语中的文化差异[摘要]各个民族通过自己的民族语言记载文化,反映文化进行文化交流。
由于客观世界有着普遍共同的规律,而人的思维又具有全人类性,所以各民族的文化观念有许多相同之处。
另外,由于各民族在历史,地理政治,经济等各方面都有自己的特点,因而产生独特的民族文化。
民族间文化的异同也反映在民族语言之中,特别反映在蕴涵文化意义的谚语中。
[关键词]英汉谚语熟语文化差异谚语是意义相对完整的固定句子,是语言中一种重要的熟语。
大部分的谚语是人民经验的结晶,是语言的花朵,而熟语是词的组合,但不是自由词组,其组合是固定的。
熟语作为固定的词的组合,它是独立运用的单位。
如汉语中的“一字千金”,“书中自有黄金屋,书中自有言如玉。
”等,这些固定的词组和句子就是熟语。
生产生活、人文思想、地理环境、宗教信仰、历史文化背景、风俗等各方面的差异,使得我们也可以从英汉谚语中发现两国的文化差异。
一、从反映生活,生产经验的谚语看各族人民在社会实践中积累了丰富的生活斗争经验和生产斗争经验,这些经验反映在各该民族语言的谚语之中。
中国是农业大国,汉语中的农谚极为丰富,英国是航海强国,英语则有大量关于航海的谚语。
中国的农谚其内容涉及农事的方方面面,从耕耘,土壤,肥料,病虫害到灌溉,收获无所不有。
例如:百业农为本,民以食为天;好母生好子,好田出好米。
而英语中相关航海的谚语就很多,从海洋,水手,捕捞,海运,应有尽有。
例如:A good sailor may mistake in a dark night (好水手在黑夜航行也会出错)。
同样,由于地理环境不同,以及隐含在词语中的国俗语义的影响会显示出文化的差别。
例如英语谚语:When the wind is in the east. it’s neithe r good for man nor beast.(风起东方,人畜不安);When the wind is in the west,the weather’s at the best.(风起西方,气侯最佳)。
从英汉谚语的比较看中英文化差异

《长江丛刊》2019.0847从英汉谚语的比较看中英文化差异■邓秋峰/西北政法大学外国语学院摘 要:语言是人类文化的重要组成部分,谚语则是人类文化的精华,英汉语言来自于两个民族,具有着不同的文化特征。
基于此,本文针对英汉谚语进行研究,以此判断中英文化之间的差异,在简单了解了英汉谚语之间的差异后,分析造成中西方文化差异的具体原因,并且提出了几点交际策略,以供参考。
关键词:英汉谚语 中英文化 文化差异 交际策略一、英汉谚语体现的中英文化差异(一)生存环境最早的谚语是人们在劳动生产过程中总结出来的,因此最早的英汉谚语会受到地理位置的影响。
最明显的谚语就是挥金如土,英语的表达为“spend money like waetr,”,这是因为中国位于州大陆,相比较海洋面积,土地面积较大,土地是中国人民的主要生活依靠,而英国属于岛国,航海业更为发达,因此再形容浪费、花费较高时,经常会出现船、水等词汇,但汉语谚语中则没有相似的习语。
如:不知所措的英语表达为“all at sea ”、“to keep one ’s head above water ”的中文表达为“奋力图存”。
不仅如此,在汉语文化体系中,夏天意味着酷暑、东风意味着春风、这是因为中国位于北半球、气候多样,相反英国处于南半球,以海洋性气候为主,因此在英语文化体系中,西风意味着春天,而夏季代表的是温和美好。
(二)历史文化不仅是地理位置,在英汉谚语中,有很多词汇都和历史文化有关,而不同的历史文化也让英汉谚语之间存在巨大的差异。
比如:在汉语谚语中的“说曹操曹操到”的英文表达为“Talk of the devil and he come ”,从这一谚语中就可以看出前者源自于历史,后者源自于信仰文化,又比如:英语谚语中“Lvoe is blind ”的汉语表达为“情人眼里出西施”,这也是非常典型的历史文化谚语。
由此可知,虽然英语和汉语中有相似的言语,但两者的来源背景之间都有着较大的差别,在实际应用中,不能够直接对号入座。
英汉谚语中的文化差异研究
英汉谚语中的文化差异研究摘要习语是人类智慧的精华。
它是在群众间流传的,用简单通俗的话语反映出深刻的道理的固定语句。
总的来说,世界上各个民族的习语都蕴含了诲人的哲理并且节奏感特别的强烈。
毫不夸张的说,对一个民族的习语进行研究就可以更加深入的了解该民族的风俗以及人们的精神生活。
英语习语的汉译和汉语习语的英译不仅涉及了不用语言间的翻译,而且也是文化内容的体现。
习语作为英汉语言的精华,具有浓厚的历史和民族文化内涵,其产生和使用在各自的文化中呈现出不同的特色,因而,习语翻译历来是翻译的难点。
本文旨在从地理、历史、宗教和社会风俗等方面来分析中西方文化的差异在习语中的体现。
习语是人类经验的总结,因此它们在文化交流和文化转换的过程中扮演的重要的角色。
这篇论文展示出了几种比较实用的适合习语翻译的方法,如直译、借用、意译、直译加意译和注释等方法。
同时附有相对应的习语翻译。
以期使读者更好地了解中西文化差异,并灵活进行习语翻译。
关键词:文化差异习语翻译翻译策略及方法。
AbstractProverbs are the most popular language and the embodiment a general truth and the wisdom of a nation. Their meanings are in deep and rhythm. It is not an exaggeration to say that to explore the proverbs of a certain language is one of the feasible approaches to get into the inside of that nation’s people and spiritual life. The English-Chinese and Chinese-English proverb translation involves not only the transfer of language but also the transmission of culture.As the essence of English and Chinese language, proverbs or set phrases have strong historical and cultural contents, whose emergence and use demonstrate different characteristics in its own culture. Therefore, proverb translation has always been the difficulty for translation. The present thesis attempts to study cultural differences between western and eastern proverbs from perspectives like geographic, historical, religious and social customs. Since proverbs are the summary of the common people’s experiences,they play a decisive role in promoting different cultural exchange and cultural transmission.More importantly, this thesis is going to propose several methods for proverbs translation such as metaphrase, borrowing, free translation, metaphrase plus free translation and the use of notes. Practical proverb translation examples and methods are proposed accordingly. It’s hoped that this will benefit learners and readers in their better understanding of cultural differences and skillful translation of proverbs.Key words:cultural differences; proverb translation; translation strategies and methodsTable of Contents摘要 (I)Abstract (II)1 Introduction (1)2 Definition (2)2.1 The definition of proverb (2)2.2 The Definition of cultural dDifferences (2)3. The Analysis of East-West Cultural Differences (3)3.1 Geographic differences (4)3.2 Historical differences (5)3.3 Religious differences (5)3.4 Social customs differences (6)4. Translation Strategies and Methods (7)4.1 Metaphrase (7)4.2 Borrowing (7)4.3 Free Translation (8)4.4 Metaphrase plus free translation (8)4.5 The use of notes (9)5. Conclusion (10)References (11)1 IntroductionLanguage is the carrier of culture, which reflects the culture it represents. Set phrase or proverb is an indispensable essence part of culture, which contains very rich historical, social, religious and cultural contents. Actually, proverbs are seen as the most important too for people’s communication which can be treated as an indispensable part of culture and is influenced by culture in return. Without culture, language would be insignificant. Moreover, proverbs are considered to be the most popular saying in the society and the wisdoms of a nation which reveals the people’s mind and wisdom in pieces of words. Without proverbs, language would lack spirit and color. A concentrated reflection of various rhetorical means and a mirror of the historical and cultural conceptions of a society are revealed in proverbs.Proverbs between eastern and western countries vary differently due to their different ways of living, ways of thinking, different historical development and different cultures. Therefore, proverb translation has always been the difficulty for translation. Nevertheless, the successful translation of proverbs is of vital importance in inter-lingual and inter-cultural communication between China and western countries, and east-west cultural differences are among the largest barriers of proverb translation. It is thus very important and necessary for us to probe into the west-east cultural differences and come up with practical proverb translation strategies and methods in order to help learners and readers better understand the cultural differences and better translate proverbs.The present thesis attempts to study cultural differences between western and eastern proverbs from perspectives like geographic, historical, religious and social customs. Since proverbs are the summary of the common people’s experiences,they play a decisive role in promoting different cultural exchange and cultural transmission.More importantly, this thesis is going to propose several methods for proverbs translation such as metaphrase, borrowing, free translation, metaphrase plus free translation and the use of notes.2. Definition2.1 The definition of proverbProverb or set phrase is the crystal of language accumulated and extracted during people’s long-time practice and use. Proverbs often come from ancient classics, famous masterpieces, historical stories and folktales, which contain rich cultural information and have strong national characteristics. Proverb has the characteristics of vividness, profoundness, conciseness, humor and meaningfulness. Even within a single language community, proverb, and the extent to which it is used, tends to vary widely across social, ethnic, economic, and geographic strata. Proverb may fall into disuse over time; sometimes, however, it grows more and more common until it becomes the dominant way of saying something, at which time it usually comes to be regarded as mainstream, acceptable language, although in the case of taboo words there may not be an expression which is considered mainstream or acceptable. Numerous proverb terms pass into informal mainstream speech, and sometimes into formal speech, though this may involve a change in meaning or usage.Proverb often involves the creation of new meanings for existing words. It is common for such novel meanings to diverge significantly from the standard meaning.A proverb is a simple and concrete saying, popularly known and repeated, that expresses a truth based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of conduct may also be known as a maxim.Proverbs are often borrowed from similar languages and cultures, and sometimes come down to the present through more than one language. Both the Bible and Medieval Latin have played a considerable role in distributing proverbs across Europe, although almost every culture has examples of its own.2.2 The definition of cultural differencesThere are different meanings to the word “culture”. Sometimes, people who know about music, art, literature are thought to be cultured. However, to an anthropologist, the word “culture” means all the ways that a group of people think, feel, eat and dress. TheLongman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives such an explanation of culture: the customs, beliefs, art, music, and all the other products of human thought made by a particular group of people at a particular time. The linguistic difference that informs any cultural performance is dramatized in the common semiotic account of the disjuncture between the subject of a proposition and the subject of enunciation, which is not represented in the statement but which is the acknowledgment of its discursive and address, its cultural, its reference to a present time and a specific space. The pact of interpretation is never simply an act of communication between the I and the you designated in the statement. The production of meaning requires that these two places be mobilized in the passage through a Third Space, which represents both the general conditions of language and the specific implication of the utterance in a performative and institutional strategy of which it cannot “in itself” be conscious. What this unconscious relation introduces is ambivalence in the act of interpretation According to the famous translator Eugene Nida, culture is “the totality of beliefs and practices of a society”. He also holds that “Nothing is of greater strategic importance than the language through which its beliefs are expressed and transmitted and by which most interaction of its members take place.”Therefore it is obvious that cultural differences mean the differences in histories, religions, cultures, social beliefs and customs, etc. For instance, when people die, different cultures deal with their bodies differently. Sometimes bodies are burned; sometimes bodies are buried under the ground. In many cultures in the past, people were buried with food, weapons, and other things that might be useful in the next life. For example, the ancient Egyptians buried people with little human figures which were from clay. These clay figures were intended to work the death person in the other world.From above, we can see that cultures vary differently from one culture to another. There are many factors underlying in cultural differences, the author of this paper will conduct further analysis later in the following.3. The Analysis of East-West Cultural DifferencesThere are a number of cultural differences between China and other westerncountries, but the differences can be overcome in inter-cultural communications. Having a good command of the factors about the differences would help people better understand the language and the culture, so to perform successful communications. This paper has mainly chosen four east-west cultural differences: geographic differences, historical differences, religious differences and social customs differences. In the following, this paper will further discuss the main four differences respectively.3.1 Geographic differencesPeople in different countries live in different geographic environments, thus different cultures and different proverbs were formed in the process of laboring and struggling with nature. A certain culture exists in a certain terrain; inevitably, it reflects the natural and geographic features of the area. For this reason, when people use natural sights or objects to express themselves, there would be obvious differences. What’s more, people in different cultures hold different attitudes towards different natural phenomenon relevant to their living conditions, so the expressions of proverbs are also quite different.For example, China has long been an agricultural country with a vast land, so it has many expressions or proverbs with land or agriculture, such as “七十二行,庄稼人头一行”, “百叶农为本,民以食为天”, “地不翻,苗不欢”, “种田不用问,用好水和粪” and so on. However, Britain is an island country surrounded by vast sea, so it has many expressions or proverbs related to boats or seas, such as “The best fish swim near the bottom” (好鱼沉水底), “to go with the stream” (随波逐流), “The good seaman is known in bad weather”(要识还海员,须凭坏天气), “There’s as good fish in the sea as ever come out of it” (有了大海,害怕没鱼), “A man may lead a horse to the water, but he can’t make him drink” (牛不喝水,按不低头) and so on. These kinds of examples are numerous. Also, there are many proverbs peculiar to specific geographic areas, for instance, in English “bring coal to Newcastle”(多此一举), since Newcastle is a place abundant in coal. Meanwhile, there are similar proverbs in Chinese, such as “边收边耕,叶草不生”, “好树结好桃,好种出好苗”, “春风不刮,春芽不发” and so on.The totally different geographical differences of the east and west are responsible for the different cultural values embodied in the proverbs of the two languages.3.2 Historical differencesApart from geographic differences, historical differences are also of great importance. A certain culture is formed through a nation’s history, so when discussing cultural differences, historical differences cannot be neglected. Different countries have different historical developments, stories, legends, allusions and so on. For example, throughout the history, Chinese people define themselves as the descendents of “Yandi and Huangdi Emperors” the “Dragon” and the “Cathay”; so an proverb was “炎黄子孙”. There are also proverbs relevant to wars, persons, etc. such as “唱空城计”, “败走麦城”, “东施效颦”, “名落孙山” and so on. In English, there are also proverbs or expressions related to wars, persons peculiar in its own culture, such as “to meet one’s Waterloo” to mean failure, “a Trojan horse” to mean potential dangers, “Achilles’ heel” to mean one’s fatal weakness, the week or vulnerable point of a person, an organization, a country and “Pandora’s box” to mean the root of evils. There are boundless examples like this. The historic value of a certain culture is unique; people should pay special attention to it when engaged in inter-cultural communication and proverb translation.In brief, both East and West have its own historic field and literary works to reflect their proverbs. Only if the translator translates proverbs well, can the exact meaning will be transmitted.3.3 Religious differencesReligious belief is one aspect of human thought, which has great influence on culture. In many western countries, particularly in English-speaking countries, people believe in Christianity. They believe that God is all mighty. So there are many proverbs related to their belief. For example, “A tree is known by its fruit” (观果实可知树,观其行可知人), “God help those who help themselves”(自助者天助). In addition, the Bible has greatly affected the western culture, and some proverbs are derived from Bible, such as “the forbidden fruit” (禁果), “as poor as Job” (一贫如洗), “eye for eye and teeth for teeth” (以眼还眼,以牙还牙), and so on. While Chinese culture, on the other hand, was mainly influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Proverbs like “平时不烧香,临时抱佛脚”“泥菩萨过河,自身难保” reflect Buddhism; “乐极生悲”“脱胎换骨”“回光返照” are derived from Taoism; while “平安是福” is from Confucianism. Religion is a complex factor in inter-cultural activities, thus it cannot be ignored for its profound influence on cultures.From the analysis proverbs above, we can infer that God is powerful in Christianity and Buddha is mighty in Buddhism. The Chinese people adore the Buddha and the westerners show respect to the God.3.4 Social customs differencesSocial customs also play an important role in east-west cultural differences, as it embodies a nation’s history and value. Countries with different social customs have different beliefs, values and different national emotions. Just take China and English-speaking countries as an example, in China, horse is regarded as loyal and patient, so Chinese people treat horses as friends. There are many favorable proverbs related to horses, such as “马到成功”, “马首是瞻”. While Westerners regarded horses as their companion in their life as they can reveal from the proverbs like “a horse stumbles that has four legs”(everyone will make mistakes in one day), “it is too late to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted”(one needs to make preparation in advance, otherwise, he will suffer incurable loss).Dog is a low-down animal in Chinese culture, so proverbs related to dogs are derogatory, such as “狗嘴里吐不出象牙”, “狗咬耗子,多管闲事”,“狗咬吕洞宾,不识好人心”etc. On the contrary, English people regard dogs as faithful friends, so English proverbs relevant to dogs are positive. For instance, when they say someone is lucky, they would say “a lucky dog”; however, proverbs related to horses are not always good, such as “pay for a dead horse” means waste money.For another example, Chinese and English people hold different attitudes towards “dragon”. Chinese people think dragon as auspicious and precious, thus proverbs related to dragon are always predatory, such as “望子成龙”, “龙凤呈祥”and “乘龙快婿”. While western people often regard dragon as evil and ferocious, thus proverbs related to dragon are always negative, such as “chase the dragon” means taking drugs.Social customs have much to do with the national characteristic of proverbs. From the analysis above, we may find that people’s different attitudes towards the sameanimals are quite different, as the horse and the dog.4. Translation Strategies and MethodsFrom above analysis, we have already known the four main cultural differences between proverbs of China and western countries. In this chapter, the author will come up with some strategies and methods for proverbs translation. We summarized five main translation strategies and methods, namely: metaphrase, borrowing, free translation, the method of metaphrase combined with free translation and use of notes, in the hope to help learners and readers better translate proverbs, thus to ensure excellent translation texts and successful communications.4.1 MetaphraseMetaphrase is a method to translate Chinese proverbs directly into English. It is able to keep the meaning, form, and grammatical structure of the source language when adopting this method. Nevertheless, the method of metaphrase doesn’t mean translate the source proverbs word by word. For example, the Chinese proverb “三人行,必有我师”can be divided into two parts: “三人行” and “必有我师”. Their counterparts in English are “three men” and “teach”, so when translating “三人行,必有我师”, translators can adopt the method of metaphrase to translate it like “When there are three men walking together, one of them is bound to be able to teach me something”. For another examples, “路遥知马力,日久见人心” (A long road test a horse ‘s strength and a long talks proves a man’s heart), “井干方知水可贵”(We never know the worth of water till the well is dry), “吠犬不咬人” (Barking dogs do not bite) and so on.When using metaphrase method, the translator should follow several rules. The first is that the translation should transfer the message from the source text completely. The second is that the translation should accord with the characteristics of the target language. The last but not the least, the translation shouldn’t evoke incorrect imagination to readers.4.2 BorrowingBoth Chinese and English have lots of similar proverbs. Some Chinese and English proverbs have similar meanings and forms. Therefore, translators can use the method of borrowing when translating proverbs. For example, some Chinese proverbs and Englishproverbs have similar or underlying meaning, and they also have similar image or metaphor, such as the Chinese proverb “吃一堑,长一智” and the English proverb “A fall into the pit, a gain into your wit” have the same underlying meaning. The proverb “隔墙有耳,窗外岂能无人”and its translation “Wall have ears, and outside the window is there not a man?”Not only have the same metaphor meaning, but also have similar image. Some Chinese proverbs and English proverbs do not have the same image, but they do have the same metaphor meaning. For example, “山穷水尽” in Chinese means a hopeless situation. The English proverb “at the end of one’s rope” also means somebody has done all they could but still couldn’t find a way to solve the problem. Thus “at the end of one’s rope”is a preferred translation for “山穷水尽”. Using the method of borrowing, the target readers would have a sense of familiarity, which makes it easier for them to understand the translation and the culture.4.3 Free translationFree translation is the method mostly adopted when translators cannot translate the proverbs literally. For example, if translators use the method of metaphrase when translating the Chinese proverb “开门见山”, the translation would be “to open the door and see the mountain”, which is very awkward. In order to translate the original message more precisely, free translation should be adopted, since it focuses more on meaning. Then the proverb “开门见山” can be translated into “to come straight to the point”. The Chinese proverb “完璧归赵”has a metaphor meaning, which means give something back without a tiny damage. If we directly translate the proverb like “return the jade intact to the state of Zhao.”, then the metaphor meaning is lost. It’d better be translated as “return something to its owner in perfect”. There are also numerous other examples, such as “refuse to be convinced until faced with grim reality” (不见棺材不落泪), “stay out of things that don’t concern you” (井水不犯河水), “more hands, less work done” (一个和尚挑水吃,两个和尚抬水吃,三个和尚没水吃), “吹毛求疵” ( to pick a hole in one’s coat), “生灵涂炭” (to plunge the people into misery and suffering), and so on.4.4 Metaphrase plus free translationThere exist cases that either metaphrase or free translation can express the meaningof the source proverbs properly. At this moment, the translator could combine the method of metaphrase with free translation. For instance, the Chinese proverb “垂涎三尺”, “垂涎” can be directly translated like “mouth waters”, but “三尺” cannot be translated just as “three feet”. Or else, readers would be confused with the numbers. For this reason, translators can metaphrase the first part and freely translate the second part. The translation for “垂涎三尺” is “The mouth waters copiously”. For another example, “怨声载道” in Chinese, “怨声”can be directly transferred as “complaints”or “discontents”, but “载道”cannot be metaphrased as “fill the road”. Actually, “载道”can be freely translated as “everywhere”. Thus this proverb can be translated like “Complaints are heard everywhere”. Also, the proverb “走马观花” can be translated into “look at flowers while riding on the back of a galloping horse—give a cursory glance.”By combining these two methods, we can on the one hand maintain certain form or image of the source text, and on the other hand maintain the meaning.4.5 The use of notesThe last method of proverb translation in this paper is the use of notes. Strictly speaking, the use of notes can’t be deemed as a method of translation; however, how well translators deal with it determines the quality of the translation. Most Chinese and English proverbs that need to use notes in translating are derived from myths, allusions or historical stories, which have strong historical and cultural background. For example, “叶公好龙” can be translated as “Lord Sheh’s love of dragons” (Note: Lord Sheh was so fond of dragons that he adorned his whole palace with drawings and carvings of them. But when a real dragon heard of his infatuation and paid him a visit, he was frightened out of his wits). For another instance, “东施效颦”, “东施” was an ugly girl, and “颦” refers to Xishi—one of the four most beautiful girls in ancient China. This proverb contains a historical story. Dongshi wanted to be a beautiful girl just like Xishi, so she imitated Xishi. When translating this proverb, translators should use notes for explanations of readers. However, in most cases, notes are long. So it is recommended to use notes only when necessary.In this part, the paper has mainly discussed five common and different strategies andmethods of proverbs translation. Each strategy should be employed in suitable situation in an appropriate manner.5. ConclusionThis paper makes an attempt to analyze the cultural differences between Chinese and English proverbs, as well as translation strategies and methods; which aims to figure out the influences cultural differences have on proverbs translation, and comes up with some practical translation strategies and methods of proverbs. It is hoped that this paper will provide some enlightenments and suggestions for learners and readers. Owing to the cultural differences, it is difficult for translators to find the best method in proverb translation. All the four methods in the thesis are not the ideal or correct solutions and there may exist some better methods to be found. After all, they may treat as a reference for translators. Furthermore, the study of Chinese proverbs and the appropriate translation methods are helpful to promote the cultural exchange between English and Chinese.In order to promote interaction among different cultures and to ensure successful communications, special attention should be paid to proverb translation since it is an indispensable part of a language which contains rich cultural information. When translating proverbs, translators should know well of the foreign histories and customs, master a lot of similar foreign proverbs or expressions, have a good command of the source language and be flexible and skillful in the use of proverb translation strategies and methods. Only in this way can translators render better translation whether in form or meaning or both.Finally, it should be acknowledged that what has been done in this thesis may not be a final solution to the problem. Rather, it is hoped to be helpful for the translation of Chinese and English proverbs and provide some information for further relevant researches.正文字数要4000字左右,你的严重不足。
英汉成语谚语中的语言文化差异
切忌“望文生义” ,“生搬硬套”
文化差异与翻译
文化不可译现象
不同的语言文化之间存在着巨大的差异。 一个民族的语言学承载另一个民族的文化, 必然造成许多难以处理的翻译问题,即文 化不可译现象。
e.g. 妯娌,连襟
Women who are married to brothers; men who are married to sisters. e.g. 她们是妯娌
spend money like water. 挥金如土
英国是, 岛国,航海业曾一度领先世界;
汉民族是农耕民族。人们的生活离不开土 地。
英语中有许多关于船和水的习语,在汉语中 没有完全相同的对应习语,如;to rest on one’s oars (暂时歇一歇).to keep one’s head above water (奋力图存)。all at sea (不知所措) 等等。
大海捞针look for a needle in a haystack. 班门弄斧teach fish to swim. 三个臭皮匠,顶个诸葛亮Two heads are better than one. 妻管严henpecked husband 诸葛亮(的形象)“He is as wise as Solomon” 洗心革面 To turn over a new leaf 山中无老虎,猴子称霸王Among the blind the oneeyed man is king.
见风使舵 See which way the cat jumps 倾盆大雨 It rains cats and dogs. 一贫如洗 (穷光蛋)Poor like a church mouse. 度日如年 donkey years 班门弄斧 Never offer to teach fish to swim. 三伏天 dog days
从英汉谚语看中西文化差异
交际策略
掌握有效的跨文化交际策略,如礼貌原则、 合作原则等,以促进有效沟通。
经典案例分析与讨论
案例选择
挑选具有代表性的英汉谚语翻译案例进行分析和 讨论。
文化内涵挖掘
深入挖掘每个谚语背后的文化内涵和价值观念, 以揭示中西文化之间的差异和联系。
ABCD
翻译技巧探讨
针对每个案例,探讨其采用的翻译技巧和方法, 并分析其优缺点。
尊老爱幼传统美德传承
中国谚语强调尊老爱幼的传统美德,如“老吾老以及人之老,幼吾幼以及人之幼”(尊 敬自己的长辈推广到尊敬别人的长辈,爱护自己的孩子推广到爱护别人的孩子)。
西方谚语中也有类似表达,如“Respect your elders”(尊敬长辈),但相对而言, 西方社会更强调个人的独立和平等。
善恶报应信仰体现
西方谚语中,善恶报应观念并不明显,更多强调个人责任和自由选择,如“You make your own luck”(命运掌握在自己手中)。
中国谚语则强调善恶有报,如“善有善报,恶有恶报”(做好事有好报,做坏事有坏报),反映了中国 文化的因果报应观念。
西方谚语中也有类似“What goes around comes around”(一报还一报)的表达,但与中国文化中 的报应观念有所不同,更多强调个人行为的后果自负。
自然灾害应对策略反映
英语谚语中在面对自然灾害时,强调人的主观能动性和抗争精神,如“Where there is a will, there is a way”(有志者事竟 成)等。这些谚语鼓励人们积极应对挑战,战胜困难。
汉语谚语则更注重顺应自然、防范未然的思想。在面对自然灾害时,汉语谚语倡导提前做好准备,如“未雨绸缪”、“防患 于未然”等。同时,也强调在灾难面前保持冷静和理智,以最小的代价应对挑战。
英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究
英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究1. 引言1.1 背景介绍英汉语谚语是两种语言中非常重要的文化元素,是人们在日常生活中引用和传承的智慧。
随着全球化进程的加深,英汉语谚语之间的文化差异也逐渐受到重视。
中英两种语言的谚语在表达形式、内涵和文化背景上存在明显的差异,在跨文化交流中可能会导致理解上的障碍。
研究英汉语谚语的文化差异,有助于增进人们对不同文化间的理解和尊重。
本文将从文化背景、性质和表达形式、日常生活中的应用及文化价值观等方面比较英汉语谚语的差异,探讨这些差异背后的文化原因。
通过深入分析英汉语谚语之间的异同,可以更好地理解两种语言的文化价值观和世界观,为跨文化交流提供启示和帮助。
结合现实生活的案例和实践经验,探讨英汉语谚语的实际应用和意义,为促进不同文化间的沟通和交流做出贡献。
1.2 研究目的本研究旨在比较英汉语谚语文化差异,探究其背后的文化意涵和价值观差异。
通过对英语和汉语谚语的深入分析,揭示不同文化背景下谚语的差异性,探讨谚语的性质和表达形式在英汉文化中的不同体现。
进一步研究英汉语谚语在日常生活中的应用,探讨谚语对于文化传承和交流的重要性。
通过对比研究英汉语谚语的文化价值观,揭示不同文化间的认知差异和交流困难,旨在为跨文化交流提供一定的启示和挑战。
通过本研究,有望深入了解英汉语谚语在不同文化背景下的重要性及其在语言和文化传承中的作用,为促进不同文化间的相互理解和交流提供理论支持和借鉴。
2. 正文2.1 文化背景下的英汉语谚语差异英汉语谚语是反映不同国家文化背景的重要表现形式,其差异主要源于英汉两国的历史、宗教、风俗习惯等方面的不同。
在英国,许多谚语都与农业、乡村生活有关,如“一次不成,再来一次”和“不要把鸡蛋放在一个篮子里”。
这些谚语反映了英国人注重实用主义和务实精神的特点。
而在中国,谚语往往与历史、哲学有关,如“塞翁失马,焉知非福”和“知足常乐”。
这些谚语体现了中国人注重缘分和顺势而为的价值观。
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英汉语谚语文化差异的比较研究
英汉语言中有很多谚语,它们是人们长期生活实践中总结出来的形象化、含义深刻的
话语,体现了一种语言文化的智慧和传承。
然而,由于英汉语言和文化的差异,英汉谚语
存在着一些文化差异。
首先,英汉谚语在表达方式上有所不同。
比如,“骑虎难下”是一句中国常用的谚语,意为难以回头或难以扭转,在此谚语中,大量使用了比喻手法,通过比喻虎的性格来形容
困境。
而在英国,“a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”是一句常见的谚语,意为手中一只鸟胜过树上两只鸟,这种表达方式更加直接和简洁,在信息传递上更直接。
其次,英汉谚语在所表现的文化内涵上存在不同。
比如,“萝卜白菜,各有所爱”是
一句中文谚语,以食物为隐喻,强调个人喜好的不同;而在英语中则有“different strokes for different folks”的谚语,意思和萝卜白菜类似,但更加注重个人的差异和多元性。
这说明中国的谚语更加注重集体文化的思想,而英国的谚语则更注重个体多样
性。
再者,英汉谚语还存在着文化背景与历史传承的差异。
比如,“海阔凭鱼跃,天高任
鸟飞”是一句中国传统的谚语,充分表达了人们坚韧不拔的精神和进取的态度。
而在英国,有“when in Rome, do as the Romans do”的谚语,意思是入乡随俗,尊重当地的文化习俗,避免冲突。
这种谚语来自于罗马帝国时期的当地风俗和文化,旨在帮助外来者适应当
地环境和习俗。
总之,英汉谚语虽然在很多方面存在着不同,但它们都代表了各自文化的智慧和传承。
跨文化的交流和理解,需要深入了解和尊重对方的文化背景和价值观念,才能更加成功地
进行沟通和交流。