Translation of idioms英语习语翻译

• 所以这李纨虽青春丧偶，且处在膏梁锦 绣之中，竟如“槁木死灰”一般，一概 不问，……（《红楼梦》） • 译文：So this young widow living in the lap of luxury was no better off than withered wood or cold ashes, taking no interest in the outside world.
• “直译基础上的意译”——翻译的指导思 想 • 语言是文化的载体。翻译若仅仅传达信 息了事，那将铸就缺憾。
Domesticating translation
• 眉飞色舞： 译文：his eyebrows are flying and his countenance is dancing. 改译：to beam with joy • 粗枝大叶 译文：with big branches and large leaves 改译：to be crude and careless • 灯红酒绿 译文：with red lights and green wine 改译：dissipated and luxurious • 纸醉金迷： 译文：with drunken paper and bewitched gold 改译：(a life of )luxury and dissipation
Foreignizing translation or domesticating translation?
• 一个汉语的习语，有其含义大致相近的 英语习语，顺手牵羊，便可作归化英译; 反之，若做直译，保留其文化因素，作 异化处理，也未尝不可。何去何从，令 人犹豫。
竭泽而渔: • to drain a pond to catch all the fish（异化） • kill the goose that lays the golden eggs （归化） 打草惊蛇: • to stir up the grass and alert the snake（异化） • wake up a sleeping dog (归化) 易如反掌: • to be as easy as turning over one’s hand（异化） • as easy as falling off a log（归化）
• Nida 认为，只有在一定条件下，才可以改 变形式。为此，他提出了改变形式的五个 条件： 1.直译会导致意义上的错误时； 2.引入外来语形成语义空白(Semantic Zero)， 读者有可能自己填入错误意义时； 3.形式对等引起严重的意义晦涩时； 4.形式对等引起作者原意所没有的歧义时； 5.形式对等违反译入语的语法或文体规范时。
Foreignizing translation ? Domesticating translation?
• 有鲜明文化色彩的习语（衍生于某个历史故事 或人物掌故） • 叶公好龙 译文：professed love of what one really fears • 南柯一梦 译文：a fond dream or illusory joy/ fond dream • Leabharlann Baidu面楚歌 译文：to be besieged on all sides • 悬梁刺股 译文：to be extremely hard-working in one’s study
• 扬眉吐气 译文：to raise the eyebrows and let out a breath 改译：to feel proud and elated • 开门见山 译文：to open the door and see the mountain 改译：to come straight to the point • 风雨飘摇： 译文：the wind and rain are rocking 改译：(of a situation) being unstable
• Domesticating translation:
– minimizes the foreignness of the SL text by changing the heterogeneous elements into what is familiar to the TL text
• 异化：主张直译原文的语言形式（即便 这种语言形式不完全切合译语习惯）， 保留构成原语言的文化因子（主要是形 象）。
Idiom
• An idiom is an expression not readily analyzable from its grammatical construction or from the meaning of its component parts. It is the part of the distinctive form or construction of a particular language that has a specific form or style present only in that language. (New International Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary ) • An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual grammatical rules of a language or from the usual meanings of its constituent elements. (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary )
雪中送炭： • to send charcoal in snowy weather（异化） • to help a lame dog over a stile（归化） 守口如瓶： • to keep one’s mouth closed like a bottle（异化） • to keep a still tongue in one’s head（归化） 掌上明珠: • a pearl in the palm (异化) • the apple of one’s eye (归化)
Chapter Fifteen
Translation of Idioms
Idiom
• Definition • An idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.
Translation of idiom
• Foreignizing translation:
– retaining the cultural flavors of the SL – enables the reader to have an alien reading experience – developing the readers awareness of cultural difference
• 归化：主张以纯熟地道的译语和相关联 的文化因子进行翻译。
Translation of idiom (C-E)
• Foreignizing translation • 剖腹藏珠 出自《资治通鉴· 唐纪· 太宗贞观元年》： “吾闻西域贾胡得美珠，剖身以藏之，有诸？” • rip open the stomach and hide a pearl—sacrifice life for money • 你自己手里拿着这个，岂不好？明儿再送来。——就 失了手也有限的，怎么忽然又变出这“剖腹藏珠”的 脾气来！（《红楼梦》） • 译文：Wouldn’t that be better? You can send it back later. And even if want to “cut open your stomach to hide a pearl”?
• 他一家子在这儿，他的房子、地在这儿， 他跑？跑得了和尚跑不了庙。（周立波： 《暴风骤雨》） 译文：Escape? But his home and property can’t escape. The monk may run away, but the temple can’t run with him. • 咳！这一来，竹篮子打水一场空了。 （梁斌：《红旗谱》 ） 译文：Ah! We were drawing water in a bamboo basket.
• 明枪易躲，暗箭难防 译文：It is easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding. • 城门失火，殃及池鱼 译文：A fire on city wall brings disaster to the fish in the moat. • 路遥知马力，日久见人心 译文：As a long road tests a horse’s strength, so a long task proves a person’s heart.
• 初生牛犊不怕虎 译文：New-born calves make little of tigers. • 口蜜腹剑 译文：to be honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted • 声东击西 译文：to shout in the east and strike in the west • 望梅止渴 译文：quench one’s thirsty by thinking of plums • 画饼充饥 译文：to draw cakes to allay hunger
小结
• 归化？异化？其实质是直译与意译，是形式与 内容的矛盾。 • “Not only the equivalence content of message, but, in so far as possible, an equivalence of the form.” (Nida) • Nida提出了改变形式的五个条件。不合乎五个 条件，就不能随意更改；必须保持形式的一致， 也就是采取直译的方法。 • “Translate literally, if possible, or, appeal to free translation.” （陆殿扬）
• 刻骨铭心 译文：to be engraved on one’s heart and bones • 引狼入室 译文：to lead a wolf into the house • 重见天日 译文：to see the daylight again • 百川归海 译文：All rivers flow into the sea.
Idiom
• Feature • Culturally relative: An idiom is generally a colloquial metaphor—a term requiring some foundational knowledge, information, or experience, to use only within a culture, where conversational parties must possess common cultural references. Therefore, idioms are not considered part of the language, but part of the culture.