Unit 9 翻译中的文化意识

Βιβλιοθήκη Baidu


to fight to the last man to break the record under one’s nose armed to the teeth packed like sardines sour grapes a gentleman’s agreement an olive branch the Trojan horse the heel of Achilles
Cultural Connotations of the Idiomatic Phrases and Their Translation

However，their proper use or translation is often a mark of one's command of English. It is worthwhile to make effort to learn how to translate them. There are a great number of idiomatic phrases in both English and Chinese，which are a very strong nature of culture，the essence of a certain language，and the crystallization of long and practical use of the language．Generally speaking，they are characterized with the qualities of vividness， harmony，rhythm，shortness，easy-to-remember， and simplicity.
Cultural Connotations of the Idiomatic Phrases and Their Translation

English idiomatic phrases，including set phrases （成语），proverbs （谚语），sayings（格 言），colloquialisms（俗语），allusions（典 故），and slang（俚语），are an important part of the English language and English culture．To learners of English as a foreign language they are often hard to understand and harder to use or translate correctly because they are language items rich in culture．To learn them means to learn not only words and grammars but also the underlying culture．This is by no means easy．

Some Experience of Life
Strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁。 Unity is strength. 团结就是力量。 As a man sows, he shall reap. 种 瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。 Forbidden fruit is sweet． 禁果分外甜。 Blood is thicker than water血浓于水。 Knowledge is power. 知识就是力量。 Lies have short legs. 谎言总是站不住脚的。
The Understanding of Nature





As is often the case，heaven or 天 is regarded as sth. dominating everything on earth and social members in both cultures are filled with awe and veneration for it. For example： Heaven has eyes（there is divine justice after all)． 老天有眼。 Heaven's vengeance is slow but sure. 天网恢恢，疏而不漏。 Heaven helps those who help themselves. 老天不负苦心人。
Cultural Disparities
Disparities in Historical Culture Disparities in Geographical Culture Disparities in Traditional Modes of Thinking


Some Religious Views on Human Life


Influenced more or less by Chinese Buddhism and Taoism， some people are disillusioned with the human world，hence the prevailing saying in Chinese 赤条条来去无牵挂（《红楼 梦》第22回）． As its counterpart，there is such a statement in the New Testament of the Bible，For we
Some Vehicles of Figures of Speech
as dark as night---漆黑如夜 as light as a feather---轻如鸿毛 as cowardly as a rat---胆小如鼠 as proud as a peacock ---像孔雀一样骄傲
comparison between SL culture and TL culture

Bilingual competence has always been regarded as an essential requirement for translators, but for truly successful translating, people have come to realize that biculturalism is even more important than bilingualism, since words only have meanings in terms of the cultures in which they function. In this sense, it is advisable for us to make a comparison between SL culture and TL culture. There are at least two major kinds of objectives in cross-cultural comparison: the establishment of universals and the explanation of disparities.
战斗到最后一个人 打破记录 在某人鼻子底下 武装到牙齿 挤得象沙丁鱼罐头 酸葡萄 君子协定 橄榄枝 特洛伊木马 阿基里斯的脚跟
Examples




the sword of Damocles 悬在达摩克里斯 头顶上的剑 the open-door policy 门户开放政策 the most-favored-nation clause 最惠国待遇 shuttle diplomacy 穿梭外交 the cold/hot war 冷/热战 A cat has nine lives. 猫有九命。 Blood is thicker than water. 血浓于水。(亲不 亲，一家人) Barking dogs do not bite. 吠犬不咬人。 A rolling stone gathers no moss. 滚石不生苔。 A light heart lives long. 不恼不愁，活到白 头。
brought nothing into this world，and it is certain we can carry nothing out．（因为我们
没有带任何东西到这个世上来，也当然要空手 离开这个世界。）
Some Euphemisms for "Die"
go to glory（heaven） ---升天 pay one‘s debt to nature ---返回自然 go west（go to the Western paradise）---上西天
Cultural Universals

Cultural Universals give one's heart to——倾心 set one's heart at ease ——放心 lose heart — —灰心 break one's heart ——伤心 kind-hearted ——善心的 blackhearted ——黑心的 hard-hearted — —狠心的 from the bottom of one's heart ——从心底里
习语的英译汉翻译有三种方法： 直译法、汉语同义习语套用法和 意译法.

一、直译法 所谓直译法，是指在不违背译文语言规范以及 不引起错误联想的前提下，在译文中保留英语 习语的比喻、形象、和民族色彩的翻译方法。 有时尽管英语习语的比喻、形象对汉语读者比 较生疏，但由于它在一定的上下文中具有强烈 的政治意义，或有明显的西方民族、地方、历 史、宗教等色彩，所以也应采用保留原文表达 方式的直译法。把西方习语移植到汉语中来， 可以丰富汉语语言。
Intercultural Awareness in Translation
翻译中的—— 文化意识
Relations between language and culture



Culture: “the total way of life of people.” Language is part of culture. It cannot be equated with culture． Language is the carrier and container of culture and it also exerts its influence on culture.

a jolly dog快活的人a lucky dog幸运儿 a water dog水性好的人as faithful as a dog像狗一样忠实 cat and dog life经常吵闹的生活 top dog重要人物，有权势的人 dress up like a dog's dinner穿着极其讲究 Every dog has its day.人皆有得意之日／瓦片也有翻身时。 Give a dog a bad name.欲加之罪，何患无辞。 Help a lame dog over a stile.助人于危难之中。 Love me，love my dog.爱屋及乌（爱我就爱我的狗）。 You can't teach an old dog new tricks.习性难改。 While in China，a dog is sometimes thought to be something unpleasant and disliked．It is very pejorative in meaning in Chinese．This can be readily illustrated by the Chinese words and idiomatic expressions： 走狗，癞皮狗，丧家狗，狗奴才，狗腿子，狗仗人势，狐朋狗 友，挂羊头卖狗肉，狗改不了吃屎，狗嘴里吐不出象牙……