Sino-US English Teaching, June 2021, Vol. 18, No. 6, 157-160
doi:10.17265/1539-8072/2021.06.004
A Study of Animal Idioms Translation From Perspective of
Functional Equivalence
ZHANG Xiaodi
男女朋友之间聊什么
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
Animal idioms, the deposit of broad and profound culture, show significant impacts on humans. It is more often
than not that people associate their feelings and emotions, even social events and natural phenomena with various
animals. But the meaning it conveys varies from countries and regions causing misunderstanding and long-lasting
jokes owing to veral factors. To avoid it, the study of idioms with animal vocabulary becomes more imperative.
exciting和excited
This thesis will focus on the study of animal idiom translation from the perspective of functional equivalence. By
targeting the difficulties in animal idiom translation and using different translation skills, it aims to offer readers a
chance to derive similar respon home and overas, so that they have an access to avoid culture shock and
misunderstanding.
Keywords: animal idioms, Functional Equivalence Theory, translation methods
Introduction
Animal idioms are not only a mirror, reflecting their own features and functions in people’s real life, but
also a conveyor, mirroring and connecting people’s emotions and feelings towards social life. However, affecting by veral factors, like beliefs, customs and geographic locations, animal idioms in different countries may be various so that the job to produce a relatively appropriate rendition gets harder and harder. Translators without good knowledge of culture and good understanding of cultural difference are prone to slip into cultural misunderstanding with a poor performance in translation. Functional equivalence follows the principle of equivalent effect, which means the reaction of target language readers to target text should be the same to that of the source language readers to source text. Eugene Nida writes: “Not only the equivalent content of message, but, in so far as possible, an equivalent form” (Ward & Nida, 1986, p. 286). In Nida’s opinion, He highlights that the adequacy of translation has traditionally been judged on the basis of the correspondence in lexicon and grammar between the source and target language (Nida, 2000).
The study aims to illustrate veral translation methods in animal idiom translation from perspective of functional equivalence, in order to open up a new door for readers to understand animal idioms. This paper will also show a systematical translation strategy to help translators reap a better renditio
n. Functional Equivalence Theory and Animal Idiom Translation
In his book Language Culture and Translating , Nida (2001b) pointed out that correspondence in lexicon
ZHANG Xiaodi, postgraduate, Foreign Languages Department, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai,
China.
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A STUDY OF ANIMAL IDIOMS TRANSLATION
158 and grammar between the source and target languages can give standard whether the adequacy of translation being enough or not. Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory pays a special attention on the equivalence in language function, not the language forms. There are nine translation methods in Functional Equivalence Theory but only three of them are of common u, which are literal translation, borrowing translation, free translation. Literal translation contains two parts. For one thing, there is no figurative skill in translation when translators deal with lexical meaning and ima
ges. For another, as for language form, an appropriate change, such as the quence of ntence order is allowed with the aim of making ntence keep in line with target-language ntence structure. Borrowing translation refers to borrowing some familiar expression from other language. It mainly contains three parts: borrowing-meaning, borrowing-form, and borrowing-sounds. Faithful to content but free from form, free translation is a uful way to get the version more tally with the expressive habit.
Idiom is a fixed language expression form, forming from the long-term social activities and practice of people, who put their understanding and thinking to objective articles in a pithy language form. Owning to culture gap, there is no way all animal idioms in two countries being same. Always bearing animal idiom is vicissitude in mind and knowing what is accounted for their difference will do a great favor to translators who want to get their jobs done.
Application of Functional Equivalence in Animal Idioms Translation
As we mentioned above, affected by factors, animal idioms in different countries is difficult to understand. It requires translators to understand the literal meaning and its connotation firstly, and then reproduce it in a pertinent equivalent form. Sen comes firstly, then a proper style. The same information put it into two
languages should have the capacity for achieving comprehensively same effects to make readers from source-
and target- text respon the same as possible. Three approaches of animal idioms transition with various images will be discusd
Literal Translation
Literal translation can keep the style and national characteristic of language, thoroughly. Dealing with occasions, like same images in animal idiom with different culture, translators may feel ea becau it will be easy for him to input information which is already familiar to reader to meet the demands of equivalence.日常英语口语900句
Example 1: My brother does his homework as slow as snail.
Translation : 弟弟写作业慢的像蜗牛。
Example 2: He is as dirty and greedy as a pig.
Translation : 他像只猪，即肮脏又贪婪。
In both English and Chine culture, people often u “bee” to describe busy, “snail” to describe slow, and “pig” to describe greedy and dirty. Animal images in both countries share the same meaning so that there is no need for translators borrowing images or translating in a free way. Keeping the original images will leave readers a familiar feeling, which contributes a lot to their understanding.
Example 3: She is as sly as a fox.
Translation: 她像狐狸一样狡猾。
No matter in Chine culture or in English culture, the very thing that “fox” leaving to us is the characteristics of crafty and sly, so translators doing his translation can simply keep the same images.
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A STUDY OF ANIMAL IDIOMS TRANSLATION 159
Equivalence in forms and styles will be fulfilled by rerving images through using literal translation.
Literal translation is not only a good way to help readers produce same respon, but also an effective method
suaveto help translators get to a better version with a vivid picture.
Borrowing Translation
awkward什么意思In some cas, due to the difference of language and culture between English and Chine; borrowing translation is a must. Borrowing translation is bad on a profound and comprehensive understanding of
national and cultural tradition.
Example 4: You are a lucky dog.
Wrong translation: 你是一只幸运的狗。
Correct translation: 你是个幸运的人。
For English-speaking, “dogs” are the reprentative of virtue. However, in China, they are related to
cursive words; if translators simply translate ntence without making any adjustment, the translation can
neither keep in line with the real meaning speakers nor make the listeners produce same reaction as expectation
of the speakers.
Example 5: 落汤鸡
Wrong translation: a wet chicken
holy grailCorrect translation: a drowned rat
In Chine, we u “落汤鸡” to describe people who are drenched becau of heavy rain, which relates to traditional culture phenomenon. However, in English countries, rat likes to live in underground so that when
underground is incapable of handling heave rain, rats are forced to rush to ground in a difficult position.
Regardless of culture phenomenon, translating word-by-word makes no n but leaves readers obscurity. It is
better for translators to translate it as “a drowned rat” becau this phra keeps in line with the custom of
English culture.
Free Translation
Translators may confront with situations where animal images have special meaning in one culture but not existing in another. When translating the animal idioms, translators have no other choice but to abnegate
french leaveimages to choo follow its instinctive meaning and that is called free translation. Free translation focus on
idioms’ content and metaphorical meaning.
Example 6: Let the cat out of the bag.
四级分数换算
Wrong translation: 猫漏出了袋子。
Correct translation: 露出马脚。
If the ntence is translated literally as “猫漏出了袋子”, but the Chine readers will be put at a loss. In fact, this idiom refers to the story that in New York, some farmers often ll pigs with a bag but sometimes they
will change the pigs with cats, which is not worthy; buyers who do not open the bag will beat the bite. When
the cats are out of the bag, buyers will immediately know the truth. This idiom’s real meaning is “leak the
cret”. Translators who only translate idioms literally will never satisfy readers’ curiosity for truth, let alone
fidelity to original text.
grippingFree translation is a good way to deliver message, although it is at the expen of loosing original images.
In many occasions, when people easily discover that a sort of animal idiom is hard to be delivered its meanings;
it is the best time to choo free translation. When translators find it is hard to decide which translation methods All Rights Rerved.
A STUDY OF ANIMAL IDIOMS TRANSLATION
160 should be taken in animal idiom translation, they need to make a decision about what is of paramount in his translation. Losing flavor and sound effect to achieve functional equivalence, to some extent, is a success.
Inspirations
East and West share a mountain of similar images in animal idiom. However, it is not rare that the cross-cultural communication do often exist misunderstanding, so does the animal idioms translation. Some animal idiom in western country rembles tho in China, which leads to many translators tending to associate same expression in Chine when they translate English animal idiom. Translators should not take words literally. Besides, animal images in various countries are als
o varied from one to another so that it requires translators good understood of the origin of idioms and target language. Animal idioms are not a mere reprentative for animal images, but eye-catching marks of its nation. Bad on ensuing understanding, a vivid message is also of importance so as to get the animal idioms wonders involved in translation. Functional equivalence is a tool to help improve translation. The key to reap fruitful results of translation is to know how to u translation skills in a flexible way. Translation methods should not be implemented blindly or forcefully, rather; translators need to think twice about what needs giving priority and what does he really want readers get from his translated text.
Conclusion
Translation derves some skills and good knowledge about language, culture, and other points. Dealing with animal idiom translation, functional equivalence is a good guidance to reap colorful results. What is more, only knowing some skills are far from enough, it requires people’s daily cultural accumulation to have a good command of the origin of animal idiom in different culture. Translators with the guidance of proper translation methods from perspective of functional equivalence will certainly get their job done in a more appreciated way. Readers’ respon has clo relationship with whether the translated version is adequacy or not so that they derve special atten
tion.
This paper gives priority to animal idioms translation from perspective of functional equivalence to equip people with knowledge about factors influencing animal idioms translation and how to solve relevant problem with the help of translation methods guided by functional equivalence. In a word, the author offers some effective approaches to animal idioms translation and comes up some key point derved attention in animal idioms translation. There is no perfect guidance for animal idioms translation, what translator should do is on a ca-by-ca basis, knowing exactly his main purpo of translation to choo correspondence skills for getting a satisfied version of translation. Issues may exist in animal transition, even if the translator has good instruction for transition, but with the help of functional equivalence, an effective and pragmatic version can be achieved.
中级口译答案References
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