江十六大翻译例子文件字体字号要求
Topic 25 The Translation of Chine Idioms and Four-Character
Phras into English
送杜少府之
汉语成语及“四字格”的英译
Teaching aims: to master the techniques of translating Chine idioms
Main Language points: 1. The translation of Chine idioms 2. The rendering of four-character phras
Difficult teaching points: the strategies of translating Chine idioms
Teaching references: 1. 孙致礼，新编英汉翻译教程
2. 陈宏薇，新编汉英翻译教程
3. 彭长江英汉－汉英翻译教程
Teaching methods: Analysis and Practice
Time arrangement: 2 periods
苹果塔What is an idiom? To quote Li Fu-ning, “An idiom is an element of a language that posss a unique way of expression bad on its time-honoured u.” In other words, an idiom is a fixed group of words or a single word, or even a ntence, with a special meaning that cannot be guesd from its structure. That is to say, the meaning of an idiom must be learned as a whole. In English Idioms and How to U Them J. Seidle et al point out that idioms “ are not a parate part of the language which one can choo either to u or omit, but they form an esntial part of the language.”
The Chine equivalent for idioms is “成语” or “习语”, or even “熟语”. Now let?s look at the definition of an idiom(成语) in 汉英双解《现代汉语词典》：“【成语】人们长期以来习用的、简洁精辟的定型词组或短句。有些成语大多由四个字组成, 一般都有出处。有些成语从字面上不难理解, 如…小题大做?、…后来居上?等。有些成语必须知道来源或典故才能懂得意思, 如…朝三暮四?、…杯弓蛇影?等。idiom; conci and meaningful phras or sh
ort ntences that have been in long public usage. Most Chine idioms have a historical origin and consist of four Chine characters. The meanings of some are …trivial topic, long article?and …late comers become the first,? but some can be understood only by knowing their sources, or the stories behind them, e.g. …three in the morning, four in the evening? and …the shadow of a bow in a cup mistaken for a snake?”.
Actually, “朝三暮四”means “blow hot and cold” or “chop and change”.And yet, in a definite context it can be rendered flexibly: 而且这规则是不像现在那样朝三暮四的。( 《鲁迅全集》) All the rules, unlike tho we have today, do not change all the time. 三妹妹她从不会朝更暮改的, 她已择定了人。(《红楼梦》) My sister is not the type that keeps changing her mind. She is already made her choice of a man. “杯弓蛇影”can be translated in different ways depending on the context: “mistaking the reflection of a bow in the cup for a snake--- bet with imaginary fears”, “extremely suspicious”, “lf-created suspicon/delusion”, “to take alarm at the shadow of a bow in the cup (as a rpent?s image), “to shy at a shadow”, or “The bow in the cup had the appearance of a snake.”
期中考试试卷分析
Strictly speaking, idioms are expressions that are not readily understandable from
their literal meanings of individual elements. In a broad n, idioms may include colloquialisms, catch phras, slang expressions, proverbs, two-part allegorical sayings,etc. In most cas, an idiom is a mantic unity ( Though the various words or characters which make up the idiom have their respective literal meanings, in the idiom they have lost their individual identity.) An idiom has the character of structural stability( The constituents of an idiom cannot be replaced , or be inverted or changed, or be deleted or added to. The fixitity of idioms depends on the idiomaticity. The more idiomatic the idiom, the more fixed the strycture. Many of the lower scale do allow some changes, and so do many four-character phras.一个人的夜
The Strategies in Translating Chine Idioms
Attention should be paid to the fact that the translation of an idiom , in most cas , is quite different from the definition or version(s) of the same one given in a dictionary. What really counts is the context. Take “烟消云散”for example. Its dictionary meaning may be: “
vanish like mist and smoke; completely vanish.”
Now let?s look at a few ntences and e how it is translated tactically:
昨晚那种恐慌已经烟消云散。His panic of the previous evening was quite gone.
她方才那一阵兴奋又烟消云散。Her high spirits of a moment ago suddenly pasd away like a breath of wind,
生宝紧张的心情, 被杨书记这一番笑谈, 一下子冲得烟消云散了。At Secretary Yang?s friendly jesting , Shengbao?s tension melted away.
我刚才的高兴, 一下子烟消云散了。That dashed all my hopes to the ground.
成语在行文中与在词典中不同, 它有上下文, 不是孤立的。行文翻译与词典释义在许多场合有差异，在行文中译法往往不十分完整也不十分精确(preci)。词典的那种完整精确的释义多半要经过改造, 才能适应行文翻译的要求, 否则就用不上。尽管行文具体情况不同，译法千变万化, 但仍可以找到一些规律性的东西, 使我们可以看出行文翻译的特点。
1.形象与喻义只取其一
哪个吴淑兰? 敢情是三头六臂？What Wu Shu-lan? Don?t tell me she has three heads and six arms!
谭招弟碰不得吗？你是三头六臂, 我也敢碰。Is Dan Chao-ti some sacred being that no one dares to offend? But I dare, even if you?re a demigod！
2.取形象还是取喻义, 即用直译还是意译, 取决于上下文
他一家子在这儿, 他的房子地在这儿, 他跑? 跑了和尚跑不了庙。Escape? But his hou and property can?t escape. “ The monk may run away, but the temple can?t run with him.”
什么红白喜事, 讨媳妇, 死了人, 大办其酒席, 实在可以不必。When people wear red or white, that is, at weddings or funerals, the practice of giving lavish feasts can well be dispend with.
3.即使上下文没有显示喻义, 但只要补加一笔便可以点明的, 也往往采取直译来表现形象(先直译后补加意译)
怎么的, 你倒把好心当成驴肝肺! 好, 咱们支部会上见。Oho, so you can?t tell a
man?s honest heart from a donkey?s liver and lungs? So that?s how you take my good advice? All right, we?ll ttle this at the Party branch meeting!质效提升
胸腔积液的原因4.如果上下文对成语的喻义显示不够, 直译不仅罗嗦而且还要补充解释, 那就不如意译
枣泥蛋糕
