L19 Culture and Translation

Culture and Translation

文化与翻译(2)

Contents

Translation of names, titles, and brands Translation of books and movies Translation of idioms

Names

中国有“正名”的传统： 名不正，则言不顺；言不顺，则事不成。 (《论语》子路篇第十三：三) If language is incorrect, then what is said does not concord with what was meant; and what is said does not concord with what was meant, what is to be done cannot be effected. ( Arthur Waley )

“重姓轻名” VS “重名轻姓”

中国：姓+名 “宗族之上”、“光宗耀祖”的观念 英语国家：教名+中间名+姓 Full name = Christian name/ first name/ given name + middle name/ second name + surname/ family name/ last name

“男女各姓” VS “妇随夫姓”

Please translate: 祥林嫂 (鲁迅《祝福》) 阿庆嫂 (京剧样板戏《沙家浜》)Western countries: Married woman uses the last name of her husband. Marie White + John Brown = Marie / John Brown New trends: Mary Brown + John Williams = Mary / John Brown-Williams

男刚女柔、寓意丰富

汉语： 男名：志、宏、武、斌、强、国、民、华、海、胜、 昌等。 女名：丽、珍、玉、琴、娟、洁、莉、梅、花、菊、 秀等。 English: Andrew (刚强), Anthony (无比可贵), Charles (大丈 夫), Jack (刚强), John (神的恩典),Michael (神之宠) Alice (美丽), Catherine (纯洁), Emily (勤劳), Jenny (文静), Nancy (高雅), Margaret (珍珠)

姓氏来源

1.古地名 秦、韩、赵、魏、宋、齐、梁、陈等 London, Lancaster, Boston, Everest, Snowdon, Hudson,etc. 2. 居住地 东郭、南郭、西门 Field, Hill, Brook, Lane, Shore,etc. 3. 职业 石、陶、屠、巫等 Baker, Carpenter, Fisher, Hunter, Butcher, Mason, Tailor, etc.

4. 颜色 白居易、黄遵宪等。 Blue, Brown, Red, Green, Orange, Black, Scarlet, White, etc. 5. 家族姓氏 Johnson, Wilson, Thomson Macarthur (Arthur的儿子，Mac表父子关系) Fitzgerald (Gerald的儿子，Fitz表示父名) 6. 动植物 马、牛、熊、龙等 Lamb, Fox, Wood, Flower, etc.

7. 自然现象 雷锋、风清扬、水均益、火风 Snow, Frost, Cloud, Rain, etc. 8. 体型外貌 Bigge, Buch (邦齐，表驼背), Fatt, Small, Short, Long, Longfellow, etc.

Practice

翻译原则：“名从主人，物从中国”(孔子) Monroe Doctrine 门罗主义 Marilyn Monroe (American actress) 玛丽莲· 梦露 Michael Jordan 迈克尔· 乔丹 George W. Bush 乔治· · W 布什

Attention

Conan Doyle 柯南道尔 (姓与名之间没有实心点) Bernard Shaw 萧伯纳(姓名倒置) Leigton Stuart 司徒雷登 Kevin Rudd (Austrilian Prime Minister) 陆克

文 (有中文名)

Practice

I am no Hamlet. 我绝不犹豫。(不译为：我不是哈姆莱特) His income derived from ilicit activities--bookmaking, gambling, shylocking, and questionable union activities. 他的经济收入来源于一些非法活动——赛马登 记赌注、赌博、放高利贷和一些可疑的工会活 动。

Practice

庙旁住着一家乡宦，姓甄，名费，字士隐。 Beside this temple lived a gentleman named Zhen Fei, whose courtesy name was Shi-yin.

字 courtesy name (名以表体，字以表德) 号 literary name (文人雅士的自称) 雅号；美称 polite name; poetic name 笔名 pen name; pseudonym 别名 another name; alternative name 绰号；诨名 nickname

假名；化名 assumed name 曾用名；假名 alias 称呼；称号 style 封号 official name 谥号 temple name 艺名 stage / business name 法号 Buddhist name

Brands, trademarks

What do you think of the follow translations? Coca Cola 可口可乐 Simmons 席梦思 Bush and Lomb 博士伦 Carrefour 家乐福 Mercedes-Benz 奔驰(大陆)、平治(香港)、朋驰 / 宾士 (台湾) 广埠屯 Computown 百脑汇 (电脑城)Buynow 音美、形美、意美

Translation strategies: use Pinyin

浪莎(袜业) Langsha 力帆(摩托) Lifan 高科(电话) Gaoke 万宝(电器) Wanbao