Cultural_Differences_in_the_Translation_of_English_and_Chine(2)

英文论文

Different traditional customs Different material cultures Religious differences Different historical allusions

2 Specific strategies used in idiom translation

2.1 Literal translation

Literal translation refers to a full representation of the original when the original coincides with the target language idiom in the sequence of lexical items, grammatical structure and rhetorical device. Literal translation faithfully conveys the meaning of the original and at the some time keeps the full flavor of English idioms. This is the ideal solution. Let us look at one examples:

②A. 小时候，她长得很丑，而现在成了一位美丽的妇女。

Ｂ．小时候，她是个丑小鸭，而现在成了一位美丽的妇女。

This original sentence contains a metaphor. She is compared to an ugly duckling. Although in China duckling can not represent ugliness, her fairytale is well known by every family, particularly to the children, that is to say, this English idiom has been assimilated by Chinese culture after a long time of translation. Therefore, B adopts literal translation, it does not cause confusion, and the expression_r is vivid and living.

A omits the metaphor of the origin, produces the loss in cultural meaning, and violates ‘faithfulness’’ of translation standard.

2.2 Liberal translation

If liberal translation is also called free translation, which does not adhere strictly to the form or word order of the original. When there exist in dissimilarities or great difference bet and Chinese in the sequence of vocabulary, in grammatical structure and art device, free translation would be employed. For example:

① The teenagers do not invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket.