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1、Topic 25 The Translation of Chinese Idioms and Four-CharacterPhrases into English汉语成语及 “四字格” 的英译Teaching aims: to master the techniques of translating Chinese idioms Main Language points: 1. The translation of Chinese idioms 2. The rendering of four-character phrasesDifficult teaching points: the st
2、rategies of translating Chinese 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 PracticeTime arrangement: 2 periodsWhat is an idiom? To quote Li Fu-ning, “An idiom is an element of a language that possesses a unique way of expression based on
3、its time-honoured use. ” In other words, an idiom is a fixed group of words or a single word, or even a sentence, with a special meaning that cannot be guessed from its structure. That is to say, the meaning of an idiom must be learned as a whole. In English Idioms and How to Use TheJm. Seidle et al
4、 point out that idioms “ are not a separate part of the language which one can choose either to use or omit, but they form an essential part of the language.”The Chinese equivalent for idioms is “成语” or “习语”，or even “熟语”.Now lets 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
5、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; concise and meaningful phrases or short sentences that have been in long public usage. Most Chinese idioms have a historical origin and consist of four Chinese characters. The meanings of some are o
6、bvious e.g. 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 c
7、old” 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 these rules， unlike those 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 choi
8、ce 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- beset with imaginary fears”， “extremely suspicious”， “self-created suspicon/delusion”， “to take alarm at the shadow of a bow in the cup （as a serpents image），
9、“to shy at a shadow”， or “The bow in the cup had the appearance of a snake.”Strictly speaking， idioms are expressions that are not readily understandable from their literal meanings of individual elements. In a broad sense, idioms may include colloquialisms, catch phrases, slang expressions, proverb
10、s, two-part allegorical sayings,etc. In most cases, an idiom is a semantic 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 co
11、nstituents 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 phrases.The S
12、trategies in Translating Chinese IdiomsAttention should be paid to the fact that the translation of an idiom , in most cases , 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 meanin
13、g may be: “ vanish like mist and smoke; completely vanish.”Now lets look at a few sentences and see 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 passed away like a breath of wind, 生宝紧张的心情 , 被杨
14、书记这一番笑谈 , 一下子冲得烟消云散了。 At Secretary Yangs friendly jesting , Shengbaos 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 (precise)。 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
15、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? Dont 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。 Esc
16、ape? But his house and property cant 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 dispensed 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 cant tell a man s honest heart from a donkey s liver and l
