Image Shift In Idiom Translation

In the circles of translation, the problem of image shift attracts many translators' eyes. An image refers to a mental picture or an idea suggesting further meanings and association that are used in the reader's mind by the use of language. The cultural image is the fruit of historical and cultural development of a nation. The connotative meaning of the same image in Chinese and English idioms may be different because of different aesthetic value, environments of living, living customs, religious beliefs, fables, myths or literary works in Chinese and western culture. Whether the image can be properly shifted may directly affect the translation.Idiom, as a beautiful gem of a language as well as crystallization of national culture, is characterized by its vivid images. For quite a long time the image shift in idiom translation seems to be confined to a routine frame, namely, a general introduction of the idiom is presented first and then possible approaches are offered, such as literal translation, free translation, literal translation with footnotes and the use of corresponding idioms in the target language, etc. There is a lack of intrinsic and organic connection between the introduction of idioms and the possible approaches provided. The significance of image in translation is not duly recognized. More often than not the image is either abandoned or changed. As a result, what is not there in the source text is added and what is there in the source text is lost. This thesis attempts to introduce the reception theory into the process of translating and then get the conclusion that the cultural difference contained in images might to some extent be appropriately handled, as readers in the target language have horizon of expectation and the readers' receptive process is a dynamic process. Besides the introduction and the conclusion, the present thesis consists of four chapters.Chapter 1 provides the definition of images, and a comparative study on the characteristics of images in both English and Chinese is made. This part puts more emphasis on the analysis of the factors that affecting the meaning of images.Chapter 2 discusses the difference between reception theory and other literary theories from the perspective of the concept of literary works and the readers' role and status. The concepts of literary work, the readers' horizon of expectation, the indeterminacy of text and the defamiliarization of a literary work are introduced into translation. The actual realization of each of them in translation is analyzed and the conclusion that translation is the best model for the reception theory is drawn.Chapter 3 deals with the reception theory in connection with image shift in idiom translation study. This chapter demonstrates that the key to the translation of idioms lies in the successful conveyance of cultural images from the perspective of readers' role and status, the shift of horizon of expectations and reception and cultural exchange. The fresh images contained in an idiom should be kept as much as possible instead of being abandoned or changed.In an attempt to find a starting point in the image shift, Chapter 4 analyses the intrinsic features of images and the correlation between images, associations and meaning and then the possible solutions are presented, such as reproducing, preserving, deleting the image, or replacing the image in the source language with a familiar target language, etc. Besides, we know in Chinese and English there exist a number of images which seem to correspond with each. However, such images can not be replaced by each other because they convey different connotative meaning in reality, so translators should try to avoid such traps in translating. And also, image shift is relevant to the context. The choice of certain image can be decided by different context.In a word, the image shift in idiom translation is hard to deal with. This thesis is the fruit of the author's translation practice and theoretical research during the past few years. Immature and defective as it may be in many aspects, it is hoped that new insight into the image shift in idiom translation might be offered.