The Schema Theory Approach To The Cultural Vacancy In English Idiom Translation

Idioms, as crystallization of development of language, are the essence and one of the most important essential constituents of language. There are an abundance of idioms with rich associations in English language. They are succinct and rich in cultural connotation and national flavor. Thus the English idiom translation involves the transfer of linguistic code as well as the transmission of cultural denotation. The cultural differences are not only the essential reason which influence translation but also the main restricting factor of realizing equivalence in the process of expression. The study is to analyze translation of English idiom from perspective of cultural vacancy and schema theory to explore the possibility of equivalent idiom translation based on functional equivalence. The value of this thesis lies in applying a new perspective-schema theory and functional equivalence to view the cultural problems and proposing solutions to these problems in light of schema theory.