Research On English And Chinese Idioms And Their Translation

Translation is an activity in which one language is translated into another. It aims at putting all information of the source language into the target language and at the same time achieving the greatest equivalent effects of meaning and image functions. Idioms are the essence of the language. They have vivid images, concise expressions and strong cultural characteristics. As far as the cultural characteristics of idioms (image and metaphorical meaning) are concerned, there exist three corresponding cases between Chinese and English idioms in expressing semantic meaning and cultural characteristics: complete equivalence (the same or similar images and the same metaphorical meanings), partial equivalence (different images but the same metaphorical meanings or the same images but different metaphorical meanings) and vacancy (no equivalent images or meanings). By comparison between English and Chinese idioms, this thesis discusses the essence of equivalence between English and Chinese idioms in semantic effects and puts forward that image preservation and functional equivalence are a primary principle of idiom translation. Based on the above three cases, the thesis explores some effective techniques to realize functional effects in translation of English idioms and Chinese idioms: to preserve the images of the idioms and use literal translation; to preserve the images of the idioms and adopt amplification, annotation and notes; to transfer the images and use some replacements and to give up the images and paraphrase the idioms. All of these techniques strive to reproduce the style and form of idioms in an attempt to achieve equivalence of functional effects between Chinese and English idioms. The thesis is divided into four chapters. The first chapter stresses on close relations between cultures, languages, idioms and idiom images. In idiom translation, a translator should understand not only the literal meanings of the English and Chinese idioms respectively but also their cultural implications, otherwise it is impossible for him to do a goodjob in idiom translation. The second chapter deals with categories and features of the English and Chinese idioms, including their image categories and features. The third chapter expounds mainly that image preservation and functional equivalent translation are a significant principle of idiom translation, and that psychological and social functions are the vital basis of idiom translation. The last chapter discusses several techniques for idiom translation with the purpose of reaching functional equivalence. It explains that the translation of English and Chinese idioms should be adapted to the culture and linguistic habits by making choices among image recurrence, addition, transfer and abandon. Meanwhile we should pay more attention to commendatory and derogatory meanings of idioms according to the concrete context. The demonstrations and examples in the above four chapters suggest that translators must have a deep understanding of the two cultures, features and images of idioms so as to realize pragmatic functional equivalence in idiom translation by proper employment of the techniques.