A Sociosemiotic Study On C-E Translation Of Folk Adages In A Dream Of Red Mansions By Yang

Folk adage, as an important component of Chinese idioms, is marked by comparatively flexible form, richimplications, vivid images, and melodious rhythm. It is often applied in literature works to enhance languageexpression and artistic appeal. In A Dream of Red Mansions, a large number of folk adages are applied, whichgreatly adds charm to its language arts. Yet, as Chinese folk adage greatly relates to the cultures in ancient times,it is often a great challenge for translators to accurately reproduce them in the target language. In order to solvethis problem, further researches on this field become more than crucial.Under the framework of sociosemiotics, translation is regarded as a form of transformation between signsof two different cultures. In the process of translation, source signs are decoded in accordance with specificcontext into different meanings (designative, interlinguistic and pragmatic meaning) and functions (informativefunction, expressive function, aesthetic function, vocative function, phatic function and metalingual function)which will then be re-encoded in the target language. The Sociosemiotic approach to translation goes beyond thepure linguistic level and focuses on other factors affecting the translation like culture, context and register etc.Therefore, with the guidance of sociosemiotic theories, the barriers and corresponding compensation strategiesin the process of cross-cultural communication can be thoroughly and systematically clarified.Based on above reasons, the present study attempts to systematically explore the translation of Chinese folkadages in A Dream of Red Mansions from a perspective of sociosemiotics, aiming to work out the main barriersduring folk adage translating and the corresponding compensation strategies to deal with them. The currentstudy mainly applies the qualitative method, literature researching method, and inductive method to investigatethe translation of Chinese folk adages on basis of the following research questions:(1) What results in the loss of meaning during folk adages translation? And what strategies does Yangapply to deal with them?(2) What causes the loss of function in the reproduction of folk adages? And how does Yang deal withthem?(3) According to the reproduction of folk adages in A Dream of Red Mansions, what kind of pattern issuggested to be complied with in Chinese folk adages translation?Through detailed analysis and discussion on the C-E translation of folk adages selected in the former80chapters of A Dream of Red Mansions in terms of meanings and functions, the author finds:(1) During folkadage translating, loss of meaning is inevitable and the difficulties causing loss of each meaning differ from one to another: as for designative meaning, the difficulties mainly includes polysemy of source signs,multi-implication of source signs, and vacancy of source items in target language; as for interlinguistic meaning,the difficulty mainly lies in the differences between English and Chinese in physical characteristics, expressingstyles and language rules; and as for pragmatic meaning, the difficulties are chiefly caused by the paradoxbetween realization of pragmatic meaning, and the reproduction of designative and interlinguistic meanings.(2)Translation means translating meaning with functions as the complement. During translating, similarity infunctions is also hard to achieve. As each function corresponds to certain meaning of language signs, thedifficulties causing loss of functions are quite similar to those in transfer of their corresponding meanings.(3)Facing the aforementioned difficulties, Yang try best to be as faithful as possible to the original by flexibly usingcompensation strategies like contextual amplification, domestication, self-creation, replacement, anduniversalization etc.(4) Sociosemiotic approach provides a scientific theoretical basis for the C-E translation offolk adages, with the guidance of which, the loss of meanings and functions during translating can be effectivelyreduced. All in all, sociosemiotic approach to translation is comparatively comprehensive and systematic, whichundoubtedly can provide feasible and practical guidance for Chinese folk adage translation.