On English Translation of Proverbs(浅谈英语谚语翻译)

1、浅析英文谚语翻译 on english translation of proverbs abstract because of the differences of religious beliefs, habits and customs, fables and myth, and culture and art, english proverbs and chinese proverbs carry on the different national cultural characteristics and information. proverbs are closely linked

2、with cultural tradition and they are inseparable. the cultural elements of proverbs cause the difficulty of translation of proverb. this thesis is trying to make some exploration about the proverb, and its translation. key words: category；translation method ; culture contrast 摘摘 要要 由于不同的宗教信仰、风俗习惯、寓言

3、神话以及文学艺术诸多方面的差异， 英、汉谚语承载着不同的民族文化特色和不同的文化信息。他们与文化传统紧 密相连，不可分割。言语中的文化因素构成了翻译中的困难。直译，意译，或 者直译与意译相结合，则要根据具体的语言环境来定。本文通过对英文谚语的 分类和对中西文化的对比，就英语谚语及其翻译做一些探索。 关键词：关键词：谚语分类；翻译方法；文化对比 contents abstract.i 摘摘 要要.ii introduction.1 1 what is proverb?.1 1.1 the definition of proverb.1 1.2 the categories of proverb.

4、2 1.2.1 from production experiences .2 1.2.2 from life experiences.2 1.2.3 from masterpieces and mottos.3 1.2.4 from the bible.3 1.2.5 to convey the truth.3 1.2.6 loan proverb.4 2 the comparison of chinese and english proverb.5 2.1 subaudition of proverb.5 2.2 religion.6 2.3 values.6 2.4 history and

5、 culture .7 3 methods of proverbs translation.7 3.1 literal translation .8 3.2 free translation .9 3.2.1 free translation in different english and chinese proverbs .9 3.2.2 free translation in similar proverbs in english and chinese .10 3.3 combination of literal and free translation .10 4 conclusio

6、n.11 bibliography .12 acknowledgements.13 introduction proverb is a short pithy saying in frequent and widespread use that expresses a basic truth or practical precept. proverb is a treasure of literature which comes from peoples daily life. it sparkles with the wisdom of humans thoughts and experie

7、nces from the ancient times to the modern times. whats more, it has enriched the languages of lots of countries. in a word, proverb is as lively as poem, as steady as essay and as terse as idiom. since the differences on history, religion and custom, the proverb connects with its own culture steadil

8、y and carries the unique information and feature in each language. when translating english proverbs, the attention should be paid to deliver the exact meaning, meanwhile the language character has also to be concerned. though english and chinese are totally two different languages, but they have mu

9、ch in common on proverb, for instant, proverbs in two languages are both simple and alive; most of them rhyme with tidy structures and vivid metaphor. on the other hand, proverb is kinds of reflection of culture that convey the features of a country as well as the translation of english proverb. as

10、we know, the both two languages have centuries-old history, religion and literature. so proverbs learning can be a good way to understand english-speaking countries. mr. zhu guangqian says: “the most difficult to understand and translate about foreign literature is the associated meaning”, “it has t

11、he specific emotional atmosphere, quite deep and delicate; you may not find it in the dictionary, but it is very important to literature. if we dont know the habits and customs as well as the cultural historic background, well be at sea, especially when we translate the associated meaning.” by analy

12、zing the sort of proverb, one can understand the features, subaudiences and also the author categorizes proverb into several sections, from geography, custom, and culture to compare the differences between chinese and english proverbs. through the study of proverb, good understanding may be well app

13、lied to the translation of proverbs. as for the methods of translation, such as literal translation, free translation, or the combination of two ways of translation which depend on the features of language and cultural background of the proverbs. 1 what is proverb? 1.1 the definition of proverb “a p

14、roverb is a brief familiar maxim of folk wisdom, usually compressed inform, often involving a bold image and frequently a jingle that catches the memory.”(ny: longman, 1976: 889) “a proverb is a short saying in common use that strikingly expresses some obvious truth or familiar experience.”(ny: macm

15、illan general reference, 1988: 1083) so proverb is considered as a popular short saying with words of advice or warning which is created among people as a great intellectual achievement from their understanding of the nature and society. proverb is common on style, neat on structure, vivid on langua

16、ge and profound on meaning. “proverb is the daughter of daily experience.” “a proverb is much matter decocted into few words.”(jinhuikang, 2004: 421) as a legacy of ancestors, proverb contains the experiences that the ancestors have concluded or the wisdoms of truth. from the definitions above we ma

17、y find out that proverb is a general truth and gives advice and warning which involves a bold image, musical rhyme or compressed form and brings reality and vividness to the readers and so they are easy to memorize. 1.2 the categories of proverb proverb can be seen as a brilliant treasure to a cultu

18、re, it reflects every aspect of one society. however, such many proverbs can be divided into categories. 1.2.1 from production experiences language develops along with the society as well as the proverb. lots of english proverbs are created by farmers from the prediction of the agricultural producti

19、on and the weather since they ties up with the crops and weather. these proverbs are the experiences of their years of farming which is closely related to there harvest and happiness, so they knows them very well. for example: when april blows its horn, its good both for hay and corn. (四月打雷，谷草成堆) it

20、 never rains but it pours. (不雨则已，一雨倾盆) make hay while the sun shines. (晒草要趁晴天) a year of snow, a year of plenty. (瑞雪兆丰年) he that by the plough would thrive, himself must either hold or drive. (想要种地发家， 就得扶犁赶马) 1.2.2 from life experiences there are a kind of proverbs that embodies the happiness, joy,

21、tears and pain. some are even bloody: how sharper than a serpents tooth it is to have a thankless child (逆 子无情甚于蛇蝎). this is a proverb that a heartbroken father describes his vicious son. we can imagine the evil face of the son and the poor parents who are left unattended without care, waiting for d

22、eath. war is deaths feast (战争是死亡的宴席). in all ages, war is all about deaths, broken families. isnt the war is exactly a feast of death? he that taught them all their tricks kept one for himself (教人百艺留一艺). this one may be concluded from the real story of the ungrateful student who betrayed his own tea

23、cher. 1.2.3 from masterpieces and mottos britain is an old european country affected by ancient rome and greece and famous of her achievement on literature. the mottos are widely read by people from all over the world; shakespeare is one of the most famous writers. people have summarized many prover

24、bs from his masterpieces. brevity is the soul of wit. (简洁是智慧的灵魂) - hamlet one swallow does not make a summer. (只燕不成夏) lend your money and lose your friend. (钱财借出，友谊丧失) - hamlet some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. (一些书可以品味，另外一些可以吞食，少数一些书可以咀嚼和消

25、化) 1.2.4 from the bible britain is a christian country reined by thearchy as well as the king for a long period in the history. for this reason there are plenty of english proverbs derived from the bible. an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. (以牙还牙, 以眼还眼). this proverb is a quotation from exodus 2

26、1:23-27 in which a person who has taken the eye of another in a fight is instructed to give his own eye in compensation. freely you have received, freely give. (白白的得来，也要白白的舍去). this one is a quotation from matthew 10:8. it means that one should let the free things go since he never pays for them. th

27、ere are more examples: whoever digs a pit may fall into it. (挖陷坑的，自己必掉在其中) whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them. (凿开石头的，必受损伤；擘开木头的，必遭危险) more strength is needed but skill will bring success. (得智慧指教，便有益处) 1.2.5 to convey the truth by the formin

28、g of the civilization and the society people struggle against the nature as well as the people themselves. gradually some principles are accepted by the masses and those principles spread far and wide so that more and more people acknowledge them as the truth. where there is a will, there is a way.

29、(有志者事竟成) it is one of the most famous english proverbs which encourages people not to loose faith since the strong will leads one to success. if you have the inclination and determination for something, you will always be able to find a way toward the goal. there is nothing hopeless or impossible if

30、 you are resolute enough. the proverb has become an accepted wisdom for its spread.(martin h manser, 2002: 277) there are more examples: a mothers love never changes. (母爱永不变) honesty pays. (诚实必有好报) time is money. (时间就是金钱) history repeats itself. (历史往往重演) cheats never prosper. (骗人发不了财) 1.2.6 loan pro

31、verb britain is a country with developed navigation technology from of old and it frequently connects with other continent and countries. latin used to be popular in england and french was once the official language of england. therefore, there are a few proverbs from latin and other languages which

32、 reserve their thoughts and wisdoms. nothing comes from nothing. (无风不起浪) latin proverb put the cart before the horse. (本末倒置) french proverb art is long, life is short. (艺术永存，生命短暂) latin proverb burnt bairns dread the fire. (一朝被蛇咬三年怕井绳) russian proverb appetite comes with eating. (胃口越吃越大) french prov

33、erb 2 the comparison of chinese and english proverb 2.1 subaudition of proverb some proverbs have a subaudition, connotative and profound. if we translate them literally and ignore the original meanings, the version would fail to convey the precise meaning of the original and meanwhile the liquid an

34、d fluent words become dead and dull. therefore, the chinese proverb which has approximate meaning would make the version vivid and accurate. for example, the man who is born in a stable is not a horse means a person does not necessarily have the stereotypical characteristics of the place where he or

35、 she was born, if one translate it like this “在马厩里出生的人不是 马” then people may be confused but if the version goes like this “鸡窝里可以飞出 金凤凰” then the reader understands at once. translating in fair weather prepare for the foul to “未雨绸缪” or “居安思危” is much better than “晴天要防阴天”. translating a mans word is a

36、s good as his bond to “人的话是契约” is too dull and “一言既出，驷马难追” would be more precise. some english proverbs use contrast as a rhetorical device in order to emphasize the mood and convince people. e.g.: you may take a horse to the water, but you cant make it drink. if one translate it like this “你可以把马牵到河

37、边去，但不能叫它饮 水”, the sharp contrast would be neglected. in this kind of situation, the version should be neat and contrastive. “牵马河边易，逼它饮水难” or “老牛不喝水，不能 强按头” different proverbs refer to different ethics and philosophy, practice makes perfect and all work and no play makes jack a dull boy this two prov

38、erbs convey totally different view on study and work, the former emphasizes on hard working while the latter prefers a balance between work and leisure. you are never too old to learn and you cant teach an old dog new tricks also make people confused. the former insists that old people should keep l

39、earn new things-a philosophy of to learn until death; the latter means that old people might fail to learn new knowledge and skill, the effect is affected by age. some have obvious differences on language character and culture background and at the same time the object of the metaphor is quite diffe

40、rent. however they are identical on subaudiences. when we translate this kind of proverbs, to maintain the subaudience and change the form is a good idea. the version conveys the original meaning and holds the structure. two can play the game(孤掌难鸣); speak of the devil, and he appears (说曹操，曹操就到); the

41、 grass is greener on the other side of the hill (这山望着那山高). 2.2 religion both english and chinese proverbs are deeply affected by religions thought, but there are also distinctions. english proverb is affected by christianity which reflects the ethics and rules. e.g.: no respecter of persons. (一视同仁)

42、man proposes, god disposes. (谋事在人成事在天) and the chinese proverb is related to confucianism, buddhism and taoism, for example: “养儿防老, 积谷防饥” is the thoughts of confucianism, “不看僧面看佛 面” is from buddhism and “饶人不是痴，过后讨便宜” refers to taoism. religion is an aspect of peoples spiritual life; it may deeply af

43、fect a nation. there are also many proverbs about religions of chinese and english proverbs. in chinese we have “借花献佛”, “无事不登三宝殿”, “乐极生悲” and etc. the thoughts of confucianism occupy an important place as well. the ancestors had left great treasures: “严于律己，宽以待人”, “恭敬不如从命”, “身在福中不知福” and “天下 兴亡匹夫有责”.

44、 in western countries people believe in god, god is the only spirit with supremacy. so there are also plenty of proverbs related to christianity: nature does nothing in vain. (造物主无所不能); god helps those who help themselves. (上 帝帮助自助的人); in the right church, but in the wrong pew. (进对了教堂，但坐错 了椅子) 2.3 v

45、alues the theme of western value is individualism, relative to the society, they emphasize on the self-reliance and liberty. dont put your finger in the pie. it tells people to care about their own business but not to interfere the others. trying to be efficient and optimistic is their attitude on t

46、ime. the proverb time is money is similar to “一寸光阴 一寸金” literally, but the former states an impression to create wealth as much as one could within a limit time. punctuality is the soul of business reflects an attitude of time. affected by individualism, the westerners pay close attention to the pri

47、vacy as the age, income, religion is all seen as secret. just like the proverb of an englishmans home is his castle. traditionally chinese people do not have that many “secrets”. compare with the individualism, chinese people advocate collectivism for the thousands of years of domination by the feud

48、al dynasties. “一个好汉三个帮” and “众 人拾柴火焰高” embodies a typical power of collectivity. 2.4 history and culture in the english and chinese proverbs, lots of words are related to specific history and culture background. so a good understanding of the background is necessary. the following two proverbs have

49、the similar meaning but the former is related to christianity and the latter is about history. speak of angels and you will hear their wings. 说曹操，曹操就到. the proverb love is blind which is derived from western mythology eros compares with 情人眼里出西施 the chinese version has an obvious historical trace. th

50、e bread never falls but on its buttered side and “人倒霉，吃豆腐也塞牙” shows different styles of living. dont carry goals to newcastle and “要倒贩槟榔到广东” are similar but with different backgrounds. newcastle is a coal-shipping port in britain and guangdong is rich in areca. furthermore, there are english and chi

51、nese proverbs since one is from daily life and the other is from history or culture background: men leap over where the hedge is lowest and “雷公打豆腐，专拣软的 欺”; two heads are better than one and “三个臭皮匠赛过诸葛亮” 3 methods of proverbs translation since language is a way to express culture, the chinese and eng

52、lish proverb reflects their cultural features. the purpose of translation is to express the meaning of the original article faithfully. as cultures are not identical, so the translator should notice the subaudiance which is the meaning of the proverb. literal translation and free translation are two

53、 modern and proved methods of translation and the author thinks these two are not isolated, which means they are closely connected. we can not say a translation is completely literal or free, sometimes the two methods are combined. if literal translation could convey the meaning of the original prov

54、erb then it is perfect, otherwise only free translation can deliver the hidden meaning and also make the version vivid and attractive. 3.1 literal translation literal translation is to translate the proverb word-for word and reserve the original character, metaphor and image. sometimes we are attrac

55、ted by the vivid and smart descriptions between the lines when we read english texts and literal translation is the only way of presenting these beauties of language to the readers. literal translation is the main way to translate english proverb. for example, among the blind the one- eyed man is ki

56、ng (盲人国里，独眼为王), though we have a chinese version of “山中 无老虎，猴子称大王” but the english proverb conveys the same meaning in a totally different way. we can see the cultural difference here and experience the english taste. further examples: blood is thicker than water. (血浓于水) he who laughs best who laugh

57、s last. (谁笑到最后，谁笑得最好) knowledge is power. (知识就是力量) in order to explain why literal translation should be the main method of transition, we can see more examples: an unfortunate man would be drowned in a teacup. (倒霉的人经不起一点风浪) (人一倒霉，一杯茶也能淹死) the devil may get in by the keyhole, but the door wont let h

58、im out. (魔障一生，便 难降服) (魔鬼可以从锁孔里出来，但开着门也请不出去) blind the sack before it is full. (凡事适可而止) (袋子要在装满前扎住) draw not your bow till your arrow is fixed. (三思而后行) (箭没搭好，先别拉弓) a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. (十佘不如一现) (双鸟在林，不如一 鸟在手) old birds are not to be caught with chaff. (有经验的人不易上老圈套) (秕糠捉不 到老鸟)

59、catch the bear before you sell his skin. (不要高兴的太早) (没有捉到熊，别想先 卖皮) experience keeps no school, she teaches her pupils singly. (只有亲身取得的才是 经验) (经验不办学校，她只单个教练) when the cats away, the mice will play. (阎王不在，小鬼跳梁) (猫不在，老鼠 成精) learn to creep before you leap. (按部就班，循序渐进) (先学爬，后学走) two versions are offered f

60、or translation of the above-mentioned proverbs, the literal translated ones have successfully reserve the original meanings and images and the free translated ones are lack of freshness and foreign tastes. consequently the author feels that literal translation should be frequently used. 3.2 free tra