Culture and Translation文化与翻译.doc

Culture and Translation文化与翻译1.The relationship between language and culture.It has been widely recognized that language and culture are inseparable Firstly, language is a part of culture. According to the definition of culture given by Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, We can draw a conclusion that language is a component of culture. Secondly, language is the carrier of culture and language reflects culture .Language is the base of entire culture, and it is only in language that culture can be well presented and handed down from generation to generation. Thirdly, culture influences language and shapes language.Accordingly, we can conclude that language and culture, as different as they are, are intricately interwoven and they rely on each other. We cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture. 2. The relation between culture and translation.The close relationship between language and culture decides the close relationship between translation and cultureFirstly, culture necessarily exerts a great influence on translation. The ways of thinking, beliefs, attitudes and values of different nations give rise to failures or misunderstandings in cross-cultural communicationSecondly, translation also influences culture. It can enrich a nation's culture by absorbing foreign cultural nourishments and transplanting the outside cultures into its own cultural environments Finally, translation serves as cultural intermediation (调解 ). As the informational technology and communication develops, the communication between different countries and regions has become more and more frequent, direct and convenient. This is no denying that translation plays a vitally important role in intercultural communication.3. The differences between Chinese and English thought patterns.1.Synthetic Thought Pattern and Analytic Thought Pattern .Synthesis is a kind of thought which combines the separate parts, elements of the objects into a whole while analysis is a kind of thought which separates the whole into parts. Synthetic and analytic thought patterns are not only opposite, but also unifiedIn thought, Chinese prefer synthesis, English analysis. 2.Imaginative Thought Pattern and Abstract Thought Pattern .Imaginative thought is a psychological process in which human beings remake memory presentations in brain so as to form new ones. While abstract thought refers to a kind of rational cognition that uses concept to judge and reason, and concept is the basic element for abstract thought. Generally speaking, Chinese speakers prefer imaginative thought while English speakers abstract thought. 3.Circular Thought Pattern and Linear Thought Pattern Circular thought is characterized by circumlocution（婉转曲折 ）, that is, not stating opinion directly or frankly but beating about the bush at first. Linear thought is characterized by speaking of one's opinion directly and by speaking without reservation. 4.Subjective Thought Pattern and Objective Thought Pattern Subjective thought refers to the thought with which human is the center to observe, analyze and research into objects. Objective thought refers to a thought that takes objective natural world as the center to observe, analyze, research and vanquish（征服，战胜） . 5.Intuitional （直觉的）Thought Pattern and Rational Thought Pattern 6.Collectivistic Thought Pattern and Individualistic Thought Pattern 4. The differences between Chinese and English languages.1 Thought Patterns and Sentence Structures The most obvious difference between Chinese and English lies in the fact that Chinese is paratactic (重意合) language while English hypotactic (重形合) language. 2 Thought Patterns and Alignment of Information (1) English Peacock Pattern and Chinese Lion Pattern English speakers are accustomed to laying the important information first declaring his intention right at the outset, coming straight to the point, and then adding other elements. Chinese, on the contrary, describes the environment outside clearly and touches the main information at last.(2) English describes the picture from the nearer distance to the farther one. while Chinese just describes one event in the time order, very methodically.(3) Chinese tend to use imaginative thought pattern and accordingly are fond of using imaginary words and metaphors in order to achieve vivid effects in writing. On the contrary, English people who lay much stress on abstract thought pattern favor the well-organized, logical structure. 3(1) It is generally accepted that Chinese thought pattern is circular. In contrast, English thought is linear.(2) Generally speaking, Chinese writers tend to be subjective and their writings are very personal. English writers are more objective, and every argument in their writings should depend on facts. (3) Parataxis plays an important role in Chinese. By contrast, unity is the first quality of an effective sentence in English. 5. The relationship between foreignization and domestication.Firstly, with the increasing communication among nations, foreign terms or customs may be accepted by the target readers sooner or later. Secondly, the the purpose of translating, say, CLCTs is to introduce cultural information to those readers who are eager to know about the Chinese cultures. Therefore, foreignization translation should take the first place in translation strategies.Domestication is considered as a necessary complement when foreignizing strategy fails to deal with cultural elements of the source language in translation. It serves as a reasonable makeshift (权宜之计) and always paves the way for future foreignization. 6. An analysis of translationese, including such aspects as the definition, causes and features.DefinitionsTranslationese is an unnatural form of language in translation which carries the features of the source language structures, thus violating the habitual use of the target language within a certain period of timeCauses to Translationese firstly, the translator's ignorance of differences between the two languages; secondly, the translator's misunderstanding of "faithfulness" thirdly, the translator does not comprehend the deep meaning of SL text features.unsmooth language which not only violates the norm of Chinese but ruins the readers' interests and (ii) obscure meaning which confuses the readers' understandingbeing unnatural; (ii) carrying the features of source language structures and (iii) being in violation of the habitual use of target language7. A brief introduction of or a comment on Skopos theory.Skopostheorie points out that translation first must be a kind of human behavior with a distinct purpose the translation Skopos determines the translation procedures1.Skopos rule is the top-ranking rule for any translation which indicates that a translation action is determined by its Skopos 2.Another important rule of the Skopos theory is the coherence rule, which means that a translation should be acceptable in a sense that it is coherent with the receivers situation 3.The third rule of the Skopos theory that a translation must conform to is the fidelity （忠实）rule. Such a kind of fidelity is embedded in the very concept of translation in the Skopos theory.The three basic rules of Skopos theory are designed to govern the whole translation process and the translators activities concerning the translation itself. 8. An analysis of some translation approaches1.Transliteration means to translate an item according to its pronunciation rather than its meaning. It is a frequently adopted method to the translation of some objects particular toChinese culture2.Transliteration with Explanation This method can roughly be divided into two subcategories: one is transliteration within-text annotation; the other is transliteration with out-text annotation3Literal Translation Literal translation is where the forms of the original are retained as much as possible, even if those forms are not the most natural forms to preserve the original meaning. Literal translation is sometimes called word-for-word translation or sentence-for-sentence translation4Literal Translation with Explanation 5ParaphrasingThis method reproduces the content without retaining the form of the original. In other words, it is a process of rewriting in different words, emphasizing the content instead of the form of the SL. 6 Adaptation Adaptation aims at maintaining elegance and intelligibility in the TL at the sacrifice of the form of the SL but without changing the main cultural message of the original. 拳头产品"market-penetrating product" or "product with a competitive edge".凤毛麟角 a rarity of rarities谋事在人，成事在天 Man proposes, Heaven disposes. 天公不作美Heaven is not cooperative不见棺材不落泪，不到黄河不死心（Until all is over, ambition never die. 跳进黄河也洗不清There's nothing you can do to remove the stigma off your name; Be in dead lumber黄河清，圣人出(A saint appears when the Yellow River clear亡羊补牢（mend the fold (羊栏) after the sheep have been stolen; lock the stable (马厩) door after the horse has been stolen）滥竿充数（inferior candidates pass off as competent ones ）,叶公好龙（professed love of what one really fears; what one does belies one's commitments. ）, 班门弄斧（display one's slight skill before an expert; teach fish to swim ）,名落孙山（be come in nowhere; failed to pass the examination ）,司马昭之心，路人皆知（This Szuma Chao trick is obvious to every man in the street. ）,狗咬吕洞宾，不知好人心（Snarl (咆哮) and snap (猛咬) at Lü Dongbin - wrong a kind-hearted person .）paint the lily (画蛇添足;多此一举)meet one s Waterloo (败走麦城; 惨遭失败)，cut the Gordian' s knot (to solve a complicated difficulty by quick and drastic action; to end a difficulty by using a vigorous or violent method 斩断死结; 快刀斩乱麻), Bone of The Bone and Flesh of the Flesh (as close as flesh and blood; to be inseparately linked to each other 常用来比喻血缘上的亲属关系或思想上的团结一致)burn one's boat (破釜沉舟) etc. to spend money like water (挥金如土)，to rest ones oars (暂时歇一歇)，to be all at sea (不知所措)，to sink or swim (孤注一掷)，in the same boat （同舟共济），burn ones boats （破釜沈舟），miss the boat （错过机会；坐失良机），to sail one' s own boat (走自己的路). 壮得像牛一样（as strong as a horse），俯首甘为孺子牛（Head bowed, like a willing ox I serve the children. Modesty combined with the spirit of willingly serving the young and weak），丢了西瓜，捡芝麻（Be penny wise and pound foolish“饭桶”(poor tool),“吃闲饭” (lead an idle life), “吃香” (be very popular), “吃不消” (more than one can stand, too much) .看到我们的喷气式飞机，听见轰隆隆的机声，令我特别神往。The sight and sound of our jet planes filled me with special longing. 由于距离远，又缺乏交通工具，使农村社会与外界隔绝，而这种隔绝，又由于通讯工具不足而变得更加严重。The isolation of the rural world, because of distance and lack of transport facilities, is compounded by the paucity of the information media. 适当保持低调是维护好的公众形象的窍门。To be adequately low-keyed is a tip to maintain good public impression. But there has been too much publicity about that unpleasant case。但那件令人不快的事已搞得满城风雨，人人皆知了。Studies serve for delight， for ornament，and for ability。 Their chief use for delight， is in pri-vateness and retiring： for ornament， is in discourse：and for ability， is in the judgment and disposition ofbusiness。)读书足以怡情，足以博彩，足以长才。其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时：其博彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中：其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。