1 成都中医药大学外语学院
本科毕业论文（设计）要求
本科毕业论文（设计）是教学计划的一个有机组成部分，是完成专业培养目标最后一个重要的教学环节，是学生在四年学习中一项极为重要的成果展示。为了切实做好外语学院英语专业（中医药翻译方向）2007级本科毕业论文（设计）的工作，进一步提高本科生毕业毕业论文（设计）要求”，本规定自发布之日起执行。
一、 毕业论文（设计）组成
最后提交的完整的毕业论文（设计）应包括三部分：
1．成都中医药大学外语学院本科毕业论文（设计）开题报告；
2．一篇用英语写作、正文字数不少于3000单词、合乎规范的毕业论文（以下简称毕业论文）；
3．. 毕业论文答辩成绩；
注：以上三部分将装入学生的毕业论文（设计）档案袋。
二、 毕业论文（设计）选题
1． 毕业论文（设计）选题应符合专业培养目标，体现教学计划的基本要求，达到毕业论文
（设计）综合训练的目的。
2． 毕业论文应选择属于外语专业范围内（包括文学、语言学、文化研究、翻译、英语教
学法、中医英语、商务英语等）的题目，不选与英语专业关系不大或无关领域的题目（如经济、艺术、体育等）；应选择恰当具体、难易适中的题目; 不选大而广，过于深刻，或过于陈旧的题目; 提倡“小题大做”，视角新颖，做到一人一题。选题还应反映本专业的基本理论、基础知识和基本技能, 具有一定研究价值和实际价值。
3． 毕业论文（设计）选题应有一定的科学性，不仅能反映学生对所学知识的基本掌握与应用，而且能体现学生对所学知识的进一步深化与提高，使学生在完成毕业论文（设计）的过程中逐步掌握科学的研究方法。
三、 毕业论文（设计）基本要求
1． 毕业论文撰写应包括选题、开题报告、初稿、修改稿和定稿等五个环节。
2 2. 毕业论文应用英语写作，正文字数不少于3000个英文单词。
3. 毕业论文写作应由学生独立完成，可参考他人研究成果，但必须注明出处，不得抄袭。
4． 毕业论文应符合学术论文的基本规范要求。论文的格式和各种资料的引用以“毕业论文
格式”的相关规定为标准。
5．毕业论文必须通过答辩后，方能得到最后的成绩评定和相应的学分。
6．出现下列情况中的任何一条，毕业论文（设计）将被判定为不合格；如已参加或通过答
辩者，也将被取消最后的成绩和学分：
1). 严重违反学校、学院及本要求中有关学术规范和学术道德的相关规定，如抄袭剽窃他人成果、请人代写、网上下载，等等；
2). 不按时、保质、保量完成并提交毕业论文；
3). 毕业论文正文不足3000单词。
四、 毕业论文格式
毕业论文应由
（1）封面
（2）中、英文摘要
（3）正文
（4）注释(文中注)
（5）参考文献（3本以上）
（6）致谢六个部分组成
1． 封面：采用学校教务处统一格式，白底黑字，不得擅自改变或重新设计字体样式、大小及颜色等。除论文题目需中英文对照外（英文题目在上，中文题目在下），其余部分均用中文填写。需要统一填写的有：学院名称、 专业。
2． 中、英文摘要：中、英文摘要各占一页。中文摘要300字左右，外文摘要300 单词，关键词四至六个。摘要应精练、准确地概括全文中心思想；采用第三人称的写法（如 “论文作者对„„进行了研究”， “本论文分析了„„”； “The author attempts to study ．．．”， “This thesis has analyzed．．．”等）。
（1）中文摘要的提头第一行写上论文中文标题，三号字，加黑；
① 第二行左起写上学生姓名、专业、年级（例：张晓芸 英语专业（中医药翻译方向）2006级 ），四号，加黑。
② 第三行写指导老师姓名职称（例： 指导老师 杨 虹 教 授），四号字，加黑。
3 ③ “摘要”后接冒号，四号，加黑；摘要正文部分：五号，原则上不分段。
④“关键词”后接冒号，小四号，加黑；关键词之间由分号隔开，小四号。
⑤ 摘要与关键词之间空一行。
（2）英文摘要第一行写上论文英文标题；
① “Abstract ”后接冒号，四号，加黑；摘要内容：五号。
②“Key Words”后接冒号，小四号字，加黑；关键词词数和内容与中文关键词相同，关键词之间由分号隔开，小四号，除专有名词外，首字母无需大写。
③ 摘要与关键词之间空一行。
3. 正文：正文另起一页，第一行写英文标题，三号，加粗。
1）、正文一级标题一律使用罗马数字标注（I II III IV V ），罗马数字后空一格，不加任
何符号。“Introduction ”和“Conclusion ”部分不必标注数字。标题采用四号字体。
2）、二级及以下标题用阿拉伯数字标注。如第一部分以下标题可标注为：1.1,1.2，第二部分
以下为：2.1.1, 2.1.2。标题依次采用小四，五号字体，最小标题不能低于五号字体
3）、论文标题一律加粗，实词首字母必须大写。
4）、摘要内容、正文内容、参考文献和致谢，五号字；
4 ．注释：论文中的文献引文均采用文中注的形式：引用原文必须加引号，引文后用圆括号注明（1）作者名；（2）出版年；（3）引文所在页码。
例：“In the United States, the two-party system has become the dominant feature in the political landscape.”（王恩铭，2003：156）
5. 参考文献：参考文献（英文统一为Bibliography ，四号，加粗）应包括主要的参考资料
来源、书籍、刊物等。
1). 从正文后空一行开始, 不另起一页;
2). 通常情况下，参考文献应多于注释所引用的文本，且至少有一本英文参考书目；
3). 参考文献排列先英文 后中文。按作者姓名字母顺序排序。
4). 每一书目的顺序为：（1）作者名，（2 ）书刊/文章名，（3）出版社，（4 ）出版年月；中
文书目不加书名号；书名、著作名后用方括号加M ；杂志、学报后用方括号加J 。参考书目顺序用阿拉伯数字加方 括号标注，后空一格，不加标点，如：[1] ； [2]。见下：
Bibliography ：
[1] Chomsky, N，The acquisition of syntax in children from 5 to 10. [M] Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (1969)
4 [2] Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice [M] New York: Pocket Books, May 2004
[3] 李维屏，英美文学研究论丛 [J]第五辑，上海外语教育出版社，2006
[4] 李照国，朱忠宝. 中医英语 [M]上海：上海科技出版社.2002：240 242.
[5] 罗磊，现代中医药学汉英翻译技巧 [M] .北京：中国古籍出版社.2004：21 31.
6. 致谢：是指论文作者对四年来对自己的学业帮助很大的老师、家人、朋友，特别是论文
指导老师表示感谢的简短答谢辞，一律采用英文，一般不超过300个单词. “Acknowledgements ”采用四号字体，加粗。
注： 1）论文中中文一律采用宋体，英文一律采用Times New Roman
2）每段开始均需缩进
7. 页码：从正文开始排在页脚居中。
8. 论文打印：使用A4纸张打印，页边距为上下各2．54厘米，左右各3．17厘米；行距为
1．5倍（在WORD 文档里选“格式—段落—行距”）。一式三份，沿左侧装订成册。
五、 指导教师工作要求
1． 毕业论文（设计）的指导教师原则上应由具有中级（讲师）或以上职称的教师担任。由
学院论文指导小组确定并公布每位指导老师指导的学生名单。每位指导教师指导的一届学生数不得超过5人。鼓励有科研课题的老师多带学生。助教不能单独指导毕业论文（设计），但可协助副教授及以上职称的教师开展指导工作。
2． 在论文“题目来源”方面，除学生自拟题目外，也鼓励指导教师为学生拟定题目。
3． 每位指导教师对学生毕业论文（设计）的指导次数不少于5次。
4． 每位学生的论文开题报告必须和指导教师协商。
5． 指导教师对每位学生毕业论文的阅读和修改至少不少于3次。
6． 毕业论文答辩用英语进行，答辩教师必须提出至少两个与论文相关的问题供学生回答，
7． 毕业论文（设计）的时间安排如下，指导教师应及时督促学生按时、保质、保量地完成
各项任务：
预期的进度计划：
2011年11月17日--12月25日 拟定题目、撰写开题报告、完成初稿并交指导老师审阅；
2012年3月15日 提交论文第二稿
5 2012年4月15日 完成并提交第三稿
2012年4月30日 提交毕业论文: 开题报告；论文第一稿、第二稿、论
文定稿（3份）。
2012年6月（具体时间待定） 论文答辩
外 语 学 院
2011年11月15日
6 浅谈习语翻译中的文化转换现象
王 慧 英语专业（中医药翻译方向）2003级
指导老师 杨 尔 副教授
摘要：翻译不仅仅是语言的转换，更是文化的转换，同时也是文化交流的桥梁。习语是某一语言在使用过程中形成的独特的固定的表达方式，是语言最重要组成部分，具有浓厚的民族色彩，也最能体现一个民族的文化。若要理解、学习他国的语言文化知识，熟知其习语传达的意义尤为重要，而习语中的文化因素常常是翻译中的难点。因此，翻译作为跨语言、跨文化交流的主要媒介，习语翻译的重要性不言而喻。本文作者通过分析习语和文化之间的关系，研究英汉习语翻译中的文化转换现象，从而采取科学有效的英汉习语翻译方法和技巧妥善处理英汉习语翻译中的文化问题，充分考虑译文读者的理解力和接受力，最大限度保持习语的文化内涵和增强翻译的可读性，顺利完成跨语言、跨文化交流。这不仅有助于中国与西方国家之间的交流，而且有助于整个人类社会的进步。
关键词： 翻译; 语言; 文化; 文化转换; 习语
7 On Cultural Turns in Translation of Idioms
Abstract: Translation is not only the transformation of language, but also that of culture. At the same time, it acts as the bridge of cultural exchange. Idioms are the unique and fixed means of expressions of a certain language formed in the course of using. With rich ethnical colors, idioms are the most important part of language and can best embody a nation’s culture. If one wants to understand and learn a foreign language and its culture, it is particularly essential for him to have a thorough grasp of the meaning conveyed by its idioms. However, the cultural factors always tend to be the most difficult in the translation of idioms. Since translation is the main medium of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural communication, the importance of idioms translation is self-evident. The author attempts to analyze the relationship between idioms and culture and study the cultural turns in translating idioms of English and Chinese, so that scientific and effective translation methods and skills are applied appropriately to deal with the cultural problems occurred in idioms translation. Therefore, target-text readers’ understanding and receptivity can be fully taken into consideration, cultural connotations of idioms can be conveyed to the greatest extent and the readability of translation can be highly enhanced. Then cross-linguistic and cross-cultural communication can be achieved successfully. This is beneficial not only to the communication between China and western countries, but also to the progress of the whole world.
Key Words: translation; language; culture; cultural turns; idiom
8 On Cultural Turns in Translation of Idioms
Introduction
Language is a complicated and flexible social phenomenon. From the usage of a language, we can easily identify the ethical clime, political and social life of a language, also, religious belief, consuetude, history allusion, idioms, thought patterns, self value and behavior principle. There’s close connection between language and culture. Generally speaking, culture means summation of material fortune and spiritual fortune created in the practical process of human society and history, including literature, art, religion, philosophy and social scientific and all the natural scientific fruit, which reflect human spiritual and material civilization. Briefly speaking, culture is social ideology and relevant system and organizational structure. It contains life style, value conception, thought pattern and etc. Culture has nationality and develops through ethical form and engenders the ethical tradition. Besides, human’s behavior and activity show the culture background consciously and unconsciously.
ⅠIdioms
Idiom has great national characteristic and close relationship with human life and labor. There ’re many idioms known by the local people, such as the living surroundings and things that they ’re familiar with. The locals can easily understand the meaning, but the foreigners may cannot. For instance, English is an island country, its seagirt and fishery is very prosperous that the seafaring used to keep ahead in the world. So many idioms about navigation came into being in English; however, Chinese people know little about navigate knowledge.
1.1 The Definition of Idioms
What are idioms? “They are frozen patterns of language which allow little or no variation in form and, in the case of idioms, often carry meanings which cannot be deduced from their individual components.” (Mona Baker, 2000:63) “English idioms are characterized by semantic opaqueness, structural stability, rhetorical colors and pragmatic flexibility.” (Li qingxue ,Peng jianwu ，2009:100)
1.2 The Content of Idioms
Both English and Chinese boast large numbers of idioms, which are rich in cultural
9 connotations. Idioms are closely related to a nation’s survival environment, social customs, religious beliefs, historical allusions and so on and so forth. Idioms in broad sense may include: set phrases, proverbs, sayings, epigrams, slang expressions, colloquialisms, quotations, two-part allegorical sayings, of which the first part, always stated, is descriptive, while the second part, sometimes unstated, carries the message(chiefly in Chinese).(郭著章，李庆生，1998:132) Ⅱ The Relationship between Idioms and Culture
The relationship between idioms and culture has been discussed by linguists, translators and anthropologist for a long time. Generally speaking, idioms and culture are intimately related to each other and can not be separated. We can not talk about idioms without mentioning culture and vice versa. Culture is the basis of idioms and most idioms are heavily culture-loaded. Idioms and culture are so closely connected that they are in fact inseparable.
2.1 Idioms Being the Carriers of Culture
Idioms are commonly believed to be the carrier of culture. They are also a part of culture and play a vital role in it. Different nations possess different cultures, and the cultural disparities can be truly reflected by their own idioms in various aspects. It is commonly held that cultural factors in idioms are the most difficult for a translator to handle. There are various ways to learn another country’s culture and promote cultural exchanges. Yet studying a country’s idioms is one of the most important and direct way.
2.2 Culture Shaping the Meaning of Idioms
Ⅲ The Key in Idioms Translation: Cultural Turn
“Translation is in its essence a cultural phenomenon; it not only deals with two sets of code systems, but also the two cultures which the source an d target languages embody.” (Li qingxue ,Peng jianwu ，2009:66) “For truly successful translating, biculturalism is even more important than bilingualism, since words only have meanings in terms of the cultures in which they function.” (Eugene A.Nida, 2001:82) This is especially true when it comes to idioms translation since they often have some implicit meanings. In the past time, translators were supposed to be bilingual, which means they should at least know two languages in order to complete the translation smoothly.
10 Ⅳ The Cultural Turns in Translation of Idioms
Since human beings live on the same planet, people west and east all have something in common. They may hold similar attitudes toward the same thing or undergo identical experiences, which means different cultures intertwine with each other or can be called cultural overlaps. It is these cultural overlaps that make it possible for people embedded with different cultures to communicate with each other. As a result, some English and Chinese idioms share similar or even the same implications.
4.1 Zero Turn
There are some English and Chinese idioms which are equivalent in both form and function. In addition, they also have similar cultural connotations or cultural overlaps. When they are translated from one language into another, no cultural factors need to be changed. It is relatively easy and convenient since they can be translated word by word without bringing about misconceptions. For example, “to strike while the iron is hot” and “to pour oil on the fire ”can be literally translated into “趁热打铁” and “火上浇油”.
4.2 Partial Turn
Partial turn of culture occurs when some components of the idioms can find similar counterparts in the target language, while others can not. Then these idioms are translated partially literally and partially freely so as to keep the general form and express the implicit meaning.
4.3 Full Turn
Because of cultural influences, most idioms’ literal meaning does not correspond with their figurative meaning. These idioms are opaque or even misleading. When this happens, the literal meaning should be sacrificed for the figurative meaning, which is conducive to readers ’ comprehension. Therefore, the idioms should be domesticated to accord with the target readers’ common sense.
Conclusion
All in all, idioms are the quintessence of ethic languages, and the most characteristic part of language took on national cultures. Therefore, during translation, especially concerned on the two different cultural background and expression style of two languages, it ’s essential to precisely
12 Acknowledgements:
My deepest gratitude goes first and foremost to Ms. Xu Tianshu, my supervisor, for her constant encouragement and guidance. She has guided me through all the stages of the writing of this thesis. Without her consistent and illuminating instruction, this thesis could not have reached its present form.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to my college as well as all my teachers for their instructive guidance and comprehensive education during these years.
Last my thanks would go to my beloved family for their loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these years. I also owe my sincere gratitude to my friends and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.
1 成都中医药大学外语学院
本科毕业论文（设计）要求
本科毕业论文（设计）是教学计划的一个有机组成部分，是完成专业培养目标最后一个重要的教学环节，是学生在四年学习中一项极为重要的成果展示。为了切实做好外语学院英语专业（中医药翻译方向）2007级本科毕业论文（设计）的工作，进一步提高本科生毕业毕业论文（设计）要求”，本规定自发布之日起执行。
一、 毕业论文（设计）组成
最后提交的完整的毕业论文（设计）应包括三部分：
1．成都中医药大学外语学院本科毕业论文（设计）开题报告；
2．一篇用英语写作、正文字数不少于3000单词、合乎规范的毕业论文（以下简称毕业论文）；
3．. 毕业论文答辩成绩；
注：以上三部分将装入学生的毕业论文（设计）档案袋。
二、 毕业论文（设计）选题
1． 毕业论文（设计）选题应符合专业培养目标，体现教学计划的基本要求，达到毕业论文
（设计）综合训练的目的。
2． 毕业论文应选择属于外语专业范围内（包括文学、语言学、文化研究、翻译、英语教
学法、中医英语、商务英语等）的题目，不选与英语专业关系不大或无关领域的题目（如经济、艺术、体育等）；应选择恰当具体、难易适中的题目; 不选大而广，过于深刻，或过于陈旧的题目; 提倡“小题大做”，视角新颖，做到一人一题。选题还应反映本专业的基本理论、基础知识和基本技能, 具有一定研究价值和实际价值。
3． 毕业论文（设计）选题应有一定的科学性，不仅能反映学生对所学知识的基本掌握与应用，而且能体现学生对所学知识的进一步深化与提高，使学生在完成毕业论文（设计）的过程中逐步掌握科学的研究方法。
三、 毕业论文（设计）基本要求
1． 毕业论文撰写应包括选题、开题报告、初稿、修改稿和定稿等五个环节。
2 2. 毕业论文应用英语写作，正文字数不少于3000个英文单词。
3. 毕业论文写作应由学生独立完成，可参考他人研究成果，但必须注明出处，不得抄袭。
4． 毕业论文应符合学术论文的基本规范要求。论文的格式和各种资料的引用以“毕业论文
格式”的相关规定为标准。
5．毕业论文必须通过答辩后，方能得到最后的成绩评定和相应的学分。
6．出现下列情况中的任何一条，毕业论文（设计）将被判定为不合格；如已参加或通过答
辩者，也将被取消最后的成绩和学分：
1). 严重违反学校、学院及本要求中有关学术规范和学术道德的相关规定，如抄袭剽窃他人成果、请人代写、网上下载，等等；
2). 不按时、保质、保量完成并提交毕业论文；
3). 毕业论文正文不足3000单词。
四、 毕业论文格式
毕业论文应由
（1）封面
（2）中、英文摘要
（3）正文
（4）注释(文中注)
（5）参考文献（3本以上）
（6）致谢六个部分组成
1． 封面：采用学校教务处统一格式，白底黑字，不得擅自改变或重新设计字体样式、大小及颜色等。除论文题目需中英文对照外（英文题目在上，中文题目在下），其余部分均用中文填写。需要统一填写的有：学院名称、 专业。
2． 中、英文摘要：中、英文摘要各占一页。中文摘要300字左右，外文摘要300 单词，关键词四至六个。摘要应精练、准确地概括全文中心思想；采用第三人称的写法（如 “论文作者对„„进行了研究”， “本论文分析了„„”； “The author attempts to study ．．．”， “This thesis has analyzed．．．”等）。
（1）中文摘要的提头第一行写上论文中文标题，三号字，加黑；
① 第二行左起写上学生姓名、专业、年级（例：张晓芸 英语专业（中医药翻译方向）2006级 ），四号，加黑。
② 第三行写指导老师姓名职称（例： 指导老师 杨 虹 教 授），四号字，加黑。
3 ③ “摘要”后接冒号，四号，加黑；摘要正文部分：五号，原则上不分段。
④“关键词”后接冒号，小四号，加黑；关键词之间由分号隔开，小四号。
⑤ 摘要与关键词之间空一行。
（2）英文摘要第一行写上论文英文标题；
① “Abstract ”后接冒号，四号，加黑；摘要内容：五号。
②“Key Words”后接冒号，小四号字，加黑；关键词词数和内容与中文关键词相同，关键词之间由分号隔开，小四号，除专有名词外，首字母无需大写。
③ 摘要与关键词之间空一行。
3. 正文：正文另起一页，第一行写英文标题，三号，加粗。
1）、正文一级标题一律使用罗马数字标注（I II III IV V ），罗马数字后空一格，不加任
何符号。“Introduction ”和“Conclusion ”部分不必标注数字。标题采用四号字体。
2）、二级及以下标题用阿拉伯数字标注。如第一部分以下标题可标注为：1.1,1.2，第二部分
以下为：2.1.1, 2.1.2。标题依次采用小四，五号字体，最小标题不能低于五号字体
3）、论文标题一律加粗，实词首字母必须大写。
4）、摘要内容、正文内容、参考文献和致谢，五号字；
4 ．注释：论文中的文献引文均采用文中注的形式：引用原文必须加引号，引文后用圆括号注明（1）作者名；（2）出版年；（3）引文所在页码。
例：“In the United States, the two-party system has become the dominant feature in the political landscape.”（王恩铭，2003：156）
5. 参考文献：参考文献（英文统一为Bibliography ，四号，加粗）应包括主要的参考资料
来源、书籍、刊物等。
1). 从正文后空一行开始, 不另起一页;
2). 通常情况下，参考文献应多于注释所引用的文本，且至少有一本英文参考书目；
3). 参考文献排列先英文 后中文。按作者姓名字母顺序排序。
4). 每一书目的顺序为：（1）作者名，（2 ）书刊/文章名，（3）出版社，（4 ）出版年月；中
文书目不加书名号；书名、著作名后用方括号加M ；杂志、学报后用方括号加J 。参考书目顺序用阿拉伯数字加方 括号标注，后空一格，不加标点，如：[1] ； [2]。见下：
Bibliography ：
[1] Chomsky, N，The acquisition of syntax in children from 5 to 10. [M] Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (1969)
4 [2] Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice [M] New York: Pocket Books, May 2004
[3] 李维屏，英美文学研究论丛 [J]第五辑，上海外语教育出版社，2006
[4] 李照国，朱忠宝. 中医英语 [M]上海：上海科技出版社.2002：240 242.
[5] 罗磊，现代中医药学汉英翻译技巧 [M] .北京：中国古籍出版社.2004：21 31.
6. 致谢：是指论文作者对四年来对自己的学业帮助很大的老师、家人、朋友，特别是论文
指导老师表示感谢的简短答谢辞，一律采用英文，一般不超过300个单词. “Acknowledgements ”采用四号字体，加粗。
注： 1）论文中中文一律采用宋体，英文一律采用Times New Roman
2）每段开始均需缩进
7. 页码：从正文开始排在页脚居中。
8. 论文打印：使用A4纸张打印，页边距为上下各2．54厘米，左右各3．17厘米；行距为
1．5倍（在WORD 文档里选“格式—段落—行距”）。一式三份，沿左侧装订成册。
五、 指导教师工作要求
1． 毕业论文（设计）的指导教师原则上应由具有中级（讲师）或以上职称的教师担任。由
学院论文指导小组确定并公布每位指导老师指导的学生名单。每位指导教师指导的一届学生数不得超过5人。鼓励有科研课题的老师多带学生。助教不能单独指导毕业论文（设计），但可协助副教授及以上职称的教师开展指导工作。
2． 在论文“题目来源”方面，除学生自拟题目外，也鼓励指导教师为学生拟定题目。
3． 每位指导教师对学生毕业论文（设计）的指导次数不少于5次。
4． 每位学生的论文开题报告必须和指导教师协商。
5． 指导教师对每位学生毕业论文的阅读和修改至少不少于3次。
6． 毕业论文答辩用英语进行，答辩教师必须提出至少两个与论文相关的问题供学生回答，
7． 毕业论文（设计）的时间安排如下，指导教师应及时督促学生按时、保质、保量地完成
各项任务：
预期的进度计划：
2011年11月17日--12月25日 拟定题目、撰写开题报告、完成初稿并交指导老师审阅；
2012年3月15日 提交论文第二稿
5 2012年4月15日 完成并提交第三稿
2012年4月30日 提交毕业论文: 开题报告；论文第一稿、第二稿、论
文定稿（3份）。
2012年6月（具体时间待定） 论文答辩
外 语 学 院
2011年11月15日
6 浅谈习语翻译中的文化转换现象
王 慧 英语专业（中医药翻译方向）2003级
指导老师 杨 尔 副教授
摘要：翻译不仅仅是语言的转换，更是文化的转换，同时也是文化交流的桥梁。习语是某一语言在使用过程中形成的独特的固定的表达方式，是语言最重要组成部分，具有浓厚的民族色彩，也最能体现一个民族的文化。若要理解、学习他国的语言文化知识，熟知其习语传达的意义尤为重要，而习语中的文化因素常常是翻译中的难点。因此，翻译作为跨语言、跨文化交流的主要媒介，习语翻译的重要性不言而喻。本文作者通过分析习语和文化之间的关系，研究英汉习语翻译中的文化转换现象，从而采取科学有效的英汉习语翻译方法和技巧妥善处理英汉习语翻译中的文化问题，充分考虑译文读者的理解力和接受力，最大限度保持习语的文化内涵和增强翻译的可读性，顺利完成跨语言、跨文化交流。这不仅有助于中国与西方国家之间的交流，而且有助于整个人类社会的进步。
关键词： 翻译; 语言; 文化; 文化转换; 习语
7 On Cultural Turns in Translation of Idioms
Abstract: Translation is not only the transformation of language, but also that of culture. At the same time, it acts as the bridge of cultural exchange. Idioms are the unique and fixed means of expressions of a certain language formed in the course of using. With rich ethnical colors, idioms are the most important part of language and can best embody a nation’s culture. If one wants to understand and learn a foreign language and its culture, it is particularly essential for him to have a thorough grasp of the meaning conveyed by its idioms. However, the cultural factors always tend to be the most difficult in the translation of idioms. Since translation is the main medium of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural communication, the importance of idioms translation is self-evident. The author attempts to analyze the relationship between idioms and culture and study the cultural turns in translating idioms of English and Chinese, so that scientific and effective translation methods and skills are applied appropriately to deal with the cultural problems occurred in idioms translation. Therefore, target-text readers’ understanding and receptivity can be fully taken into consideration, cultural connotations of idioms can be conveyed to the greatest extent and the readability of translation can be highly enhanced. Then cross-linguistic and cross-cultural communication can be achieved successfully. This is beneficial not only to the communication between China and western countries, but also to the progress of the whole world.
Key Words: translation; language; culture; cultural turns; idiom
8 On Cultural Turns in Translation of Idioms
Introduction
Language is a complicated and flexible social phenomenon. From the usage of a language, we can easily identify the ethical clime, political and social life of a language, also, religious belief, consuetude, history allusion, idioms, thought patterns, self value and behavior principle. There’s close connection between language and culture. Generally speaking, culture means summation of material fortune and spiritual fortune created in the practical process of human society and history, including literature, art, religion, philosophy and social scientific and all the natural scientific fruit, which reflect human spiritual and material civilization. Briefly speaking, culture is social ideology and relevant system and organizational structure. It contains life style, value conception, thought pattern and etc. Culture has nationality and develops through ethical form and engenders the ethical tradition. Besides, human’s behavior and activity show the culture background consciously and unconsciously.
ⅠIdioms
Idiom has great national characteristic and close relationship with human life and labor. There ’re many idioms known by the local people, such as the living surroundings and things that they ’re familiar with. The locals can easily understand the meaning, but the foreigners may cannot. For instance, English is an island country, its seagirt and fishery is very prosperous that the seafaring used to keep ahead in the world. So many idioms about navigation came into being in English; however, Chinese people know little about navigate knowledge.
1.1 The Definition of Idioms
What are idioms? “They are frozen patterns of language which allow little or no variation in form and, in the case of idioms, often carry meanings which cannot be deduced from their individual components.” (Mona Baker, 2000:63) “English idioms are characterized by semantic opaqueness, structural stability, rhetorical colors and pragmatic flexibility.” (Li qingxue ,Peng jianwu ，2009:100)
1.2 The Content of Idioms
Both English and Chinese boast large numbers of idioms, which are rich in cultural
9 connotations. Idioms are closely related to a nation’s survival environment, social customs, religious beliefs, historical allusions and so on and so forth. Idioms in broad sense may include: set phrases, proverbs, sayings, epigrams, slang expressions, colloquialisms, quotations, two-part allegorical sayings, of which the first part, always stated, is descriptive, while the second part, sometimes unstated, carries the message(chiefly in Chinese).(郭著章，李庆生，1998:132) Ⅱ The Relationship between Idioms and Culture
The relationship between idioms and culture has been discussed by linguists, translators and anthropologist for a long time. Generally speaking, idioms and culture are intimately related to each other and can not be separated. We can not talk about idioms without mentioning culture and vice versa. Culture is the basis of idioms and most idioms are heavily culture-loaded. Idioms and culture are so closely connected that they are in fact inseparable.
2.1 Idioms Being the Carriers of Culture
Idioms are commonly believed to be the carrier of culture. They are also a part of culture and play a vital role in it. Different nations possess different cultures, and the cultural disparities can be truly reflected by their own idioms in various aspects. It is commonly held that cultural factors in idioms are the most difficult for a translator to handle. There are various ways to learn another country’s culture and promote cultural exchanges. Yet studying a country’s idioms is one of the most important and direct way.
2.2 Culture Shaping the Meaning of Idioms
Ⅲ The Key in Idioms Translation: Cultural Turn
“Translation is in its essence a cultural phenomenon; it not only deals with two sets of code systems, but also the two cultures which the source an d target languages embody.” (Li qingxue ,Peng jianwu ，2009:66) “For truly successful translating, biculturalism is even more important than bilingualism, since words only have meanings in terms of the cultures in which they function.” (Eugene A.Nida, 2001:82) This is especially true when it comes to idioms translation since they often have some implicit meanings. In the past time, translators were supposed to be bilingual, which means they should at least know two languages in order to complete the translation smoothly.
10 Ⅳ The Cultural Turns in Translation of Idioms
Since human beings live on the same planet, people west and east all have something in common. They may hold similar attitudes toward the same thing or undergo identical experiences, which means different cultures intertwine with each other or can be called cultural overlaps. It is these cultural overlaps that make it possible for people embedded with different cultures to communicate with each other. As a result, some English and Chinese idioms share similar or even the same implications.
4.1 Zero Turn
There are some English and Chinese idioms which are equivalent in both form and function. In addition, they also have similar cultural connotations or cultural overlaps. When they are translated from one language into another, no cultural factors need to be changed. It is relatively easy and convenient since they can be translated word by word without bringing about misconceptions. For example, “to strike while the iron is hot” and “to pour oil on the fire ”can be literally translated into “趁热打铁” and “火上浇油”.
4.2 Partial Turn
Partial turn of culture occurs when some components of the idioms can find similar counterparts in the target language, while others can not. Then these idioms are translated partially literally and partially freely so as to keep the general form and express the implicit meaning.
4.3 Full Turn
Because of cultural influences, most idioms’ literal meaning does not correspond with their figurative meaning. These idioms are opaque or even misleading. When this happens, the literal meaning should be sacrificed for the figurative meaning, which is conducive to readers ’ comprehension. Therefore, the idioms should be domesticated to accord with the target readers’ common sense.
Conclusion
All in all, idioms are the quintessence of ethic languages, and the most characteristic part of language took on national cultures. Therefore, during translation, especially concerned on the two different cultural background and expression style of two languages, it ’s essential to precisely
12 Acknowledgements:
My deepest gratitude goes first and foremost to Ms. Xu Tianshu, my supervisor, for her constant encouragement and guidance. She has guided me through all the stages of the writing of this thesis. Without her consistent and illuminating instruction, this thesis could not have reached its present form.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to my college as well as all my teachers for their instructive guidance and comprehensive education during these years.
Last my thanks would go to my beloved family for their loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these years. I also owe my sincere gratitude to my friends and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.