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CuluralComparisonandIdiomsTranslaion文化对比与习语翻译_开题报告

Ktbg1971 CuluralComparisonandIdiomsTranslaion文化对比与习语翻译_开题报告Literature ReviewForeign Research StatusThe study of idioms in foreign countries usually begins with the study of L.P.Smith. In 1925,he published his book named “Words and Idioms”, Which became the representative of the ear..

CuluralComparisonandIdiomsTranslaion文化对比与习语翻译_开题报告 Ktbg1971 CuluralComparisonandIdiomsTranslaion文化对比与习语翻译_开题报告

Literature Review

Foreign Research Status

The study of idioms in foreign countries usually begins with the study of L.P.Smith. In 1925,he published his book named “Words and Idioms”, Which became the representative of the early idiom study. His main contribution is to explore the origins and structure of idioms, and to classify the sources of idioms in detail. Meanwhile, he emphasized the basic features of idioms. That is, the meaning of idioms is not the literal meaning of its parts taken together. However, he seldom involved the meaning and understanding of idioms.

From 1930s to 50s, C.F.Hocket, the representative of this period, placed great emphases on the role of context in identifying and interpreting idioms. He pointed out that it is difficult to confirm whether an expression is an idiom or collocation without context. The features of idioms, such as single unit, institutionalization and irreplaceability, are improved, which provided an important theoretical basis for the study of idioms.

In 1960s, B.Fraser one of the most famous linguists, began to apply the theory of Generative-transformational grammar by N.chomsky to study the deep structure of idioms, especially its transfer function. He acknowledged the fixity of idioms, but he thought it was just a matter of degree. Most of the idioms which were not completely transformed in different degree, still had transformational potential. So he proposed a new theory related to the fixity of idioms, called Frozenness Hierarchy.

Since the 1980s, some linguists had begun to apply the cognitive linguistic theory to study idioms. R.W.Gibbs, a psycholinguist, who denied the traditional understanding model, “literal meaning to idiomatic meaning”, put forward a completely different understanding model, “Idiomatic meaning to literal meaning”.

And then, cognitive semantics provides us a new perspective to explore idioms’ semantic. Cognitive semantics is part of the cognitive linguistics movement. Semantics is the study of linguistic meaning. Cognitive semantics holds that language is part of a more general human cognitive ability, and can therefore only describe the world as people conceive it. It is implicit that that there is some difference between this conceptual world and the real world. The main tenets of cognitive semantics are:

That grammar manifests a conception of the world held in a culture;

That knowledge of language is acquired and contextual;

That the ability to use language draws upon general cognitive resources and not a special language module.

Kovecses and Szabo applied this theory to the study of the meaning of idioms, the system of idioms, the concept of idioms, the motivation of idioms, and the cognitive mechanism of idioms. They put forward that the essence of idioms is the concept, and that there are many conceptual motivation for most idioms. Most idioms are the product of people’s conceptual system, rather than mere linguistic vocabulary. That is to say, the meaning of idioms can be deduced, nor arbitrary.

With the development of Halliday’s functional grammar theory, according to the different functions in describing the world, expressing your hearts, and commu- -nicating with others, C.Fernando divided the idioms into three types, ideational idiom, interpersonal idiom and relational idiom. The functional study of idioms has jumped out of the scope of structuralism and production theory, and into the functional study of idioms in the communicative environment. Therefore the study of idioms has much more practical significance.

Domestic Research Status

The study of idioms in China is mainly represented by Zhang Peiji and Li Funing. The translator Zhang Peiji ever made a comparative study of the cultural differences between English and Chinese idioms and the translation of idioms. Among the recent publications on idiom translation , professor Wang Dechun’s “Chinese-English Proverbs and culture” and professor Luo Shiping’s “A research on English Idioms” could be very representative.

Generally speaking, the current research tendency of idioms is as follows:

The range of study is being extended continuously and the level is being

deepened continuously. The research content is turned etymology, characteristics, structure, syntax to the transfer competence, understanding model, cognitive mechanism, and communicative function.

2)The application of theory is turned structuralism theory, transformational generative grammar to interdisciplinary theory, such as psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, cognitive linguistics and so on.

3)The theory of the idiom study is turned to the application of idioms

4)The theory of the idiom study is turned to the beneficial idiom teaching and cognitive ability cultivating.

Language is a carrier of culture, Idioms are the quintessence of a language, and it is culture-loaded and full of ethnicity. Both in Chinese, and English, there are various idioms. Nowadays, with the prospering of international communication, the activity of idiom translation has become more and more important. Idioms are phrases and sentences that do not mean exactly what they say. Even if you know the meaning of each word you see or hear, you may not understand the idiom because you don’t understand the culture behind it. Culture differences have great influence on idiom translation. So it is necessary for us to have a comparative study of English and Chinese idioms from the perspective of cultural sources. In this paper, I will list the main origins of English and Chinese Idioms, and then analysis the Influence of Cultural Differences of Idiom Translation. At last, I draw a conclusion different idioms should be translated in different translation methods, such as Literal Translation, Free Translation, Literal Translation and Free Translation, Literal Translation and Annotation, borrowing Translation.

Introduction

2. A Brief Introduction of Culture and Language

2.1. Definition of Culture

2.2. Definition of language

2.3. The Relationship between Culture and Language

2.4.The Impact of Culture on Language

3. A Brief Comparison between English and Chinese Idioms

3.1. Definition of English and Chinese Idioms

3.2. Classifications of English and Chinese Idioms

3.3. Features of English and Chinese Idioms

3.4 .Origins of English and Chinese Idioms

3.4 .1Idioms from oral tradition