ASudyofCuluralDifferencesbeweenChineseandEnglishIdiomsandTheirTranslaion_开题报告

1. Literature Review

1.1 The Relationship Between Idioms and Culture 

The following part discusses the relationship between idioms and culture including the definitions of Chinese and English idioms as well as the relationship between idioms and culture. 

The Definition of Idioms

Chinese idioms generally refer to those phrases commonly used together and of special forms, and the meanings contained in the idioms cannot be predicted through a single word of the phrases. Most of Chinese idioms are four words idioms, and they often come from some allusions. In Chinese, there is still not a clear definition of idioms. In the definition of Cihai, it includes set phrases, proverbs, sayings as well as two-part allegorical sayings and so on. As for Ping Hong and Zhang Guoyang’s definition, figurative phrases, slang, idioms, proverbs and other kinds of language are important parts of English idioms, and it is the national form of language and the concentrated expression of various kinds of rhetorical devices. Chinese idioms refer to the fixed, concise, lively, metaphorical and profound phrases as well as short sentences formed naturally after the long-term repeated use of some parts of Chinese.

In English, the definition of the relevant idioms is also not fixed. In Collins Cobuild Dictionary of Idioms, idiom is defined as a special kind of phrase. It is a group of words which have a different meaning when used together from the one it would have if the meaning of each word were taken individually. In the book In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation, idioms are defined as 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. 

There are also other definitions in other dictionaries. 

A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (New Oxford Dictionary or English,1998)

An idiom is an expression which functions as a single unit and whose meaning cannot be worked out from its separate parts (Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics, 1985)

Idiom is an expression established in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either in grammatical construction or in having a meaning that cannot be derived as a whole from the conjoined meanings of its elements. (Webster’s Third New World International Dictionary, 1976)

The Relationship Between Idioms and Culture 

Every kind of culture has their own value systems, and the premise of the formation as well as development of culture is language. Language is the mirror which can reflect the culture and value concept system. The languages used by people living in different environments have different features, and these features are actually pictures of different national cultural psychology. Idioms are the core and essence of language, and they fully reflect a nation’s geography, history, social system, social views as well as attitudes. They highly concentrated value orientation and faith of a nation, and it is the reflection of essence of national culture as well. Idioms contain rich cultural information, and they cover a lot of cultural characteristics as well as cultural backgrounds, which are full of distinctive ethnic features and regional features. Idioms are more typical and representative than other language ingredients in reflecting cultural differences. There are a large number of idioms in Chinese and English, and the features of them are concise, rich and vivid expressions. These idioms exist in all aspects of geography, history, religion, life customs and so on. From the comparative study of Chinese and English idioms, people can have a better understanding of different points of views of Chinese and English nations to observe things and know the outside world. Besides, people can also feel the differences of emotional attachments on the same thing between Chinese and English nations as well as have a good understanding of differences between Chinese and English cultures. 

2.2 The Present Situation and Significance of Comparative Study of Chinese and English Idioms

Studies at Home and Abroad

    Since the late 1970s, the comparative study of Chinese and English idioms has made great development. After 1980s, with the rapid development of foreign exchanges, the research of Chinese and English idioms has further developed. The research in this period not only has the comparative study of Chinese and English idiom as a whole, but also there are also comparisons in specific aspects. Cross-sectional study mainly focuses on the comparative study of phrase idioms and sentence idioms; longitudinal study focuses on the aspects of syntax, semantic and pragmatic features of English and Chinese idioms. Scholars also have interdisciplinary research of Chinese and English idioms from human cultural science, psychology, folklore, sociology, aesthetics, history, geography and so on. Scholars also made comparative study of Chinese and English idioms from cultural factors to make an analysis of differences between language and culture. Besides, researcher also widely study the relationship between idioms and national psychology, cultural tradition, social development, times change, as well as geographical environment, which promote the rapid development of comparative study of Chinese and English idioms. The thesis of Tang Yanfang investigated the sources of Chinese and English idioms in terms of religion and faith, books and literary works, myths, legends, and fables, historical events, mode of production and custom as well as loan words. 

2. Contents 

Introduction 

Literature Review 

2.1 The Relationship Between Language and Culture 

2.2 The Relationship Between Idioms and Culture 

2.3 Studies at Home and Abroad

3. Cultural Differences Between English and Chinese Idioms

3.1 Historical Backgrounds

3.2 Social Customs 

3.3 Religious Beliefs

3.4 Economic and Political Affairs 

4. Translation Strategies for the English Translation of Chinese Idioms

Literal Translation 

Replacement 

Free Translation 

Literal Translation with a Note

Conclusion 

Bibliography

Acknowledgements 

 

3. References

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[2] Cooper, T. Processing of Idioms by L2 Learners of English. TESOL Quarterly. 199, 33(2): 233-262.

[3] Fernando, Chitra. Idioms and Idiomaticity [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2000.6.

[4] Funk, Wilfred. Word Origins and Their Romantic Stories [M]. New York: Wilfred Funk, Inc., 1950.

[5] Nida, Eugene A. Language, Culture and Translating [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001. 

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[10] 张宁.《英汉习语的文化差异及翻译》. 《中国翻译》1999.

[11] 张培基. 《习语汉译英研究》[M]. 北京: 商务印书馆, 1979.