OnTranslaionofEnglishandChineseProverbs浅谈英汉谚语翻译_开题报告

1.1 Research background:

   Proverbs are the results of human wisdom. As a particular part of language, proverbs are full of embodiments of many different culture both in form and content. The understanding and translation of English and Chinese proverbs involve not only the transference of the two languages, but also the transmission of English and Chinese culture. When proverbs are being translated, translators are confronted with difficulties of retaining the characteristics as well as the meaning and national flavor of the original. Therefore, how to achieve the transference of the source language culture to the target language has become one of the important criteria to judge whether or not a translation version is successful. To a great extent, the principles and methods play an important role. The thesis is to analyze it from the English and Chinese proverbs translation influencing factors, translation approaches and techniques. What’s more, it points out the importance of dealing with the cultural differences. 

1.2 Research significance:

   Since proverbs are a general summary of human experiences, it’s no doubt to say the proverb translation plays a major role in introducing various human experiences to people of different cultures. It can familiarize people of one country with the cultural heritage of the other, thus achieving the goal of cultural exchange. For example, the proverbs are often cited by our President Xi in his diplomatic speech. By using the proverbs, he not only makes him fully understood by the foreign counterparts, but also draws the distance closer between two countries’ people. Moreover, it displays the warmness of Chinese diplomacy. Accordingly, the proverb translation is very important and necessary.  

Research status and tendency

2.1 Research status

   The study of the translation of English and Chinese proverbs has long attracted the linguists’ attention. Researchers analyze the approaches to the translation of English and Chinese proverbs from different points of view. So far, two strategies are recognized and used during the translation of English and Chinese proverbs, one is domestication in which a transparent, fluent style is adopted in order to minimize the strangeness of the foreign text for the target language readers. The other is foreignization in which a target text is produced and deliberately breaks target conventions by retaining something of the foreignness of the original. 

2.2 Research tendency:

   Nowadays, the translation of English and Chinese proverbs stresses the originality and the flexibility. It requires the translators to efficiently express the original words and catch the deep meaning. 

3. Research contents

3. 1 Influencing factors on translation of English and Chinese proverbs

3.1.1 History background

3.1.2 Customs

3.1.3 Geography

3.1.4 Religious beliefs

3. 2 Translation approaches of English and Chinese proverbs

3.2.1 Borrow the corresponding idiom (Applying translation)

3.2.2 Literal translation (Word-for-word translation)

3.2.3 Free translation (Paragrasing)

3.2.4 Combination of Literal translation & Free translation

3.3 Translation techniques of English and Chinese proverbs

3.3.1 Avoid the literal translation of national names 

3.3.2 Colloquial

4. Conclusion

  With the increasing demand for people of different cultural background to communicate with one another, we’re more aware of the importance of the way for the cross-cultural communication. Proverbs, the cream of languages, mirror certain cultures and express ideas of human experiences in an explicit way. As the valuable treasure of different cultures, proverbs provide listeners or readers with plentiful information 

   Meaningful translation of proverbs requires attention to the subtle aspects of cultural distinctions. Cultural gap proves to be a major obstacle to intercultural communication so far as proverb translation is concerned. In order to bridge it, a translator is required to conduct a careful comparative study of cultures implied in proverbs. 

5. Research resource

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