-
JIUJIANG UNIVERSITY
毕
业
论
文
（设
计）
题
目
浅析英文谚语翻译
英文题目
On English Translation
of Proverbs
院
系
外国语学院
专
业
商务英语
姓
名
陆
怡
年
级
外
A0721
指导教师
候
伯
华
二零一零年五月
Abstract
Because
of
the
differences
of
religious
beliefs,
habits
and
customs,
fables
and
myth,
and
culture
and
art,
English
proverbs
and
Chinese
proverbs
carry
on
the
different national
cultural characteristics and information. Proverbs
are closely linked
with
cultural
tradition
and
they
are
inseparable.
The
cultural
elements
of
proverbs
cause
the
difficulty
of
translation
of
proverb.
This
thesis
is
trying
to
make
some
exploration about the proverb, and its
translation.
Key
words:
category
；
t
ranslation method culture contrast
摘
要
由于不同的宗教信仰、风俗习惯、寓言神话以及文学艺术诸多方面的差异，
< br>英、
汉谚语承载着不同的民族文化特色和不同的文化信息。
他们与文化传统紧密
相连，不可分割。言语中的文化因素构成了翻译中的困难。直译，
意译，或者直
译与意译相结合，
则要根据具体的语言环境来定。
本文通过对英文谚语的分类和
对中西文化的对比，就英语谚语及
其翻译做一些探索。
关键词：
谚语分类；翻译方法；文化对比
Contents
ABSTRACT
.
..............................................
..................................................
..................I
摘
要
.
.........................................
..................................................
............................ II
INTRODUCTION
.
..........................................
..................................................
...........
1
1
WHAT IS PROVERB?
...........
..................................................
................................
1
1.1 The
Definition of Proverb
.
............................................ .....................................
1
1.2 The
Categories of Proverb
.
............................................ ....................................
2
1.2.1 From
Production Experiences
.
...........................................
...........................................
2
1.2.2 From Life
Experiences
.
....
..................................................
............................................
2
1.2.3 From
Masterpieces and Mottos
...............
..................................................
...................
3
1.2.4 From the Bible
..............................................
..................................................
................
3
1.2.5 To Convey the Truth
..
..................................................
..................................................
3
1.2.6 Loan
Proverb
.
........
..................................................
..................................................
.....
4
2 THE
COMPARISON OF CHINESE AND ENGLISH
PROVERB
.....................
5
2.1 Subaudition
of Proverb
.
.....
..................................................
..............................
5
2.2 Religion
..........................................
..................................................
....................
6
2.3 Values
.
............................................ .................................................. ....................
6
2.4 History and Culture
....
..................................................
.....................................
7
3 METHODS OF
PROVERBS TRANSLATION
.......
..............................................
7
3.1 Literal
Translation
...........................
..................................................
................
8
3.2 Free Translation
.......
..................................................
........................................
9
3.2.1 Free
Translation in different English and Chinese
proverbs
.....................................
9
3.2.2 Free
translation in similar proverbs in English and
Chinese
...................................
1
0
3.3
Combination of Literal and Free
Translation
...............................................
1
0
4
CONCLUSION
............................
..................................................
.........................
11
BIBLIOGRAPHY
....
..................................................
................................................
1
2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
...........
..................................................
.........................
1
3
Introduction
加入章节号
Proverb is a short pithy
saying in frequent and widespread use that
expresses a
basic truth or practical
precept. Proverb is a treasure of literature which
comes from
people
’
s daily
life. It sparkles with the wisdom of
human
’
s thoughts and
experiences
from
the
ancient
times
to
the
modern
times.
What
’
s
more,
it
has
enriched
the
languages of lots of countries.
In a word, proverb is as lively as
poem, as steady as
essay and as terse
as idiom.
Since
the
differences on history, religion and custom, the
proverb connects with
its
own
culture
steadily
and
carries
the
unique
information
and
feature
in
each
language. When
translating English proverbs, the attention should
be paid to deliver
the
exact
meaning,
meanwhile
the
language
character
has
also
to
be
concerned.
Though English
and Chinese are totally two different languages,
but they have much
in
common
on
proverb,
for
instant,
proverbs
in
two
languages
are
both
simple
and
alive; most of them
rhyme with tidy structures and vivid metaphor. On
the other hand,
Proverb is kinds of
reflection of culture that convey the features of
a country as well
as
the
translation
of
English
proverb.
As
we
know,
the
both
two
languages
have
centuries-old history, religion and
literature.
So proverbs learning can be
a good way
to understand English-
speaking countries.
Mr. Zhu Guangqian
says:
“The
most difficult to
understand and translate about
foreign
literature
is
the
associated
meaning
”
,
“
It
has
the
specific
emotional
atmosphere,
quite
deep
and
delicate;
you
may
not
find
it
in
the
dictionary,
but
it is
very important to
literature. If we don
’
t know
the habits and customs as well as the
cultural
historic
background,
we
’
ll
be
at
sea,
especially
when
we
translate
the
associated
meaning.
”
By
analyzing
the
sort
of
proverb,
one
can
understand
the
features, subaudiences and also the
author categorizes proverb into several sections,
from
geography, custom, and
culture to compare the differences between Chinese
and
English
proverbs.
Through
the
study
of
proverb,
good
understanding
may
be
well
applied
to the translation of proverbs.
As for
the methods of translation, such as literal
translation,
free
translation,
or
the
combination
of
two
ways
of
translation
which
depend on the features
of language and cultural background of the
proverbs.
1 What
is Proverb?
1.1 The Definition of
Proverb
“A proverb is a brief familiar maxim of
folk wisdom, usually compressed inform,
often involving a bold image and
frequently a jingle that catches the
memory.”
(NY:
Longman,
1976:
889)
“
A
proverb
is
a
short
saying in
common
use
that
strikingly
expresses
some
obvious
truth
or
familiar
experience.”
(NY:
Macmillan
General
reference, 1988: 1083) So proverb is
considered as a popular short saying with words
1
of
advice
or
warning
which
is
created
among
people
as
a
great
intellectual
achievement
from their understanding of the nature and
society. Proverb is common
on style,
neat on structure, vivid on language and profound
on meaning.
“Proverb is
the
daughter
of
daily
experience.
”
“
A
proverb
is
much
matter
decocted
into
few
words.
”
(JinHuikan
g,
2004:
421)
As
a
legacy
of
ancestors,
proverb
contains
the
experiences that the ancestors have
concluded or the wisdoms of truth.
From
the
definitions
above
we
may
find
out
that
proverb
is
a
general
truth
and
gives advice and warning which involves
a bold image, musical rhyme or compressed
form and brings reality and vividness
to the readers and so they are easy to memorize.
1.2 The Categories of Proverb
Proverb can be
seen as a brilliant treasure to
a
culture, it reflects every aspect of
one society. However, such many
proverbs can be divided into categories.
1.2.1 From Production
Experiences
Language develops along with the
society as well as the proverb. Lots of English
proverbs are created by farmers from
the prediction of the agricultural production and
the
weather
since
they
ties
up
with
the
crops
and
weather.
These
proverbs
are
the
experiences
of
their
years
of
farming
which
is
closely
related
to
there
harvest
and
happiness, so they knows
them very well.
For example:
When April blows its horn,
it
’
s good both for hay and
corn.
(
四月打雷，谷草成堆
)
It never rains but it pours.
(
不雨则已，一雨倾盆
)
Make hay while the sun
shines.
(
晒草要趁晴天
)
A year of snow, a year of
plenty.
(
瑞雪兆丰年
)
He that by the plough would thrive,
himself must either hold or drive.
(
想要种地发
家，就得扶犁赶马
)
1.2.2 From Life Experiences
There are a
kind of proverbs that embodies the happiness, joy,
tears and pain. Some
are even bloody:
How sharper than a
serpent
’
s tooth it is to
have a thankless child
(
逆
子无情甚于蛇蝎
).
This
is
a
proverb
that
a
heartbroken
father
describes
his
vicious
son.
We
can
imagine
the
evil
face
of
the
son
and
the
poor
parents
who
are
left
unattended without care, waiting for
death.
War is
death
’
s feast
(
战争是死亡的宴席
).
In all ages, war is all about deaths,
broken families. Isn
’
t the
war is exactly a feast of
2
death?
He
that
taught
them
all
their
tricks
kept
one
for
himself
(
教人百艺留一艺
).
This one may be concluded from the real
story of the ungrateful student who betrayed
his own teacher.
1.2.3 From
Masterpieces and Mottos
Britain
is
an
old
European
country
affected
by
ancient
Rome
and
Greece
and
famous of her achievement on
literature. The mottos are widely read by people
from
all
over
the
world;
Shakespeare
is
one
of
the
most
famous
writers.
People
have
summarized many
proverbs from his masterpieces.
Brevity is the soul of wit
.
(
简洁是智慧的灵魂
) -
Hamlet
One
swallow does not make a summer.
(
只燕不成夏
)
Lend your
money and lose your friend.
(
钱财借出，友谊丧失
) -
Hamlet
Some books
are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some
few to be chewed
and
digested
. (
一些书可以品味，
另外一些可以吞食，
少数一些书可以咀嚼和消化
)
1.2.4 From the Bible
Britain
is
a
Christian
country
reined
by
thearchy
as
well
as
the
King
for
a
long
period in the history. For this reason
there are plenty of English proverbs derived from
the Bible.
An eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth.
(
以牙还牙
,
以眼还眼
). This proverb
is
a
quotation
from
Exodus
21:23-27
in
which
a
person
who
has
taken
the
eye
of
another in
a fight is instructed to give his own eye in
compensation.
Freely you have
received, freely give
.
(
白白的得来，也要白白的舍去
). This one is
a quotation from
Matthew 10:8. It means
that one should let the free things go since he
never pays for
them.
There are more examples:
Whoever digs a
pit may fall into it
.
(
挖陷坑的，自己必掉在其中
)
Whoever
quarries
stones
may
be
injured
by
them;
whoever
splits
logs
may
be
endangered by them.
(
凿开石头的，必受损伤；擘开木头的，必遭危险
)
More strength is needed but skill will
bring success
.
(
得智慧指教，便有益处
)
1.2.5 To Convey the Truth
By the forming of the
civilization and the society people struggle
against the nature
as
well
as
the
people
themselves.
Gradually
some
principles
are
accepted
by
the
masses
and
those
principles
spread
far
and
wide
so
that
more
and
more
people
acknowledge them as
the truth.
Where there is a will, there
is a way.
(
有志者事竟成
)
3
It is one of
the most famous English proverbs which encourages
people not to loose
faith
since
the
strong
will
leads
one
to
success.
If
you
have
the
inclination
and
determination for something, you will
always be able to find a way toward the goal.
There is nothing hopeless or impossible
if you are resolute enough. The proverb has
become an accepted wisdom for its
spread.(Martin H Manser, 2002: 277)
There are more examples:
A
mother
’
s love never changes.
(
母爱永不变
)
Honesty pays.
(
诚实必有好报
)
Time is
money.
(
时间就是金钱
)
History repeats itself.
(
历史往往重演
)
Cheats
never prosper.
(
骗人发不了财
)
1.2.6 Loan Proverb
Britain
is
a
country
with
developed
navigation
technology
from
of
old
and
it
frequently
connects
with
other
continent
and
countries.
Latin
used
to
be
popular
in
England and French was once the
official language of England. Therefore, there are
a
few
proverbs
from
Latin
and
other
languages
which
reserve
their
thoughts
and
wisdoms.
Nothing comes from nothing.
(
无风不起浪
)
–
Latin proverb
Put the cart before the
horse
. (
本末倒置
)
–
French proverb
Art is long, life is short
.
(
艺术永存，生命短暂
)
–
Latin proverb
Burnt bairns dread the fire
.
(
一朝被蛇咬三年怕井绳
)
–
Russian proverb
Appetite comes with eating
.
(
胃口越吃越大
)
–
French proverb
4