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1、The Cultural Differences and Translation of English and Chinese Proverbs Abstract: English and Chinese proverbs are seasonings of the language with picturesque images and cultural characteristics. Because of the differences of natural geography environments, religious beliefs, habits and customs, fa
2、bles and myths, and cultures and arts, English and Chinese proverbs reflect the distinctive cultural features and information. This paper analyses the cultural differences between English and Chinese proverbs based on contrastive linguistics and discusses the translation strategies of English and Ch
3、inese proverbs according to national cultural commonness and individuality from theory to practice.Key words: proverb; cultural difference; translation strategy 1. IntroductionProverbs are short sayings of folk wisdomof well-known facts or truthsexpressed succinctly and in a way that makes them easy
4、 to remember. These facts and truths often expound the profound truths from the simple matters in daily life. They sum up daily experience of people and tell people how to conduct themselves in society. As Francis Bacon long ago observed: “The genius, wit, and spirit of a nation are discovered in it
5、s proverbs”. English and Chinese proverbs are widely loved and used by people and regarded as the cream of the English and Chinese languages and the gorgeous treasures of English and Chinese cultural treasure-house. They deserve to be called the nations spiritual values and cultural heritage. But, w
6、ith the differences of geography, history, religious beliefs, habits and customs, English and Chinese proverbs carry on different national cultural features and information.There is an example:“Is Susan beautiful?” asked Mrs. Taft.“She is anything but beautiful.” Replied Mr. Taft.“How could our sill
7、y John fall in love with such a girl?” Mrs. Taft was surprised.“Why not? Beauty lies in the lovers eyes. As this saying goes.” Mr. Taft answered with a gentle smileLets see the translation:“苏姗漂亮吗?”塔夫脱太太问道。“一点也不漂亮。”塔夫脱先生答道。塔夫脱太太感到惊讶：“我们的傻约翰怎么会去爱上这样一个女孩子呢?”塔夫脱先生温和地笑道：“有啥大惊小怪的？俗话说得好：情人眼里出西施。” When you
8、read the translation of the above dialogue, what is your reaction to the sentence“情人眼里出西施”? Is it in correspondence with the proverb “Beauty lies in lovers eyes?” “西施” was a beauty in ancient China, and how could it appear in English culture? Actually, this translation goes against the English cultu
9、re although it does convey the original meaning. In order to avoid this cultural term, the literal translation “情人眼里出美人”should be adopted and which is not only faithful to the original meaning, but also loyal to the original culture.Proverbs have vivid images and distinct national flavor. Then how t
10、o retain these features and acquire the highest degree of cultural exchange in translation? In order to meet the purpose of proverb translation, the translator must adopt some effective strategies, such as literal translation, free translation, or the combination of two ways of translation, which to
11、tally depend on the features of the language and the cultural background of the proverbs.2. The Cultural Differences between English and Chinese Proverbs Language is the mirror of the culture of a nation. A nations cultural features and its national psychology, patterns of thoughts and values are su
12、rely reflected in its language. The national cultural features of a language refer to not only the connotations of culture but also the extension of the concept of culture- the nations history, geographical conditions, economy, social system, religion and customs reflected and recorded in its langua
13、ge. Proverbs, being part of language, are of the same characteristics and most of the distinctive cultural features of a nation can be found in proverbs. 2.1 Different Religious BeliefsAs religion once exerted an enormously broad impact on people in feudal society, there still remain many proverbs w
14、hich reflect religious beliefs at that time. Owing to their different religions, the English and Chinese people used different figures in their own proverbs. Many people in the West believe in Christianity, and so the images of “God”, “devil”, “heaven”, and “cross”, etc. are found in a number of Eng
15、lish proverbs. The following proverbs are just a few examples:(1) The devil can site Scripture for his purpose.魔鬼引圣经, 不会怀好意。(2) God helps those who help themselves.上帝帮助自助之人。(3) Better go to heaven in rags than to hell in embroidering.与其锦衣裹身下地狱, 不如衣衫褴褛上天堂。(4) The devil lurks (or sits ) behind the cro
16、ss.魔鬼常常躺在十字架后面。(5) Crosses are ladders to heaven. 十字架是登上天堂的梯子。(6) Man proposes, God disposes.谋事在人, 成事在天。(7) The way to Heaven is by Weeping Cross.忏悔受难,得升天堂。(8) No coming to Heaven with dry eyes.眼无泪水,难进天堂。However, in China Buddhism has existed for over 1,000 years and it is the dominating religion th
17、at has bred-in-the-bone influences on Chinese people. Hence, most of the Chinese proverbs are closely related to Buddhism and the images of “佛,菩萨”(Buddha), “和尚”(monk), “庙”(temple), etc. are always used in Chinese proverbs. The following proverbs are just a few examples: (1) 借花献佛。Present Buddha with
18、borrowed flowers. (2) 泥菩萨过河,自身难保。A clay idol fording a river is hardly able to save itself.(3) 做一天和尚撞一天钟。Go on tolling the bell as long as one is a monk.(4) 跑了和尚跑不了庙。The monk may run away, but the temple cannot run with.(5) 闲时不烧香,临时抱佛脚。Embrace Buddhas feet in one hour of need. (6) 道高一尺,魔高一丈。The more
19、 illumination, the more temptation.(7) 僧袍不能使人成为僧侣。The cowl does not make the monk.(8) 无事不登三宝殿。One never goes to the temple for no reason.The great influence of the Bible on English language is known. Some of the famous sayings are loved and used by the people, and after a considerable period of time
20、, they become part of English proverbs. So, many proverbs in common use can be traced back to the Bible.(1) The spirit is willing, but the fresh is weak.心有余而力不足。(2) A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.宁要美名，不要巨富。(3) The love of money is the root of all evil.贪财乃万恶之源。(4) Do as you woul
21、d be done by.己所不欲，勿施于人。(5) A live dog is better than a dead lion.活狗也比死狮强。(6) An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.以眼还眼，以牙还牙。 2.2 Different Cultural Traditions 2.2.1 Different Ancient Myths, Legends or FablesEvery nation has its own cultural tradition. In the long history of its development, a grea
22、t number of beautiful legends and myths were created and many proverbs based on them were produced. Greek and Roman civilizations have had great influence on the English language. Greek and Roman myths also generate colorful proverbs.(1) Love is blind.爱情是盲目的。This proverb is from Roman myth. Cupid, t
23、he God of love, is a boy with two wings. His eyes are blind-folded and he is flying in the sky with bow and arrows in hand, shooting his arrow of love. The one who gets the golden arrow will win his love. This proverb implies that lovers cannot see each others weakness and shortcomings. (2) I fear t
24、he Greeks, even when bringing gifts.即使希腊人带来礼物，我也担心。This proverb is from the Greek myth of the Trojan War, the Greek troops could not breach the city of Troy for quite a long time. In the end, they pretended to retreat, leaving outside the city of Troy a huge wooden horse. The soldiers of Troy pulled
25、 the horse into their city, which brought about the destruction of the city, because twelve Greek soldiers were hiding inside the wooden horse. “Trojan horse” has now become a symbol of “danger and deception” in Western culture. There are also many English proverbs derived from “The Fables of Aesop”
26、.(1) We see not what is in the wallet behind. 人们总是看不见自己的缺点。(2) Do not count your chickens before they are hatched. 鸡蛋尚未孵, 别先数小鸡。(3) The fox said the grapes were sour.狐狸吃不到葡萄,就说它是酸的。Some Chinese proverbs are derived from ancient Chinese myths, legends or fables and they have strong cultural colors.(1
27、) 孙悟空逃不出如来佛手掌心。-Be unable to jump out of anothers grasp, however clever and capable one may be.This Chinese proverb is from “The Pilgrimage to the West”. Sun Wukong is Monkey King who is clever and capable. Ru laifu is Buddha Tathagata who is of great power. This proverb implies that a common man ca
28、nnot escape the control from a powerful man.(2) 一人得道，鸡犬升天。-When a man gets to the top, all his relatives and friends get there with him.The original proverb is from a Chinese legend. It means that when one becomes a high official, even his fowls and dogs will get promoted. 2.2.2 Different Literature
29、 ClassicsAfter the Bible, Shakespeares plays are, as we might expect, the richest literary sources of English proverbs. William Shakespeare was the greatest dramatist and poet in English during the Renaissance. He employed more than 1,000 proverbs in his works including 37 plays, 154 sonnets and two
30、 long poems. Some of his coinages are so well-known to native speakers of English that they quote these coinages in their daily speech and writing often with no definite consciousness of their origins.(1) Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow. -“Romeo and Juliet” 欲速则不达。(2) It is a wise father that
31、knows his own child. - “Merchant of Venice” 无论怎样聪明的父亲也不见得知道他自己的儿子。(3) The course of true love never did run smooth. - “A Mid-Summer Nights Dream”爱情道路多崎岖。(4) All that lives must die. - “Hamlet”有生必有死。English proverbs from Shakespeare are plentiful and they have already been absorbed into the English l
32、anguage and become an organic part of it.The following quotations, which have been adopted as English proverbs, also show how the wit and wisdom of English poets and other writers have passed into the thought of common people.(1) Knowledge is power. -Francis Bacon知识就是力量。(2) Virtue is her own reward.
33、 John Dryden为善最乐。(3) The childhood shows the man. -John Milton从小看大，三岁看老。(4) A thing of beauty is a joy forever. -Keats美好的事物永远是一种令人难以忘怀的乐趣。The above examples are so popular that we use them often without definite consciousness of their origins. “They have”, as Dr. Henry Bradley (1845-1925 English lex
34、icographer) put it, “entered into the texture of the diction of literature and daily conversation,” and may now “ fairly be regarded as proverbs of the English language.”The following quotations from the Chinese classics are often used as proverbs.(1) 言必信，行必果。-“论语.子路”Promises must be kept and action
35、 must be resolute. “Confucius Analects”(2) 有钱可以通神。-施耐庵水浒Money can move even the gods. -Shi Naian “Water Margin”(3) 东风压倒西风。-曹雪芹红楼梦The East wind prevails over the West wind.-Cao Xueqin “A Dream of Red Mansion”(4) 谁言寸草心，抱得三春晖。-孟郊 “游子吟”That such kindness as young grass receives from the warm sun cant be
36、 repaid.-Men Jiao “Song of a Roamer” 2.3 Different Living Customs Language reflects peoples life and it comes from peoples life. Living customs greatly influence and restrict the system of language expressions. Every language is characterized by its brands of different living customs.Unkissed, unkin
37、d.不接吻, 不友善。 This proverb reflects the Western custom of kissing each other as friendly greetings. While in China, if a person does so when greeting another, he might be misunderstood. Though the tradition of “男女授受不亲”(Grown-ups of different sexes are not expected to touch each others hands) is obviou
38、sly a little bit out-dated, modern China is still a country that does not take kissing as a widely accepted custom of greetings. Kissing each other in China in the modern age is still something parents do to their children or lovers do in a relatively private place. This is a distinctive feature sho
39、wing the differences between the expressions of one language and those of another and is also the typical example of the so-called “exotic flavors”.(2) 萝卜白菜，各有所爱。 This proverb is used to show that people vary in their preference to certain objects or ideas. This expression is very vivid in the minds
40、 of Chinese people because “radish” and “cabbage” are two very common vegetables in China and they, when used in the proverb, represent the different tastes or opinions of people. However, the same images are not very likely to produce the same expressive effects in the minds of British people. In t
41、ransmitting the same message, they probably use two other different images “apple” and “onion”. They would say, “Different people have different opinions, some like apples and some like onions”. “Apples” and “onions” are two kinds of common food in British and the choice of “apples” or “onions” repr
42、esent peoples different tastes. When used in this proverb, they mean that different people prefer different tastes or ideas.The differences of customs between English and Chinese are also focused on the attitudes towards dogs. In Western countries, dog is regarded as human beings most faithful frien
43、d. Most of English proverbs about dog have no depreciation. There are some examples:(1) Love me, love my dog.爱屋及乌。(2) Every dog has its day.凡人皆有得意日。(3) Old dog will not learn new tricks.老人学不了新东西。While In China, dog is a low animal. Most of the Chinese proverbs about dogs are depreciated, such as:(1)
44、 Act like a snob.狗眼看人低。(2) Mistake a good man for a bad one. 狗咬吕洞宾，不识好人心。(3) A filthy mouth cant utter decent language. 狗嘴里吐不出象牙。2.4 Different Living Environments Human experiences have an enormously great influence on the coinage of proverbs. Through their work and life people have produced a large
45、 number of proverbs. English people and Chinese people live in quite different environments. Traditionally speaking, Britain is an island which has a long history of navigation, and therefore a lot of English proverbs are derived from the sea. These proverbs were originally employed by sailors to re
46、fer to nautical activities. The following are just examples to show British peoples sea experience. (1) There is as good fish in the sea as ever come out of it.有了大海，还怕没鱼。 (2) In a calm sea, every man is a pilot.在平静的海上，人人都可当领航员。(3) The good seaman is known in bad weather.要识好水手，需凭坏天气。(4) A small leak
47、will sink a great ship.大船还怕针眼漏。(5) Hoist sail when the wind is fair.乘风扬帆，乘机行事。On the other hand, China, from the primitive society，is a country of farming and a vast majority of the people live in the rural areas and depend on them. Therefore, a lot of Chinese proverbs come from farmers and are abou
48、t them. These proverbs are the crystallization of the rich experience in agricultural production.(1)瑞雪兆丰年。A timely snow promises a good harvest.(2人勤地不懒。If man is diligent, soil is not idle.(3种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。Reap as one has sown.These proverbs show how important farming is in China and how Chinese farmers think of life. The different living environments of the two peoples are responsible for the cultural values embodied in the proverbs of the two languages.2.5 Different Patterns of Thoughts and Cultural ValuesTh