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1、Differences between Chinese and English Culture and the Relevant Translation Strategies摘 要随着全球经济发展和文化交流，跨文化交流研究成为一种趋势。越来越多的学者认为翻译是一种跨文化活动。翻译在促进不同文化交流和相互理解中起着十分重要的作用。然而，不同民族有不同文化。英汉两种语言在宗教、观念、历史背景、思维方式、地理条件和自然环境等方面存在巨大差异，这些差异给翻译带来很大困难。即使译者能够很好的理解原文意思，但译文中信息流失还是不可避免的。因此，如何解决翻译中的文化差异问题成为翻译研究的关键。在翻译界，归化
2、和异化两种策略得到关注。归化以目的语文化为归宿，而异化以源语文化为归宿。本论文首先介绍语言、文化和翻译之间的辩证关系。然后分析造成英汉文化差异的主要因素：宗教信仰、思维方式、民情风俗、地理和历史等等。最后，论述两种主要翻译策略：归化和异化，并提出一些翻译方法以达到跨文化交流的目的。关键词：文化差异 翻译策略 归化 异化 AbstractIn recent years, with the development of economy and cultural exchange in the world, there is a trend towards cross-cultural studie
3、s. More and more scholars consider translation as cross-cultural activity. Translation has played a very important role in promoting the communication and mutual understanding between different cultures. However，different nations have different cultures. As far as Chinese and English is concerned, T
4、here are great differences in terms of religion, value, historical background, thinking patterns, geographical and natural environment, etc.These differences have resulted in great difficulty for translation. Even if the translator understands the source text very well, meaning lost is inevitable. T
5、herefore, how to deal with cultural differences in translation becomes an important issue of translation research. Domestication and foreignization are two translation strategies which have aroused great concern in translation field. Domestication is target culture-oriented, while foreignization is
6、source culture-oriented. This thesis begins with the dialectical relationships between language, culture and translation. Then this thesis goes to analyze cultural differences in the aspects of different religious beliefs, different thinking pattern, different customs and habits, and different geogr
7、aphy and history. Finally, this thesis discusses two main translation strategies and out forward some approaches to translation so as to achieve the purpose of cross-culture communication. Key Words: Cultural Differences Translation Strategies Domestication ForeignizationTable of ContentsI. Introduc
8、tion 1II. Language, Culture and Translation 2 2.1 Definition of Language 2 2.2 Definition of Culture 2 2.3 Language and Culture 3 2.4 Definition of Translation4 2.5 Culture and Translation 5III. Cultural Similarities and Differences in Translation6 3.1 Cultural Similarities 6 3.2 Cultural Difference
9、s 7 3.2.1 Different History and Geography 7 3.2.2 Different Religious Beliefs 8 3.2.3 Different Customs and Habits 8 3.2.4. Different ways of thinking 8IV. Translation Strategies and Approaches to Translation 9 4.1. Translation Strategies: Domestication and Foreignization 9 4.1.1 Domestication 104.1
10、.2 Foreignization 104.2 Approaches to Translation 11 4.2.1 Literal Translation 114.2.2 Literal Translation and Notes 114.2.3 Free Translation 124.2. 4 Translation by Omission124.2.5 Transliteration13V. Conclusion 13I. IntroductionWith the development of science and technology as well as the globaliz
11、ation of the world economy, cultural exchanges between nations have entered a new stage. There is an increasing demand for mutual understanding among people all over the world. As an important medium for cultural exchange between people using different languages, translation has become more importan
12、t than ever.Nowadays, translation is regarded as a cross-culture communication activity, which concerns not only the transfer between languages, but also the transfer between the cultures. As a primary tool for human communication, language surely plays a vital role in the cultural communication. At
13、 the same time, it is also influenced and shaped by culture. Language is the carrier of culture, and translation is a cultural information exchanging process in which the connotation of one language is expressed in the other one, namely, translation is not only the process of language exchanging but
14、 also the process of culture exchanging. While to a great extent, the transformation of cultural information is sometimes restricted by some cultural factors. Therefore, in order to preserve the original flavor naturally and properly during the process of translation, one must think highly of cultur
15、al factors influence on translation activities. How to deal with these cultural differences is always the topic for research in translation study. In regard to this topic, there are many hot debates among the scholars.In the field of translation, the two major approaches are domestication and foreig
16、nization, which have been the focus of the debate since their existence. Domesticating translation and foreignizing translation are two different translation strategies. The former is a target language culture-oriented translation strategy and aims to domesticate cultural features in the source text
17、, so that the translated text could be more natural and read like a work written in target language by the original writer. The latter is a source language culture-oriented translation strategy and aims to preserve the cultural differences in source text to make the reader learn more about the local
18、 culture. Do translators tend to use foreignizing methods or domesticating ones? What are the factors that affect their decision making? This paper tries to find answers to the questions by looking into some of the cultural factors in Chinese-English translation.II. Language, Culture and Translation
19、2.1 Definition of Language As for definition of language, many linguists define it from different perspective. Eward Sapir regards language as a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols. Edgar Sturtevant considers l
20、anguage as a system of arbitrary symbols by which members of a social group co-operate and interact. Language is also viewed a cognitive system which is part of any normal human beings mental or psychological structure. To sum up, language, in essence, mainly is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols u
21、sed for human communication.2.2 Definition of CultureCulture is a very complex concept. Different studies have given many definitions of culture from different aspects. Culture is a social phenomenon. Human beings produce the culture through their creation work. Culture is the basic operating system
22、 in which people share beliefs, values, customs and behaviors. The word “culture” originated from a German world “Kultur.” In 1871, Edwad Tyylor defines culture as a complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by individua
23、ls as member of a society. Tylors definition has continually been the basis of most modern anthropological conception of culture. He emphasized the spiritual part of culture, but neglected its material without which culture is impossibility. Culture has also been defined by Peter New mark (2001:94)
24、as “the way of life and its manifestations that are peculiar to a community that uses a particular language as its means of expression.” Although definitions very on the concept of culture, based on the above definition, culture at least has the following characteristics.First, culture is regarded a
25、s a synthesis including content of multi-levels and many aspects, and is used to conclude all of material wealth, spiritual wealth and ways of living created and accumulated by human beings. Second, culture is treated as summation of mankinds spiritual phenomenon or concept form.Third, it emphasizes
26、 that culture is regarded as the meaning of human beings social action and custom. Forth, there is also a common cognition. Culture is regarded as summarization of mankinds artistic activity and national activity. 2.3 Language and Culture There is close relationship between language and culture. Lan
27、guage is the carrier of culture and culture is the content of language. There is no language without culture content. As a mirror of culture, language is strongly influenced and shaped by culture. They evolved together and have been mutually dependent through their history. Understanding one require
28、s understanding the other. In the broadest sense, language is the symbolic representation of a people, and it comprises their historical and cultural backgrounds as well as their approach to life and their ways of living and thinking. Following the definitions of sociologists and anthropologists, th
29、e term culture “refers to the total pattern of beliefs, customs, institutions, objects, and techniques that characterize the life of a human community.” Language is the most important of culture and it reflects culture. And at the same time, it is influenced and shaped by culture. Cultures differ fr
30、om one another, so languages diverse. With differences in cultures and in languages, it is natural that cross-cultural communication is not always easy.When defining language and culture, Nida (1993:105) pointed out that “Since culture is defined succinctly as totality of beliefs and practice of a s
31、ociety, nothing is of greater strategic important than the language though which its beliefs are showed and transmitted and which most interaction of its members takes place.” There is close relationship between language and culture. No language can exist unless it is steeped in the context of cultu
32、re, and no culture can exist without the structure of natural language. Language is the carrier of culture, and it is also shaped by culture. If you want to learn a language, you must understand well about the culture, and if you want to know the culture, you must learn the language. It is very accu
33、rate for Nida (2002:146) to conclude that “language and culture often combine in a kind of symbiosis.” Due to differences in the social environment, history, religion and region, cultural differences will be embodied in language. As cultures are diverse, so are languages. Language is the center of t
34、he culture, and it can not exist beyond the culture. They are inseparable mutually. As language and culture are inseparable from each other, it is impossible to discuss translation without relating it to the language and culture factors of language and culture. The close relationship between languag
35、e and culture leads to the close relationship between translation and culture.2.4 Definition of TranslationAccording to Encyclopedia Britannica, translation is the process of rendering what is expressed in one language or set emblems by means of another language or set of symbols. “One concept or me
36、aning expressed in A in one language can be found the equivalence express in B in another language.” (Nida, 1993: 122) In his view, translation is transferring meaning of the language. Here the “meaning” is at the level of the “deep structure” and the strategies of translation should lay stress on t
37、he equivalence of the deep structure, and that is function equivalence.Translation is not the transcoding of the word or sentence from one language into another, yet a complex form of action, whereby, someone offers information on a text in a new situation and under transformed functional, cultural,
38、 and linguistic conditions, preserving formal aspects as closely as possible. Translation is no longer a “transcoding” from one context into another, but on “act of communication.” Translation is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way, which the intended the text. In many t
39、ypes of text, the temptation is to transfer as many Source Language (SL) words to the Target Language (TL)as possible. Then the first business of the translation is to translate because of the intricate relationship of language, culture and other relevant factors in the process of translation, as is
40、 seen in the following figure by Newmark. 9 The truth (the facts of the matter) 1 SL writer 5 TL relationship 6 TL norms2 SL norms 3 SL culture 7 TL culture 4 SL setting and translation 10 translator 8 TL setting and translation2.5 Culture and Translation Translation, as a means of intercommunicatio
41、n between different languages, determines that it is the product of cultural activities. Translation is a part of culture and it has become a great part of culture itself.Translation leads to exchange of languages between different countries. Meanwhile, language is the symbol of culture, and culture
42、 is the track of language. Translation involves at least two languages and two cultural traditions. Therefore, translation permanently faces with the problem of how to treat the cultural aspects hint in a source text and look for the most appropriate technique to successfully transmit these aspects
43、into the target language. In cultural interaction, translation acts as a bridge in the sense that it lowers or even breaks down language barriers and hence permits communication between different cultures. In this way, the dynamic process of cultural exchange occurs. Translation, with language as it
44、s material crust and concrete tool, is the medium and a particular means of the spreading of culture and communication, and its major feature is interculturalism. Translation is a cross-linguistic, cross-cultural and cross-social communication activity. Nida indicates that for truly successfully tra
45、nslating, biculturalism is even more than bilingualism, since words only have meanings in terms of the cultures in which they function. In essence, translation is a kind of intercultural communication and is closely relevant to culture.Language is a part of culture, and so translating from one langu
46、age into another can not be done satisfied without sufficient knowledge of the two cultures involved. Translation means not only transferring source language into target language, but also having a translation between different cultures.III Cultural Similarities and Differences in Translation3.1 Cultural Similarities When we discuss the culture and translation, we always refer to differences rather than similarities. Actually, people from different cultures have a lot in common besides differences. If people throughout the world have noting in common, it is i