《Foreignization and Domestication of Metaphorical Idiom Translation 英汉隐喻成语翻译中的归化和异化.doc》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Foreignization and Domestication of Metaphorical Idiom Translation 英汉隐喻成语翻译中的归化和异化.doc（18页珍藏版）》请在三一办公上搜索。
1、Foreignization and Domestication of Metaphorical Idiom Translation 英汉隐喻成语翻译中的归化和异化 AbstractAccording to Lakoff& Johnson in Metaphors We Live By, metaphor is pervasive in everyday life, not just in language but in thought and action. Metaphor is defined as a figure of speech in which a term or phrase
2、 is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance at dictionary. The essence of metaphor is to understand and experience one kind of thing in terms of another without using “like” or “as”. Metaphors from different cultural backgrounds are loaded with
3、the unique cultural connotations and the thinking mode of a particular nation. There are numerous metaphorical expressions in both English and Chinese. In metaphorical translation, there are two strategiesforeignization and domestication. However, which strategy should we use? Through the comparison
4、 of Chinese and English metaphors, and the analysis of the two strategies, this paper argues that foreinization should have priority over domestication in translating the metaphor, thus promoting communication between different countries.Key Words: metaphor; translation; foreignization; domesticatio
5、n摘 要Lakoff& Johnson指出，隐喻在日常生活中是无处不在的，它不仅存在于语言中，也存在于我们的思维和行动当中。词典上关于隐喻的定义为：隐喻是在彼类事物的暗示之下感知、体验、想象、理解、谈论此类事物的一种修辞手法。它的本质在于通过一种事物理解和体验另一种事物，而又不用到“像”、“仿佛”之类的词语。不同文化背景下的隐喻蕴涵着各民族特有的文化内涵和思维方式。英、汉两种语言中就存在着许多隐喻现象。归化和异化是两种主要的翻译策略。然而，在对隐喻成语的翻译中应当选择哪种翻译策略呢？通过对中英隐喻成语的对比和归化、异化这两种翻译策略效果的对比，本文指出：在隐喻成语翻译中，应采取异化为主、归化为
6、辅的翻译策略，以促进文化的交流和融合。关键词：隐喻；翻译；异化；归化.Introduction Metaphor is for most people a device of the poetic imagination and the rhetorical flourisha matter of extraordinary rather than ordinary language. Metaphor is typically viewed as characteristic of language alone, a matter of words rather than thought o
7、r action. For this reason, most people think they can get along perfectly well without metaphor. However, according to Lakoff& Johnson in Metaphors We Live By, metaphor is a kind of human linguistic and cognitive phenomenon; it is pervasive in our everyday life, not just in language but in thought a
8、nd action (Lakoff& Johnson, 6). Metaphor is defined as a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance at dictionary. Metaphor is a way of describing something by saying that it is something else which has
9、 the qualities that you are trying to describe. A metaphor is a figure of speech that constructs an analogy between two things or ideas, the analogy is conveyed by the use of a metaphorical word in place of some other words. For example, Her eyes were glistening jewels. Metaphors compare things with
10、out using like or as. Object, image and sense are three indispensable elements of a metaphor(赵霞，99). The image which is attached to the object is a term used to describe the object. The sense is the similarities shared by the object and the image. Different from the structure in a simile, such words
11、 as “like” or “as” never exist in a metaphor. The essence of metaphor is to understand and experience one kind of thing in terms of another without using “like” or “as”. There are numerous metaphorical expressions in both English and Chinese. There are similarities between the Chinese and English me
12、taphors, but differences play a more important role, for the metaphors are of distinct national individuality(石本俊，144).Metaphors from different cultural backgrounds are loaded with the unique cultural connotations and the thinking mode of a particular nation(张娇娣,34). Thus, the translation of metapho
13、rs is especially complex. “Domesticating translation” and “foreignizing translation” are the terms coined by L. Venuti (1995) to describe the two different translation strategies(Venuti, 58). In metaphorical translation, foreinization and domestication are the major techniques. The former focuses pr
14、imarily on the semantic content and the cultural individuality of the source language, while the latter focuses essentially upon the comprehension and responses of the receptors of the target language. From the diachronic point of view, the two translation techniques are complementary, with their ow
15、n values and uniqueness. However, from the view of cultural communication, the paper argues that foreignization should have priority over domestication in translating the metaphor, so that the loss of the source language cultural information may be reduced to the minimum and the connotation and stri
16、king feature of the source language metaphor will be brought out to the reader, thus promoting communication between different countries. A Comparative Study of Chinese and English metaphors 2.1 Similarities of Chinese and English metaphorsMetaphor and culture are closely related. The general charac
17、teristics of human cognitive experience and the similarities of the world itself provide the material foundation for the similar metaphor in different languages(赵霞，100). The cognitive object of human involves everything in the world. All human beings must have similar cognitive experience, and simil
18、ar social and cultural backgrounds. Since metaphor is shaped by the socio-cultural beliefs and attitudes of a specific culture, our translation of this linguistic phenomenon is based on the cognitive equivalence, where metaphors must be looked at as cognitive constructs representing instances of how
19、 people conceptualize and record their experiences, attitudes and practices(鲍勤，陈利平，74). Then operationally, we have drawn a distinction between the individual linguistic culture having its own set of metaphors related to a range of ideas, conventions, and beliefs, and a proposed “universal culture”
20、comprising many individual cultures (i.e. sub-cultures) sharing a set of metaphors reflecting the core values and practices common to most of the individual cultures. Metaphorical similarities between Chinese and English in this paper can be roughly divided into the following three parts.2.1.1 Simil
21、ar concepts about metaphor in different regionsAll human beings share the similar survival needs, thoughts and feelings, and lifestyle, so some cultures almost occur in several different regions. The culture of a nation is reflected in the language, so there is lots of equivalence, similarities amon
22、g different languages. For example, whatever in the east or in the west, snake and fox are used to express the meaning of cunning, insidious and treacherous, such as “snaky”, “foxy” in English and “心如蛇蝎”, “老狐狸”, “狐假虎威” in Chinese. Sheep means meek, steel means determined in both Chinese and English.
23、 As to the equivalence and similarities of the two languages, examples are too numerous to count, such as, 滴水穿石(constant dropping wears away stone)；火上浇油(add fuel to the flames)；趁热打铁(strike while the iron is hot)；隔墙有耳(walls have ears)；自食其果(eat food of ones doing)；雷鸣般的掌声(a thunder of applause). The co
24、mmon part between Chinese and English benefits the metaphorical translation a lot. As Nida said, “Similarities exist in the different languages and cultures in the world, which provide the objective foundation for the translation.”(Nida, 69)2.1.2 Similarities on concepts of orientational metaphors A
25、n orientational metaphor is a metaphor in which concepts are spatially related to each other, as in the following ways. Most orientational metaphors have to do with spatial orientation: up-down, in-out, front-back, on-off, deep-shallow. These spatial orientations arise from the fact that we have bod
26、ies of the sort we have and that they function as they do in our physical environment. Orientational metaphors give a concept a spatial orientation, for example, “You are in high spirit”, “I fell into depression”, “Hes really low these days”, Dont let you parents down”. These orientational metaphors
27、 give a concept a spatial orientation. The expressions above are led by the fact that the concept HAPPY is oriented UP, or SAD is oriented DOWN. Standing body of humans provide the experiment foundation for these metaphors. Generally speaking, upstanding posture is linked to good status, like health
28、, happiness. The experience is universal, but not peculiar to a certain English-speaking country. There are similar expressions like “看见女朋友来了，他的情绪一下子高涨了起来”、“好好学习，天天向上”、“我们的事业蒸蒸日上”、“人往高处走，水往低处流”、“江河日下”、“情绪低落”etc.2.1.3 Similar concepts from the view of cultural communicationThe development of a langua
29、ge cant just rely on the internal development. To enrich itself, a certain language should introduce and absorb the language of another nation. English and Chinese are two different languages. Some English expressions are not existed in Chinese, so as the Chinese expressions. Therefore, to absorb th
30、e language of another country is not only workable, but also is necessary. In the west, because most people believe in Christian, numerous metaphors originate from the Bible, such as Noahs ark, Olive branch, Paradise etc. Gradually, these phrases are accepted and comprehended by Chinese people. They
31、 are translated into “诺亚方舟”, “橄榄枝”, “伊甸园” by foreignization. This shows that a certain culture takes place and develops in a certain region, and then it would be transmitted to other regions and be accepted, absorbed and assimilated by other cultures. With the increase of international communication
32、, some metaphors originating from the west are introduced into Chinese culture, and are accepted by Chinese people. These metaphors become an inseparable part of Chinese culture. For instance, English metaphor “to shed crocodiles tears” has been accepted and translated into “掉鳄鱼眼泪” by Chinese people
33、. “鳄鱼眼泪” but not “猫哭耗子” has been accepted by Chinese culture. To a large extent, a large number of metaphors of this kind have enriched and enlarged the Chinese language. For example, Chinese metaphors “武装到牙齿”, “特洛伊木马”, “冷战”, “替罪羊” are all from English metaphors “armed to the teeth”, “the Trojan hor
34、se”, “cold war”, “scapegoat”. Also，many Chinese metaphors are introduced to the west, such as “纸老虎(the paper tiger)”, “丢脸(lose ones face)”. 2.2 Differences between Chinese and English metaphorsThere exist some similarities between Chinese and English metaphors. However, due to the differences, such
35、as cultural awareness, social customs, historical regions in different nations, some concepts of metaphor are peculiar to a certain nation, not only embody its own environment, historical origins, natural conditions and social customs, but also reflect its religious beliefs, thinking mode and the no
36、tion of value(赵霞，101). Therefore, metaphor is of binging and nationality, which reflect the differences of different cultures. To sum all of these, the individualities possessing distinct cultural features are roughly divided into the following three parts.2.2.1 Same image, different senseOwing to t
37、he differences, such as cultural psychology, social customs and notions of value in different nations, different sense may occur among metaphors with the same image. For example, dogs are peoples friends in western culture. So, most metaphors related to dogs are commendatory generally, such as work
38、like a dog; a lucky dog; love me, love my dog; every dog has his day etc. But in China, influenced by traditional Chinese culture, metaphors related to dogs are always derogatory, such as“走狗”、“狗腿子”、“狗仗人势”、“狗急跳墙”etc. Therefore, to keep the commendatory meaning of “dog” in English metaphors, translato
39、rs need to change the image of “dog” when translating. Those English metaphors should be translated “拼命工作、幸运的人、爱屋及乌、人人都有得意时”.Another example is concerned with color words. In China, “red” is always related to celebrations or jubilation, such as “红人”、“红娘”、“红运”. But “red” is related to “horror”, “bloo
40、d”, and “lewdness” in the west. Phrases like “see red(发怒)”, “like a red rag to a bull(使人愤怒)”, “catch somebody red-handed(当场抓获)” and “red-light district(红灯区，暗指城镇中的妓院区)” etc. are generally derogatory.2.2.2 Different image, same sensePeoples social experience and cognitive style are different in differ
41、ent nations and cultures. So, different images may be used to describe the same cognitive object. For example, phrases expressing the meaning of “sorrow” are different in Chinese and English. In English, metaphors such as “sadness is blue” are used to express that somebody is sad. But on the contrar
42、y, influenced by the traditional Chinese medicine in which humans mood is closely related to humans organs. Therefore, humans organs are often used to express “sorrow” in Chinese, for instance, “她听了这消息后，肝肠寸断”, “她的心都碎了” etc. “热锅上的蚂蚁” is used to express that somebody is anxious in Chinese; but in Engl
43、ish people use “like a hen in a hot girdle”. In Chinese, to envy somebody is “害了红眼病”，but in English its “green with envy” or “be green-eyed”. 2.2.3 Different image, different senseDue to the cultural differences, images and senses of some metaphors are peculiar to a certain culture. You cant find th
44、e same images or senses in another culture, thus causing the phenomenon of cultural blank. People believe in Christian in many western countries such as American and England, where the language is seriously influenced by the religious culture. Therefore, religious culture exists in many English meta
45、phors. For instance, Pandoras box(潘多拉盒子，means the origin of all kinds of curse), thirty pieces of silver(30块银币，means to get the money by betraying others), a kiss of death(死神之吻，means exteriorly it is good, but in fact it is bad), are all from the Bible. These phrases never exist in China, where peop
46、le believe in Buddhism. Also, in Chinese there exist some metaphors never existing in English, such as “四面楚歌”(means in trouble)、 “菩萨心肠”(means somebody is good-hearted) etc.From the studies above, the differences between Chinese and English metaphors are bigger than the similarities. Metaphorical idi
47、oms are stable in their structure and figurative meaning. For example, “掩耳盗铃”、“Rome was not built in a day” etc. Generally, metaphorical idioms are viewed as a vehicle(in Chinese its called “喻体”), of which the figurative sense would not disappear with the disintegration of the sentence. In contrast,
48、 normal metaphors are temporary and include lots of figurative in their structure and figurative meaning. For example, “He is a pig/他是猪”. Without the contexts, the metaphors can be understood like this: the person may be “脏”、“懒”、“贪吃”、“贪睡”、“肥胖” etc. But if the metaphor is separated from the sentence,
49、 the figurative sense would disappear. Usually, Chinese metaphorical idioms are made up of 4 words, but English ones are composed of 2 to 10 words. The structural differences make the translation hard. There are similarities between the Chinese and English metaphors, but differences play a more important role, for the me
