On Translating Chinese Proverbs or Idioms in the Cross―Cultural Perspective

Abstract

Translating　Chinese　idioms　is　regarded　as　one　of　the　greatest　challenges，　because　Chinese　idioms　are　a　reflection　of　the　rich　cultural　heritage　of　China，　and　most　of　them　are　not　always　easy　to　understand　in　lack　of　Chinese　cultural　background.　This　paper　discusses　two　strategies　of　translating　Chinese　idioms.　In　order　to　introduce　Chinese　cultures　to　the　foreigners，　we　prefer　to　the　strategy　of　foreignization　based　on　keeping　to　the　functional　equivalence　in　the　cross-cultural　perspective.

Key　words：　Chinese　proverbs　or　idioms；　Cross-cultural　communication

FENG　Xiuwen　（2012）.　On　Translating　Chinese　Proverbs　or　Idioms　in　the　Cross-Cultural　Perspective.　Cross-Cultural　Communication，　8（6），　-0.　Available　from：　http：///index.php/ccc/article/view/j.ccc.1923670020120806.ZR6F

DOI：　http：///10.3968/j.ccc.1923670020120806.ZR6F.

INTRODUCTION

Normally，　translating　Chinese　idioms　is　regarded　as　one　of　the　greatest　challenges，　because　Chinese　idioms　are　a　reflection　of　the　rich　cultural　heritage　of　China，　and　most　of　them　are　not　always　easy　to　understand　in　lack　of　Chinese　cultural　background.　And　without　understanding　there　can　be　little　appreciation.　Therefore，　the　translation　of　Chinese　idioms　involves　many　a　problem，　such　as　culture，　literal　translation　or　liberal　translation，　the　response　of　original　readers　or　readers　of　the　translated　text，　the　differences　between　Chinese　and　English　and　so　on.

1. TRANSLATING　STRATEGIES

As　it　can　be　seen，　there　are　two　strategies　of　translating　Chinese　idioms.　One　is　domestication；　the　other　is　foreignization.

Domestication　vs.　Foreignization

Domestication　focuses　on　standard　target　language，　trying　to　locate　the　similar　idioms　which　have　the　closest　collocation　to　the　original　language　in　the　target　language.　However，　foreignization　focuses　on　literal　translation，　retaining　the　original　form　and　cultural　elements，　providing　the　translation　readers　with　the　different　emotional　appeals.　As　to　the　two　translation　methods，　different　people　have　different　views.　QIAN　Zhongshu　upholds　the　former，　but　LU　Shun　upholds　the　latter.　Theoretically　speaking，　the　latter　method　keeps　the　form　and　cultural　elements　of　the　original　text，　which　is　worth　assuming，　because　the　first-rate　translation　is　to　realize　functional　equivalence

not　only　the　equivalent　content　of　message，　but，　in　so　far　as　possible，　an　equivalence　of　the　form.　However，　as　to　Chinese　idioms，　which　are　deeply　embedded　in　Chinese　culture，　and　culture　is　a　hard　nut　to　crack　in　foreignization.　As　a　matter　of　fact，　there　exits　a　lot　of　English　idioms　similar　to　Chinese　ones，　assuming　domestication　is　quite　acceptable，　and　the　translation　readers’　response　is　almost　as　same　as　the　original　readers.　While　discussing　which　method　is　superior　to　which，　we　list　out　the　translation　examples　of　some　idioms　in　The　Story　of　the　Stone.　Maybe　we　can　make　a　sense　how　to　make　the　best　translation　of　idioms　in　Chinese　literature.

树倒猢狲散

Trees　fall　and　monkeys　scatter　（foreignization）

Rats　desert　a　falling　house　（domestication）

Nida　has　pointed　out　in　his　The　Theory　and　Practice　of　Translation　that　the　old　focus　in　translation　was　the　form　of　the　message，　and　translators　took　particular　delight　in　being　able　to　reproduce　stylistic　specialties　…　the　new　focus，　however，　has　shifted　from　the　form　of　the　message　to　the　response　of　the　receptors.　Therefore，　what　one　must　determine　is　the　response　of　the　receptors　to　the　translated　message.　This　response　must　then　be　compared　with　the　way　in　which　the　original　receptors　presumably　reacted　to　the　message　when　it　was　given　in　its　original　setting.

Following　Nida’s　dynamic　equivalence，　we　can　find　that　the　above　two　translations　faithful，　expressive　and　elegant，　and　both　the　original　readers　and　the　translation　readers　will　have　the　same　response.　The　translation　based　on　foreignization　retains　the　original　stylistic　specialties，　representing　Chinese　thinking　potency，　and　the　translation　based　on　domestication　reflects　English　thinking　potency　and　English　culture

an　ocean　country　characterized　with　ocean　cultures，　and　we　can　see　many　idioms　in　English　are　connected　with　ocean　cultures.　For　example：　we　say　“drink　like　a　buffalo”　in　Chinese，　while　English　people　say　“drink　like　a　fish”，　both　mean　drinking　gallons.　Obviously，　different　cultures　lead　to　different　thinking　potencies，　and　different　potencies　lead　to　different　expressions　in　language.　As　we　can　see，　if　receptors　of　the　translated　message　can　have　the　same　response　to　the　translation　as　the　original　readers　to　the　original　message，　either　foreignization　or　domestication　is　acceptable　in　translating　Chinese　idioms　into　English，　although　different　people　have　different　preference，　it　is　hard　to　say　which　is　superior　to　which.　However，　as　we　have　mentioned，　people　of　different　cultures　have　their　unique　thinking　potency，　not　all　Chinese　idioms　can　be　translated　in　the　method　of　domestication.　For　example：

谋事在人，成事在天。咱们谋到了，靠菩萨保佑，有些机会，也未可知。（曹雪芹，《红楼梦》）

Man　proposes，　God　disposes.　Work　out　a　plan，　trust　to　Buddha，　and　something　may　come　of　it　all　you　know.　（domestication） （David　Hawkes）

It　is　well　known　that　the　above　Chinese　idiom　has　the　English　equivalent　“Man　proposes，　God　disposes”.　Either　in　the　content　or　in　the　form，　the　translation　is　equivalent　to　the　original　text.　However，　the　translation　is　unacceptable，　because　the　shock　of　religious　culture　arises　in　the　translation.　God　is　the　Supreme　Being，　creator　and　ruler　of　the　universe　in　Christianity，　Judaism　and　Islam，　but　Buddha　is　in　the　religion　of　Buddhism.　And　in　Chinese　culture，　the　Supreme　Being　is　not　God　or　Buddha　but　Heaven.　The　translation　adopted　in　the　strategy　of　domestication　seems　awkward，　and　the　readers　of　the　translated　text　will　feel　it　funny，　even　offending.　Therefore，　we　have　to　abandon　the　seemingly　equivalent　translation　of　domestication　and　change　the　translation　into　the　following　translation　of　foreignization：

Man　proposes，　Heaven　disposes.　Work　out　a　plan，　trust　to　Buddha，　and　something　may　come　of　it　all　you　know.　（foreignization） （Hsien-yi　Yang）

As　it　can　be　seen，　adopting　foreignization　in　translating　the　above　Chinese　idiom，　we　can　not　only　retain　the　original　figurative　expression，　but　also　provide　the　readers　of　the　translated　text　with　a　special　way　to　understand　and　appreciate　Chinese　cultures　and　unique　stylistic　specialties.　Another　example　goes：

你自己手里拿着这个，岂不好？明儿再送来――就失了手也有限的，怎么忽然有变出这“剖腹藏珠”的脾气来！（曹雪芹，《红楼梦》）

Wouldn’t　that　be　better？　You　can　send　it　back　later.　And　even　if　you　drop　it，　it　won’t　matter.　What’s　come　over　suddenly　that　you　want　to　“cut　open　your　stomach　to　hide　a　pearl”？　（Hsien-yi　Yang）

We　translate　literally　the　above　Chinese　idiom　in　the　method　of　foreignization　without　any　explanation　“sacrifice　life　for　money”，　the　readers　of　the　translated　text　can　understand　and　appreciate　the　meaning　of　the　idiom.　Here　are　more　good　translations　in　the　method　of　foreignization　in　the　novel　of　A　Dream　of　Red　Mansions：

（1）……竟如“槁木死灰”一般……

…not　better　off　than　withered　wood　or　cold　ashes…

（2）……癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉……

…a　toad　hankering　for　a　taste　of　swan…

（3）　吃着碗里看着锅里。

keep　one　eye　on　the　bowl　and　the　other　on　the　pan.

（4）　俗话说，“入乡随乡”…..

As　people　say，　“other　countries，　other　ways”…

（5）　天下乌鸦一般黑。

All　crows　are　black　the　world　over.

（6）　真俗话说，“各人有缘法。”

As　the　proverb　says，　“The　fortune　of　each　is　predestined.”

（7）　狗嘴里还有象牙不成！

One　doesn’t　expect　ivory　from　a　dog’s　mouth！

（8）　人急造反，狗急跳墙。

Desperation　drives　me　to　rebel　and　a　dog　to　jump　over　a　wall.

（9）　自古说，“妻贤夫祸少，表壮不如里壮。”

As　the　saying　goes，　“A　good　wife　keeps　her　husband　out　of　trouble

a　sound　woman　counts　for　more　than　a　sound　man.”

（10）　可是你“只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯。”

You’re　like　“the　magistrate　who　goes　in　arson　but　won’t　allow　common　people　to　light　a　lamp.”

（11）　俗话说，“拼着一身剐，敢把皇帝拉下马。”

As　the　proverb　says，　“One　who　will　risk　being　sliced　to　pieces　dare　unsaddle　the　Emperor.”

（12）　俗话说，“嫁出去的女儿，泼出去的水。”

As　the　saying　goes，　“A　married　daughter

split　water.”

（13）　俗话儿说，“人怕出名猪怕壮。”

“Bad　for　a　man　to　be　famed，　bad　for　a　pig　to　grow　fat.”

（14）　清官难断家务事。

Not　even　good　officials　can　settle　family　troubles.

2. CROSS-CULTURAL　COMMUNICATION-ORIENTED　METHOD

Although　we　can　adopt　the　method　of　foreignization　to　translate　most　Chinese　idioms，　retaining　the　original　figurative　expressions，　representing　unique　Chinese　specialties，　yet　some　Chinese　idioms，　embedded　in　Chinese　culture　or　involved　in　Chinese　historical　background，　even　without　any　cultural　background，　can　not　be　translated　in　the　method　of　foreignization，　otherwise，　misunderstanding　and　ambiguity　will　arise　to　the　readers　of　the　translated　text.　For　example：

胸有成竹to　have　a　sea　of　bamboo　in　one’s　stomach

开门见山to　open　the　door　and　see　the　mountain

The　first　idiom　involves　a　Chinese　story

a　painter　knows　quite　well　all　kinds　of　bamboo　in　his　mind　before　drawing　a　picture　of　a　bamboo，　so　he　is　able　to　draw　a　bamboo　without　any　thought.　Without　knowing　the　story，　how　can　the　translation　readers　understand　what　“have　a　sea　of　bamboo　in　one’s　stomach”　means.　The　second　idiom　without　any　cultural　background，　only　reflects　Chinese　thinking　potency，　meaning　doing　something　in　a　direct　way　not　in　a　roundabout　way.　Obviously，　the　translation　“to　open　the　door　and　see　the　mountain”　must　be　awkward　to　the　translation　readers，　without　the　same　response　as　the　original　readers　to　the　vivid　expression.　So　we　have　to　abandon　the　translation　of　foreignization，　and　turn　to　domestication，　sacrificing　the　vivid　expression　for　the　sake　of　communication.

胸有成竹to　have　a　well-thought-out　plan　before　doing　something

开门见山to　come　straight　to　the　point

CONCLUSION

Well，　we　have　briefly　discussed　the　two　strategies　of　translating　Chinese　idioms　into　English，　but　we　may　still　be　at　a　loss　which　method　is　superior　to　which.　As　a　matter　of　fact，　no　method　of　translation　is　universally　applicable　and　workable.　Following　Nida’s　dynamic　equivalence，　we　should　try　to　focus　on　our　readers　of　the　translated　text，　not　solely　on　the　text　itself.　Keeping　this　principle　in　our　mind　while　translating　Chinese　idioms，　we　can　easily　decide　which　strategy　is　applicable　to　produce　a　first-rate　translation　of　Chinese　idioms.　Admittedly，　if　the　translation　of　foreignization　can　bring　the　readers　of　the　translated　text　the　same　response　to　the　translation　as　the　original　readers　to　the　original　text，　we　prefer　to　adopt　the　method　of　foreignization，　which　can　keep　dynamic　equivalence　in　the　translation，　most　importantly，　the　translation　properly　represents　Chinese　stylistic　specialties，　leaving　the　readers　a　feeling　of　the　Orient　not　the　Occident.　While　reading　the　translated　text　of　Chinese，　they　will，　more　or　less，　have　the　feeling　of　reading　the　original　Chinese　text　not　the　translation.　As　the　above　example　goes，　we　translated　Chinese　idiom　“入乡随俗”　into　“other　countries，　other　ways”　in　the　method　of　foreignization，　not　in　the　method　of　domestication，　“do　in　Rome　as　Romans　do”.　Although　the　translation　of　foreignization　is　not　as　standard　as　the　one　of　domestication　in　terms　of　language　expression，　it　is　natural　to　the　readers　of　the　translation，　and　they　will　not　feel　bewildered　how　a　Chinese　can　speak　in　the　way　of　the　Westerners　do.　In　this　case，　we　can　see　the　translation　in　the　method　of　foreignization　focuses　better　on　the　interests　of　the　translation　readers，　retaining　the　Chinese　culture　as　well　as　keeping　to　the　functional　equivalence.

REFERENCES

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