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3.4 Translation Strategies and Suggestions...7
3.4.1 Word for word translation.8
3.4.2 Substitution...9
3.4.3 Free translation10
3.4.4 Amplification..10
4. Conclusion11
References......12
1. Introduction
1.1 Research Background
Idiom is the cream of the language and there are many idioms with the animal images which are condensed after the use during a long period of time. It is the essence of the language for its conciseness and comprehensiveness. Due to different cultural backgrounds between China and English-speaking countries, some misunderstandings on translation still exist in practice. Therefore, studying on the animal idioms translation is very important. Many scholars such as Wu Youfu, Chen Wenbo(1990), etc., began to take part in the translation of Chinese and English animal idioms. In earlier time, the great mass of the research is presented to readers as a dictionary.
So far, comparisons and contrasts between different versions and ways of the translation of animal idioms have been an important aspect of the study on the translation of animal idioms. Some scholars have taken a further study from the perspective of linguistics, dynamic equivalence and cross culture communication. However, few merely study the translation of animal idioms, especially from the perspective of Relevance Theory. In 1986, Relevance Theory first proposed by Sperber and Wilson had drawn much attention from the world. According to Sperber and Wilson, every aspect of communication and cognition is governed by relevance. Relevance associated with cognitive science and psychology depends on contextual effect and processing effort, which are two main factors. It attaches much significance to translating. Several Chinese scholars like Lin Kenan(1994) and foreign scholars like Gutt(1991) also make related studies on it.
1.2 Purpose of the Research
This thesis will make a study on the animal idioms translation from the perspective of Relevance Theory. Since Relevance Theory is powerful in explaining and applying in translation, it is necessary to have a further study on the relationship between them. Besides, studying the translation of Chinese and English animal idioms is valuable to today’s English translation of our traditional classics, and makes a contribution to the dissemination of traditional Chinese culture and the communication of Chinese and English culture.
1.3 Structure of the Paper
The paper is organized as follows: Chapter 1 introduces the research background, aims and significance of the thesis. Chapter 2 makes an overview of the theoretic framework that is adopted in the study. Chapter 3 is the body of this thesis and offers definitions of idioms as well as a comparison between Chinese and English animal idioms, including different connotation. In addition, this chapter probes into the animal idioms translation from the perspective of Relevance Theory, and offers translation strategies and suggestion, namely, word for word translation, substitution, free translation and amplification. Chapter 4 comes to the conclusion.
2. Literature Review
2.1 An Overview of Relevance Theory
Relevance Theory was first put forward by Sperber and Wilson. In 1986, Sperber and Wilson advanced Relevance Theory. Wilson once claimed that “the most basic assumption of Relevance Theory is that every aspect of communication and cognition is governed by relevance” (1994). Contextual effect and processing effort are two main factors. That is to say, the more the contextual effects the TL readers achieve, the more the relevance of the text; but the more the processing effort the TL readers need to get the effects, the less the relevance. Fully comprehensive contextual implication without unnecessary processing effort is
getting optimal relevance. On the contrary, vague and unclear contextual implication with all the processing effort in vain is getting irrelevance.