摘 要：英语和汉语都喜欢用数字表情达意，在由数字组成的句子或成语中，由于不同语言的文化传统和思维观念不同，导致数字的社会文化内涵也不尽相同。因此数字的翻译过程不仅是语言的转化过程，还是反映文化差异的交流过程。本文主要从对英汉数字不同的观念，英汉两种语言中数字蕴涵的不同涵义及英汉文学中和生活中碰到的有关数字的翻译等来探讨英汉数字文化的差异，并分析其正确的翻译方式，以便消除跨文化交际中的理解障碍，避免不必要的冲突。

关键词：英汉数字；涵义；文化差异；翻译

Abstract ：Numerals are frequently used to express attitudes and emotions in English and Chinese language. In the idioms and sentences which have numerals, the social cultural connotations of those numerals are quite different, because different languages in the cultural tradition and thoughts. Therefore, the translation of numeral is not only the process of language, but it also response the process of the culture exchange. This paper is to discuss the different conception and the different meaning in both language numerals. With literature and life examples to explore cultural difference between the two languages, it aims to eliminate the obstacles in intercultural communication and avoid unnecessary conflicts. 

Key words: English and Chinese numerals; cultural difference; translation 

The Cultural Difference and Translation of Chinese and English Numerals

Contents

摘 要 i

Abstract ii

I. Introduction 1

II. The Cultural Difference of English and Chinese Numerals 2

2.1 Comparison between English and Chinese Numerals 2

2.1.1 The Same Meaning of the Same Numeral 2

2.1.2 Different Meaning of the Same Numeral 3

2.2 Taboos in Numerals 4

2.3 Numeral Preference 5

III. Reasons for Numeral Cultural Difference 5

3.1 Religion and Nation 5

3.2 Lifestyles and Environment 6

3.3 Thinking Modes 6

IV. Translation of English and Chinese Numerals 7

4.1 Ostensive Means and Implicit Means 7

4.2 The Methods of Numerals Translation between English and Chinese 8

4.2.1 Literal translation 8

4.2.2 Liberal Translation 9

V. Conclusion 10

Bibliography 12

Acknowledgements 13

I. Introduction 

 Any kind of language is rooted in a specific cultural context in the world, and it reflects specific cultural content. Different countries or regions, and even different nationalities, different numerals are given for different associative meaning, so that ordinary numeral reflects different types of cultural. Numerals are not only the common figurative meaning, there are also obvious differences, and reflects the different of cultural Psychology. Accordingly, compare and analysis the connotation and extension of the numeral cultural, it will help us understand the cultural psychology of English people, and we could avoid misunderstanding and conflict in intercultural communication.

In recent years, more and more scholars begin to pay attention to numeral culture. And the study of English and Chinese numeral involved in perspective of language study. In the perspective of semantic translation, researches are conducted on the semantic meanings of Chinese numerical idioms. In the perspective of cultural background, researches on which the “3” and “13”, “6” and “7”, “5”, and analyze the singular worship, and made religious culture Greek and Roman mythology and cultural way of thinking has helped shape numeral English idioms. Other scholars discuss Chinese numerical idioms in terms of national psychology, mythology, religion and language reflects the aesthetics of cultural difference, and different ethnic cultural roots, and points out the research background of numeral cultural idioms, it is not only help a better understanding of the cultural and psychological characteristics of the two languages, but also conducive to promoting foreign language learning and foreign language teaching. Foreign scholars pay more attention to cultural differences between the countries, while ignoring the cultural differences with developing countries; in terms of cultural differences in English and Chinese scholars mainly from idioms analysis, intercultural communication, etc. And few in terms of numbers to compare cultural differences. This article focuses on research and comparison in terms of numbers of Chinese and English cultural differences, explore the differences between them.