A Study on the Idiom Translation in A Dream of Red Mansions from A Cultural Perspective开题报告

1. 研究目的与意义

Translation is a cross-culture and cross-language communicative activity. In this sense, we can regard translation as a cultural exchange process. A Dream of Red Mansions is one of the four classics of Chinese literature. The idioms in DRM reflect the characteristics of Chinese culture. These idioms are short in forms, rich in connotative meanings, and vivid in images. Due to these advantages, Chinese people are inclined to use them in daily communication. In many cases, such idioms may pose communicative obstacles to people of other cultural backgrounds. To facilitate communication for the non-Chinese, it is necessary to help them to understand these idioms. However, as the cultural differences between the original language and the target language are always enormous. Such translating difficulties caused by cultural elements are not easy to overcome. Hence the necessity to study the translation of the idioms in DRM is obvious.

2. 研究内容和预期目标

Since people always communicate with each other in a specific cultural environment, the language they speak is certainly laden with cultural features. Translation is a means of communication between peoples whose native languages are different. It includes the transference of messages between not only two different languages but also two different cultures. Due to the lack of Chinese cultural backgrounds, many foreign translators may find it hard to try a cultural approach to the English translation of Chinese idioms, so the influx of cultural otherness is unavoidable. While at the same time, Chinese translators have a deeper understanding of their own culture, they can flexibly choose appropriate translation methods to convey the original meaning of idioms. However, due to the limitedness of the translators#8217; proficiency of English, the changes they make may affect the readability of their translation.

This paper aims to compare the translation methods of Chinese idiom from a cultural perspective with reference to the two translation versions of DRM respectively by the Yangs and by David Hawkes. In doing so, the author tries to analyze the differences of the translating methods employed by the Chinese and English translators respectively and to see which is more appropriate in order to suffice the translation purpose.

3. 国内外研究现状

baker（2001） has found four main difficulties in the translation of chinese idioms or fixed expressions. first of all, it is difficult to find equivalence to an idiom or expression in the target language. secondly, a fixed expression or an idiom shares a similar correspondence in the target language, but they are different in connotative meaning and context of use. thirdly, a fixed expression or an idiom may be used in both its literal and connotative meaning at the same time in the source text. what#8217;s more, the context of using idioms and the convention of using idioms in written discourse, and the frequency of using idiom may be different in both the source language and the target language.

as a dream of red mansions is one of the four classics of chinese literature, it is full of chinese idioms and sayings. since it has more than sixty english versions, its translating methods have attracted many scholars#8217; interest at home. there are many studies on the chinese idioms translation in drm. among them, xiao fei（2002）made a comparative study on the cultural-specific words which contains some idioms in the yangs#8217; and hawkes#8217; versions. she concluded that the two translators have adopted two different strategies in translating idioms. as she says, #8216;#8217;hawkes has adopted mainly the domestication strategy and the yangs have laid special emphasis on transferring culture of source language into target language culture, that is, foreignization strategy.#8217;#8217;

wen xiaohua（2006）also conducted a comparative study of the two versions. he firstly compared idioms as carrying myriad of elements of language culture, religious culture, customs culture, geographical culture and food culture, etc. at the end of the paper he concluded that #8220;accurate understanding of the original novel is the pivotal step of translation; expression is the second step.#8217;#8217;

4. 计划与进度安排

contents

chapter1 introduction

chapter2 literature review

5. 参考文献

参考文献：

1.baker, mona.2001. in other words: a course book on translation. beijing: foreign languages teaching and research press.

2. david hawks.1977.the story of the stone. by cao xueqin. london: penguingroup