Onthetranslationofculture―loadedwordsinTheOil―Peddler
【Abstract】 The Oil-Peddler Wins the Queen of the Flowers,as a classic Chinese literary work,has many culture-loaded words which may be considered as the most difficult part in translation process.So this assay aims at analyzing the translation of culture-loaded words in The Oil-Peddler Wins the Queen of the Flowers and tries to figure out the trianslation strategies adopted to handle culture-loaded words.
【Key words】culturee; translation; culture-loaded words; translation strategy
One Introduction
Translation not only involves the transfer of language symbols,but aslo involves cultural interaction.Due to the cultural differences,there must be a large quantity of distinct culture-loaded words in one language which might quite be alien to another.Therefore,a well-qualified translator should be not only bilingual,but bicultural.She or he must find out what is left implicit in the source text on purpose and what must be made explicit in its rendering by some proper translation strategies and skills.
The Oil-Peddler Wins the Queen of the Flowers(its translators are Yang Shuhui and Yang Yunqin),in terms of marriage and love subject,is the Feng Menglong’s most represententative one in Stories to awaken the world.For language and culture,it contains bounches of cultural contents with unique Chinese characteristics.This thesis will take The Oil-Peddler Wins the Queen of the Flowers as a case study on the translation of culture-loaded words to analyze what kind of translation strategies the translators used to handle the culture-loaded words.
Two Culture-loaded words and the translation strategies
1.The definition of culture-loaded words
Different countries have developed their unique cultures influenced by dissimilar geographic positions,traditions,customs,religions,histories,etc.When cultural features are embodied in language,there come culture-loaded words.In Mona Baker’s view,which is widely accepted,a word in a given language may express a concept,abstract or concrete,compeletly unknown in another culture; it may be about a religious
belief,a social custom,or a kind of food.(Mona Baker,2003).
2.The classification of culture-loaded words
It is as difficult to define culture-loaded words as to classify them.But in Nida’ view,which is extensively acccepted,cultural factors can be categorized into five types: ecological culture,material culture,social culture,religious culture and linguistic culture Nida(2001),which will be adopted to analyze the rendering of culture-loaded words of Stories to Awaken the world scientifically. 2.1 Ecological culture-loaded words and the translation strategies
Owing to the diffirences of geography,climate and living environment,different countries have their unique ecological culture which can be really obscure to people from other countries.Translation strategies adopted to translate this sort are as follows:
Literal translation: 兰花:Orchid; 摇钱之树:money tree.
Literal translation with replenishment: 一对金莲:a pair of golden-lotus feet.
Free translation:风花雪月:romances; 螟蛉:adopted child.
2.2 Material culture-loaded words and the translation strategies
Material culture-loaded words are characterized by numerous material objects and products made by people in a certain language community,Generally,this type includes buildings,clothes,foods,tools,transportation,daily appliances,medicine,etc.Translation strategies adopted to translate this sort are as follows:
Literal translation 银子:silver;金子:gold.
Literal translation with replenishment:卑田院:a poorhouse sponsored by a Buddhist temple.
Free translation 潞绸:fine silk.
2.3 Social culture-loaded words and the translation strategies
During the course of historical development,different societies have different customs,
historical backgrounds,life styles,social life and behavior patterns.The words that reflect the above-mentioned characteristics of a nation are the social culture-loaded words.Translation strategies adopted to translate this sort are as follows:
Literal translation:去其裹脚:take off the foot-bindings.
Transliteration with replenishment:女随何雌陆贾:a woman Sui He and a female Lu Jia(Sui He and Lu Jia were political advisers of great eloquence in the Western Han dynasty.)
Free translation:老积年:an old hand:垂髫young.
2.4 Religious culture-loaded words and the translation strategies
Diffierent countries have been influenced by different religions; hence,considerable words related to religious beliefs appear which we call religious culture-loaded words.Translation strategies adopted to translate this sort are as follows:
sort of中文翻译 Transliteration法相:Faxiang.嫦娥:Chang’e
Literal translation灵隐:Soul’ s Retreat.
Free translation:亡魂丧胆:terror-stricken;做香火:as an acolyt.
2.5 Liguistic culture-loaded words and the translation strategies
Chinese is a tonal language and homophones,vowel rhymes,harmony,two parts allegorical sayings,four-character words are its important linguistic characteristics; while Enlgish is a intonation language and the intonation unit is generally sentences or clauses.Translation strategies adopted to translate this sort are as follows: Literal translation:光阴似箭:Time flew by like an arrow.
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