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動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯
動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯 [Abstract] As we know, animals are good friends of human beings. In the long progress of human society, animals contribute much to man’s living. Therefore, animal words come to human language and play a very important role in human communication. Language is a cultural carrier. There are a lot of animal words in both English and Chinese but the two countries have great differences in cultural backgrounds and thinking modes. These differences between the two cultures lead to different figurative meanings of animal words. This essay will try to compare the figurative meanings of animal words both in English and Chinese from the following aspects: same animal association vehicles with the similar and different figurative meanings, the different animal association vehicles with the similar figurative meanings and the semantic gaps. With comparison, we can clearly see that these figurative meanings of animal words greatly influence the intercultural communication. As an important means of cross-cultural communication, translation is also closely connected with culture. For the purpose of our effective communication, we should use different kinds of methods to do the equivalent translation between the two languages and build a bridge for the linguistic cultural exchange.
[Key Words] animal words; figurative meaning; association vehicle; English and Chinese cultures; intercultural communication; translation
【摘 要】眾所周知,動物是人類的朋友。在人類社會漫長的發(fā)展過程中,動物為人類的生存提供物質(zhì)基礎(chǔ)。而語言作為文化的載體,記錄著人類社會文明發(fā)展的進(jìn)程;人類的語言中必然存在著大量的反映動物名稱的詞匯。但由于漢英兩個民族各自的社會文化背景和思維方式不同,在動物詞的喻義的表現(xiàn)上也不盡相同。本文擬從英漢兩種文化中動物詞的聯(lián)想喻體與喻義之間的對應(yīng)關(guān)系著手,主要表現(xiàn)為:同一聯(lián)想喻體,喻義卻有同有異;不同聯(lián)想喻體,喻義卻相同以及一方語義空缺等來進(jìn)行比較分析,從中得知漢英兩個民族在以動物為比喻的應(yīng)用上存在著差異,而這種差異給跨文化交際帶來障礙。因此在跨文化交際中,我們必須正確理解這些動物聯(lián)想喻體所負(fù)載的文化信息,采取不同的方法進(jìn)行英漢兩種語言的等值翻譯,以便減少交際障礙,為兩種語言文化的交流搭建一座溝通的橋梁。
【關(guān)鍵詞】動物詞;喻義;聯(lián)想喻體;漢英文化;跨文化交際;翻譯
1. Introduction
1.1 Close relationship between animals and human beings
Human beings and animals are both the products of natural evolution, and factually man had evolved from animals. But since human beings created language, there have existed some great differences between man and animals. Language, the result of human labor and social activities, is human specific, which is the major factor that distinguishes human beings from animals. In the long progress of human society, animals, which provide food and labor force for human, have been closely bound up with human existence and development. Their furs were also good dress materials for ancient human to keep out wind and cold. In a certain stage of primitive society, man once considered animals as Gods to worship. So far animals are still close friends of human beings. Now that animals play an important role in human lives, the animal words in human languages will bear the deep socio-cultural imprints in the course of being used long by the human beings.
1.2 Influence of animal words in both Chinese and English culture
Language is the carrier and container of cultural information. Human beings have been interacting with the world and accumulated their experience and knowledge about the world, which are represented in language. As a result, we can find in language all human knowledge and experience which are interpreted as cultural information. [1] So in human language there exist a plenty of animal words that are often used as kinds of association vehicles. Human beings often associate their feelings and emotions with various animals according to animals’ features such as their appearances, habits and characteristics so that the names or images of animals possess specific cultural connotations.
Culture is the soil of language. Sir Edward Tylor, a British anthropologist, was one of those who first defined culture,in Primitive Culture (1871). His definition was that “Culture is complex whole, which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Tylor’s definition has continually been the basis of most anthropological conception of culture. [2] Culture is also a historical phenomenon. Each generation inherits the culture established by its forefathers and makes its own contributions to the development of culture; so different nations have different cultures. Universality between Chinese and English cultures and similarity in the thinking modes make people associate the same animal words with the same or similar figurative meanings. But differences between these two cultures always lead to different association, i.e. Chinese and English people have different figurative meanings to same animal words or use different animal association 動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯vehicles to express same or similar figurative meanings.
English and Chinese are rich in animal words as association vehicles, so in this paper the author mainly compares figurative meanings of animal words in English and Chinese culture and indicates translation techniques.
2. Animal words as association vehicles
It is well known that there are many figurative expressions in English and Chinese, especially animal metaphors. However, because of different histories, social backgrounds and cultures, the connotations of animal words are different. If Chinese people and English people want to use the figurative way to express the same tenor, they would use the same or different association vehicles, so the corresponding relationships between association vehicles and figurative meanings are also different.
2.1 Same animal association vehicles and similar figurative meanings
As all human beings live in the similar environment, the Chinese people and English people nearly have the same knowledge of animals. Therefore, they have the same or similar figurative meanings to animal words. For example, English people would say, “He is a fox.” Similarly, Chinese people can understand the meaning of the sentence “He is a fox.” in Chinese “他是一只狐貍�！� This example shows that in English “fox” can be used to describe somebody who is cunning and dishonest. This example indicates that different languages and cultures endow “fox’’ the same figurative meanings.
The following animal words have the similar figurative meanings both in English and Chinese. “Sheep(羊) or lamb(羔羊)” can be considered as a kind of animal with a sweet and tame temper. As a result, the “sheep(羊) or lamb(羔羊)” is used to show the character with a sweet and tame temper both in English and Chinese, for example: “as lovely as a little sheep (像小羊羔一樣可愛)”.
Wolf(狼) is a kind of greedy, savage and cruel beast, so in Chinese there exist such expressions: “狼心狗肺”, “豺狼當(dāng)?shù)馈? “如狼似虎”, “狼吞虎咽”, “狼狽為奸”, “狼子野心”. Similarly, the greedy, sinister, dishonest character of wolf also displays vividly and incisively in western culture, e.g.: “a wolf in a sheep’s clothing or a wolf in lamb’s skin (披著羊皮的狼)”; “wake a sleeping wolf (自找麻煩)”; “hold a wolf by the ears (騎虎難下,進(jìn)退兩難)”;“keep the wolf from the door (勉強(qiáng)度日)”. [3]
In addition, when “wolf” is used to refer to a person, it means “a man who charms women so as to use them for his own pleasure’’. Therefore, in English there is an idiom “a wolf whistle(挑逗口哨)”. In Chinese, there is also such an expression “色狼”.
“Ass(驢)” in English and Chinese has the same connotation and figurative meaning “foolish, stupid”. In Chinese the expression “笨驢” is used to indicate a fool or an idiot. In English, most of the set phrases, idioms and proverbs including the word “ass’’ all imply the meaning of “foolish”, e.g. “ass in grain (十足的大傻瓜)”; “an ass in a lion’s skin (from Aesop’s Fables, 冒充聰明人的傻瓜)”; “all asses wag their ears (諺語:驢子搖耳朵,傻瓜裝聰明)”; “asses’ bridge (笨人難過的橋)”; “act the ass (做糊涂事)”; “make an ass of oneself (做蠢事)”; “sell you ass (口語:不要這樣呆頭呆腦)”. [4]
The word “dove” in Chinese and English shares the same meaning, and symbolizes for peace. We regard the dove as “peace dove”. In some grand celebrations, we often see the scene of taking the doves away, standing for cherished desire for peace world of all of us. [5]
The following are some other familiar examples: as free as a bird (像鳥兒一樣自由); as ugly as a toad (像癩蛤蟆一樣丑); as busy as a bee (像蜜蜂一樣忙碌); as slow as a nail (像蝸牛一樣慢).
This kind of terms with same or similar figurative meanings show that in different cultures there does exist something in common, which reflects the commonness of different national cultures.
2.2 Same animal association vehicles and different figurative meanings
Different living conditions have caused varied states of mind and ways of thinking, so Chinese and English people have different ideas and attitudes to some animals such as dragon, dogs, etc. And their figurative meanings in both languages and cultures differ greatly.
2.2.1 Some animal words with commendatory figurative meaning in Chinese, but with derogatory figurative meaning in English
We must be very familiar with the word “dragon (龍)”, which is completely opposite in Chinese and English. “Dragon (龍)”is not a real animal but an imaginary one. In China, dragon is the symbol of the Chinese nation, especially in the ancient time, people worshiped dragon to beg for rain. And the Chinese feudal emperors were often referred to as sons of dragons (龍子), wearing clothes with designs of dragons (龍袍). And also the Chinese all call themselves descendents of the dragon(龍的傳人)and are very proud 動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯of being the descendents of the dragon. However, in Western people’s minds, the dragon is some evil monster with a large tail with wings and claws, breathing out fire and smoke. It symbolizes evil.
“Monkey (猴子)” has different figurative meaning in Chinese and English languages. In Chinese, “monkey” is often likened to a smart and agile person, with commendatory sense. The Chinese people often jokingly call clever and cute children “l(fā)ittle monkey”. But, if you praise a western child “You are like a little monkey.”, he will be angry, thinking that you curse him. Because in English, “l(fā)ittle monkey,” means “a troublesome playful child”. And “monkey” is often likened to a person with a whole bag of tricks, e.g. “The man is as tricky as a monkey. (那人詭計多端,極為狡猾。)” Therefore, in English, expressions with “monkey” have derogatory meanings, e.g. “monkey business (搗鬼,騙人的勾當(dāng))”; “monkey around (閑蕩,瞎弄)”; “monkey meat (美俚:劣等牛肉)”; “suck the monkey (英俚:酗酒)”. [6]
Let’s take a look at the word “petrel (海燕)”. In English the petrel is considered as an omen of disaster. The Longman Dictionary of English-Chinese offers us the explanations: “A stormy petrel is a person whose presence excites discontentment, quarrelling, etc. in a social group.” The reason for such a dislike is that they think petrel is the symbol for disaster. However, in China the word “petrel” is associated with braving hardship and adversity, advancing with perseverance and courage. The spirit is well reflected in the poem petrel written by Gorky, a famous Russian writer.
To English people, if a magpie (喜鵲) flies near a window, it is a symbol of bad luck. There are two explanations in The Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary: (a) person who collects or hoards things (愛收藏或貯藏東西的人), (b) person who chatters a lot (愛饒舌的人). All these explanations are figurative with derogatory meanings. On the contrary, a magpie is a symbol of good luck in China. If a magpie sings in a tree near houses, people would think some happy things would happen. So Chinese people often say, “Magpie sings, happy thing comes.”
What’s about the animal word “fish”? “fish” and “魚” has quite different cultural figurative meanings in English and Chinese. In English “fish” has derogatory meaning that refers to bad things and persons, e.g.: “a poor fish (可憐蟲)”; “a loose fish (生活放蕩的女人)”; “fish in the air (水中撈月)”. In Chinese the letter “魚” and “余” are homophones. Therefore, in the important festivals such as Spring Festival, Chinese people would like to use “fish” as an indispensable dish to symbolize “abundance”. [7]
In China, “elephant (象)” is a mascot. Many places in China are named for the letter “象” such as “象山” in Zhejiang province, “象州”, “象鼻山” in Guangxi province, “象河” in Tibet, etc. “Elephant” also symbolizes status. For example, in remote antiquity, the noble ladies wore clothes with designs of elephants (象服); The emperors rode on elephants. The “elephant” is doted by Chinese people because of the Buddhist legends. It is said that the Buddhist patriarch was the reincarnation of white elephant. On the contrary, in English white elephant (白象) is likened to things that are useless and often expensive. The allusion is originated from a folk story that in Siam (now Thailand), the king would give a white elephant as a present to a subject that he did not like. The subject would have to spend all his money on looking after the rare animal. Therefore, there exist such expressions in English, “elephantine (笨拙)”, “elephant humor (蹩腳的幽默)”, “elephant task (累贅的活兒)”.[8]
2.2.2 Some animal words with commendatory figurative meaning in English, but with derogatory figurative meaning in Chinese
Let’s take our familiar animal word “dog” for example. The dog is very interesting and closely related with people. Most of the “dog” expressions possess a commendatory sense or at least a neuter sense in English. It is all right to refer to certain people as “big dog (重要人物)”, “top dog (優(yōu)勝者)”, “l(fā)ucky dog (幸運兒)”, etc. in English. “To help a lame dog over the stile” means “to help someone in difficulty”. “To let sleeping dogs lie” means “to make no trouble” or “not to disturb people”. “Every dog has its day,” means “every person will some day succeed or become fortunate.” Such usage does not contain derogatory meaning. But figures of speech like these are not proper in Chinese as the word “狗” in most Chinese phrases is associated with some derogatory meanings, as is reflected in sayings like “狗膽包天、狗急跳墻、狗頭軍師、狗腿子、狗血噴頭、狼心狗肺、狗眼看人低、喪家之犬、狗嘴吐不出象牙”, etc., even though most Chinese now think the dog is man’s faithful friend. [9]
However, in some cases the word “dog” may have derogatory sense in English, as is shown in the following examples: “yellow dog (卑鄙之人)”, “dirty dog (齷齪之人)”, “sly dog (陰險之人)”, “dead dog (無用的人)”, and some vulgar languages 動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯: “son of bitch (狗雜種)”, “you dog (狗東西)”, “that cur (小雜種狗)”, etc. [10]
“Owl (貓頭鷹)” is very popular with the western. The Greeks use “owl” to stand for Athens, which is famous for its many owls. And it’s said that Athena, the woman patron saint was given an owls as her mark. It symbolizes wisdom, calmness, gravity and steadiness. In dispute among birds and beats, it is the owl that they go to for advice, and we can see such idiom “as wise as an owl”. If we use “owlish” to describe somebody, we want to say he is clever or serious, e.g. “Patrick peered owlishly at us through his glasses. (帕特里克透過他的眼鏡嚴(yán)肅而機(jī)智地審視著我們。) ” But in Chinese, the figurative meaning of the word “owl” is quite different. “Owl” is described as the devil, ill omen and evil. People are afraid of seeing an owl, especially seeing its entering the house, so there are proverbs which go like these: “夜貓子進(jìn)宅,無事不來”; “夜貓子抖擻翅,大小有點事兒”. The mere sight of an owl or the sound of its hooting might cause people to draw back in fear. [11]
To Chinese people and English people, “bear” has quite different figurative meanings. To Chinese people “bear” means “cowardly and timid” or “stupid”, such as “笨熊”, “瞧那熊樣”, etc. However, in English, people use “bear” to refer to those persons having special ability, for instance, “He is a bear at music. (他是音樂天才。)”
Another example is an insect---cricket (蟋蟀), which, however, means totally different to both the Chinese and the English. In Chinese culture, “cricket” refers to a small, brown, jumping insect which makes a shrill sound by rubbing its front wings together. It is often used to express “grief” and “desolation”, which is reflected in the following example “獨申旦而不寐兮,哀蟋蟀之宵征” written by Song Yu in the book of 《九辯》. But in English, since Shakespeare used “as merry as crickets” in Henry IV, the English and American people have used “cricket” to symbolize joy all the time. For example, C.Kingley once wrote in his Two Years Ago that “I have not had all the luck I expected, but… am as merry as a cricket. (雖然我沒有得到想要的一切好運,但我卻很高興。)” [12]
2.3 Different animal association vehicles and similar figurative meanings
Different animal words have similar cultural connotations in English and Chinese languages and people use different animal words to express similar meanings. Even though the animal association vehicles are different, they have similar figurative meanings.
For instance, agriculture is the foundation of China’s economic development, so the cattle (牛) play a great role in Chinese culture. There are so many expressions which use “cattle” as association vehicles, such as “壯實如�！�, “牛氣沖天”, “象老黃牛一樣辛勤工作”, “過著牛馬不如的生活”. However, in the Middle Ages, horse was not only the inseparable part of Knights’ lives, but also the animal kept and used by the imperial families. So English people give horse many good figurative meanings such as “as strong as a horse”, “to work like a horse”, “get on one’s high horse”. Similarly, Great Britain is an island country, so fishery is important. Therefore, there exists such figurative expression “to drink like a fish (牛飲)”. [13]
In English, there are many figurative expressions using the word “horse” as association vehicles, e.g. “change horse (換馬)” is likened to “change groups or leaders (換班子或領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人)”; “from the horse’s mouth (第一手的)”; “talk horse (吹牛)”, etc.
To Chinese people, “tiger” is referred to as the king of animals and stands for power, vigor and bravery. So there are many expressions with the letter “虎”: “英雄虎膽”, “龍爭虎斗”, “藏龍臥虎”, “如虎添翼”, “虎將”, etc. But in English “tiger” symbolizes cruelty. The western regards “l(fā)ion” as the king of animals. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language interprets “a person felt to be like a lion especially in courage, ferocity, dignity or dominance (一個象是獅子的人,特別指勇氣、兇猛、威嚴(yán)或權(quán)勢方面)”. We use “as bold as a lion” to describe a brave person. The lion enjoys high prestige. In addition, English people regard lion as the national emblem of Great Britain. “A literary lion” is referred to a famous person in the field of literature. [14]
“Snake” and “中山狼” share the same figurative meaning in English and Chinese, which are both likened to a person who returns hate for love. The only difference is that Chinese language uses “中山狼” as association vehicle, but English language uses “snake” as association vehicle.
For generation the fable of “中山狼” has circulated among the people. The story is that: Zhao Jianzi shot at a wolf in the wood. The wolf escaped and asked master Dongguo for help. Mr. Dongguo was softhearted and hid the wounded wolf in his bag to keep it from being caught by Zhao Jianzi. But the wolf wanted to eat him. So the figurative meaning “恩將仇報” of “中山狼” is c 動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯reated.
“Snake” is referred to a person requiting kindness with enmity, which is originated from Aesop’s Fables, that is, a snake was frozen stiff at the verge of death. A pedestrian saw it and warmed it in his bosom. After a while, the snake came round and bit its benefactor to death. So it causes the figurative meaning. [15]
Different animal association vehicles with similar figurative meanings can be also seen from such expressions: “as timid as a rabbit, chicken-hearted or pigeon-hearted (膽小如鼠)”; “l(fā)ike a cat on hot bricks (熱鍋上的螞蟻)”; “as stubborn as a mule (犟得像頭牛)”; “wet as a drowned rat (落湯雞)”; “goose flesh (雞皮疙瘩)”; etc.
2.4 Semantic gaps
Specific cultures and regional discrepancies exert a strong influence on language. And animal words as association vehicles are the products under the specific cultural backgrounds. Then these animal association vehicles have their respective cultural connotations which are known to different nations or which are completely strange to people.
2.4.1 The same animal words with rich figurative meanings in English, but with no figurative meanings in Chinese
“Ostrich (鴕鳥)” is a kind of large bird living in the area of African deserts, with a long neck and long legs and that cannot fly but can run very fast. In English and American cultures, “ostrich” has such figurative meanings, e.g. “stupid, evading and having a good appetite”. Its figurative meaning would be well reflected in the following expressions: “Ostrich belief (鴕鳥信念)” is referred to deceptive idea. “To bury one’s head ostrich-like in the sand” is likened to a person who prefers to ignore problems rather than try and deal with them. In addition, there exists such figurative expression “have the digestion of an ostrich (胃口好如鴕鳥)”. However, to most Chinese people, an ostrich is only a kind of animal without any figurative meanings. The Chinese are only familiar with “ostrich policy (鴕鳥政策)”borrowed from English. [16]
In Western culture, what impresses people most may be goat, for “goat (山羊)” is generally thought to be related with evils and the devil. The legend has that the devil created the goat, which is described as the phantom of the devil and the goat typically stands for those who are fond of women and loose in morals. And what’s about the English idiom “separate the sheep from the goats”? The Bible, Matthew tells us that “sheep” refers to “people”. We can see the original passage from the Bible, Matthew (25:31-33): “When the son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand the goats at the left.” [17] And thus the English idiom can be translated into “分清好人與壞人”. But to Chinese people, the goat is only a common animal.
Let us see more animal words only having figurative meanings in English: “nightingale (夜鶯:告密者,坐探) ”,“albatross (信天翁:沉重的負(fù)擔(dān),無法擺脫的煩惱障礙)”, “cock (公雞:頭頭)”, “beaver (河貍:賣力工作的人)”, “cat (貓:心地惡毒的女人,膽小鬼)”, etc. [18]
2.4.2 The same animal words with rich figurative meanings in Chinese, but with no figurative meanings in English
For Chinese people, we must be very familiar with the word “crane (鶴)”, a symbol for longevity in Chinese culture. Therefore, some Chinese parents like to name their children as “鶴年”, “鶴齡” with the hope that their children live a long life. The crane is often linked with the pine tree, which is a symbol for sturdiness and long life. The two often appear together with the meaning “松鶴延年”. In China, it is a good way for people to send gifts with such designs of crane and pine tree to the older generations, especially on their birthday celebrating occasions. But in English culture, the crane is only an ordinary animal with no figurative meanings.
“龜(tortoise)” contains two figurative meanings in Chinese. One is longevity because of its physical features. Stone tortoises symbolic of venerable old ages can be seen in front of ancient halls, temples and palaces. The other is the symbol for the cuckold. To call a person a tortoise “王八” is highly insulting. However, to the English, the tortoise is just a slow-moving creature with no such figurative meanings. [19]
Other animal words indicate that only Chinese language has the figurative meanings. For example, “蠶(silkworm) :奉獻(xiàn)精神”, “鶚(osprey) :有才能的人”, “鴻雁(Chinese wild goose) :喻指信使”, “鴛鴦(mandarin duck) :夫妻”, “黃雀(sis kin) :得志小人”. [20]
3. Influences of figurative meanings of animal words on intercultural communication
Intercultural communication is concerned with communication among people from different cu 動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯ltural backgrounds. With the rapid development of science and technology, especially communications, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. And it is necessary to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds. However, different cultures may favor different value systems and worldviews. Moreover, the belief, customs and habits of the people from different countries may be different. Therefore, intercultural communication provides guidance for those people engaged in intercultural communication.
In the human communication, a plenty of animal words are widely used to enrich the language and culture. The vivid images of animals enhance expressive ability of language by associating with their features showed from outside appearances or individual temperaments. As the above comparisons represent, animal words have many same or different figurative meanings. If we do not know the cultural information and only understand the information according to our national cultural backgrounds, we would cause the deviation from information transmission and misunderstanding in intercultural communication to lead to the failure of communication. Once a foreigner said, “The Jones family live like fighting cocks ever since he got that new well paid job at the ministry.” The structure is very simple but many people make a wrong understanding. The problem lies in the phrase “fighting cocks”. To Chinese “fighting cocks (打斗的公雞)” is usually used to describe two people living an unpeaceful life. In ancient China, the palaces or the folks liked gamecock to make a pleasure, which brought out the association. But in English, “l(fā)ive like fighting cocks” means “to enjoy the best possible food or life”. So the correct understanding of this sentence is that “自從瓊斯在部里找到一個薪水豐厚的新職位后,他家過得很舒服�！� [21] Therefore, we should pay attention to the figurative meanings of animal words to make cross-cultural communication successful.
4. Translation of animal metaphors
4.1 Importance of translation
Translation is a dialogic process. It is not only an inter-lingual activity but also a cross-cultural communication event. The purpose of translation is to transfer the source language into the target language to obtain the maximal equivalence. So translators play an important role in the process of translation. They should consider how to deal with the images of the words and how to express the figurative meanings correctly and properly. Meantime, they should think over not only the language structures and national features in source language but also the cultural backgrounds and the expressions in target language.
Animal words contain many cultural meanings. In the process of translating animal words, the big problem is how to get the same or nearly the same effect culturally in the target language as that of the source language.
4.2 Methods of translation
4.2.1 Keeping image of animal association vehicles
English culture and Chinese culture have much in common, so the English and the Chinese share the same or similar feelings or attitudes to some animal words. And they use the same animal images to express the similar figurative meanings. Therefore, we can adopt literal translation to keep the original association vehicles. To a certain extent, this method helps to keep the source national sense and makes the target language readers to understand the source language culture. For example:
(1) 俗話說得好,叫做“殺雞嚇猴”,拿雞子宰了,那猴兒自然害怕。(李寶嘉:《官場現(xiàn)形記》)
The saying has it well, “kill the chicken in order to frighten the monkey”. If the chicken is killed the monkey is certainly scared. [22]
(2) 楚兵罷食盡,此天亡楚之時也,不如因其機(jī)而遂取之。今釋弗擊,此所謂養(yǎng)虎遺患也。(司馬遷:《史記.項羽本紀(jì)》)
The troops of Chu are short of food, which shows the gods want to wipe them out and take up the state. If we don’t launch an attack upon them and let them go, what we shall do is to nourish a tiger to be a source of the trouble in the future. [23]
(3) Advice and correction roll off him like water off a duck’s back.
勸導(dǎo)對他好像水過鴨背似的不起作用。[24]
(4) You stupid ass! How could you do a thing like that?
你這頭蠢驢!怎么會干出那種事兒來? [25]
Let’s have a look at some other examples: dark horse (黑馬), paper tiger (紙老虎), lamb duck (跛腳鴨子), as pure as a swan (像天鵝一樣圣潔), etc.
Keeping image of association vehicles can make language vivid and vigorous and preserve the original style. Adopting this method not only reproduces the source language meaning and charm but also benefits the cultural exchange between Chinese and English.
4.2.2 Changing image of animal association vehicles
English language and Chinese language 動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯have some cultural discrepancies. If some original association vehicles are kept in the process of translation, the target language readers may not understand them. Indeed, there are occasions where certain cultural aspects of original cannot be directly transferred into the target language culture. Thus, in the process of intercultural communication, we may replace the original image with a different one that retains the meaning of the original message and well fits in with the target language. For example:
To Chinese people, if someone talks too much and don’t want to stop, we will use “嘰嘰喳喳,像只麻雀” to describe him. In Chinese culture, people always associate “sparrow” with someone talkative. This coincides with the associative meaning of “magpie” in the English culture (see section 2.2.1). Therefore, the replacement of “sparrow” with “magpie” is quite necessary for the sake of English reader’s acceptability.
(5) 郭彩娣見徐義德裝出一副笑面虎的神情,越發(fā)使她生氣。(周而復(fù): 《上海的早晨》)
It made Kuo Tsai-ti more furious than ever to see Hsu Yi-teh putting on this wolf-in-sheep’s clothing manner. [26]
(6) Mr. Smith may serve as a good secretary, for he is as close as an oyster.
失密斯先生可以當(dāng)個好秘書,因為他守口如瓶。[27]
In addition, when using other association vehicles to replace the original association vehicles, we should pay attention to some traps. Look at the example:
(7) Lock the stable door after the horse is stolen/has bolted.
It is not proper to put it into “亡羊補(bǔ)牢”. This English proverb means “to take precaution too late to be effective”, which emphasizes “l(fā)ate”, equal to Chinese expression “賊去關(guān)門” or “雨后送傘”. However, in Chinese proverb it stresses “not too late” and its complete expression is “亡羊補(bǔ)牢,猶為未晚”, which is equal to another English proverb “It’ s never too late to mined[sic].” [28]
Chinese and English people adopt different animal images to express the similar figurative meanings, so this method of changing images is the best way and this conforms to the thinking modes and expressions of the source and target language readers.
4.2.3 Discarding image of animal association vehicles
Some animal words contain opposite figurative meanings with commendatory or derogatory sense and exist semantic gaps. If these culturally loaded association vehicles can be represented in the target language version, it would cause many misunderstandings and language barriers. So the best way is to discard the images of animal association vehicles. For example:
(8) 他被新來的經(jīng)理炒魷魚了。
“炒魷魚” is a dialect in the area of Guangdong province. It is equal to “fire sb.” or “get the back” in English language. If we try to retain the image “魷魚”, the English readers would be baffled. Here we should choose to tell out the meaning of the sentence to make the translation clear. So the translated version is “He was fired by the newly-appointed manager.”
(9) Don’t listen to her gossip; She is a cat.
別聽她搬弄是非,她是個心地惡毒的女人。
(10) The lions at her party included two famous authors and a musician.
她宴請的社會名流包括兩名作家和一名音樂家。 [29]
When this method is used in translation, the target language readers have no difficulty in reading and they do not need to stop to guess the meaning of the figurative expressions as well.
Along with the development and close contact with the foreign countries, the western have been learning the Chinese culture all the time. So do the Chinese people. When translating, we can use literal translation plus annotation in the beginning. After the target language readers have been very familiar with the expressions and known their meanings in the source language texts, we can omit the annotation. With the lapse of time, Chinese and English language will be absorbed each other. This will benefit more to know the two countries’ cultures and customs, and the two countries can keep their own national flavors.
5. Conclusion
Human beings always have inseparable relations with animals. In the long period of time when man is in harmony with animals, he has come to realize that all animals, whether they are friends or enemies, contribute much to man’s living. Therefore, animal words come into human communicating language. It can be said that human language reflects human ideas and acts; so animal words play a very important role in human linguistic communication.
Different cultures of Chinese and English nations entrust cultural connotations to the animal words, which cause discrepancies in the application of animal associat 動物詞在漢英文化中的喻義及其翻譯ion vehicles. These discrepancies bring obstruction of intercultural communication. As an important means of cross-cultural communication, translation is also closely connected with culture. For the purpose of our effective communication, we should understand these culturally loaded animal words correctly and do the equivalent translation between English language and Chinese language, and build a bridge for the linguistic cultural exchange.
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