It is generally recognized that language and culture are closely associated. As a unique kind of Chinese language, the Chinese enigmatic folk simile is an indispensable part of Chinese language and culture. It is a language that was widely spoken by laboring and working Chinese people and used to express their thoughts and sentiments during the long-time practice in their lives. It is well-known for its live and funny expression. Besides, as a miniature of Chinese culture, Chinese enigmatic folk simile displays us the thousands of years’ history of China, enabling us to gain some knowledge and realities of our country’s politics, religion, economy as well as people’s psychology, daily life and outlooks on values and the world. Nowadays, as we are moving towards globalization, culture exchanges among different nations are much more frequent and the Chinese language and culture also become more and more popular with foreigners all over the world. Therefore, how to make the Chinese enigmatic folk simile become familiar with foreigners appears very important. Appropriate translation is no doubt a good way to solve this problem. However, the translation studies of Chinese enigmatic folk simile in our country, adequate as they may be, do not achieve a common agreement on the translation methods of Chinese enigmatic folk simile.
In view of the close relationship of language and culture, this thesis attempts to propose some translation methods of the Chinese enigmatic folk similes after a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the cultural connotation of the Chinese folk similes so as to make it not only appropriate in translation but also easily understandable to foreigners.
Key words: Chinese enigmatic folk similes; cultural connotation; translation; translation methods
Contents
Acknowledgements i
Abstract in English ii
Abstract in Chinese iii
1. Introduction 1
2. Literature Review 3
2.1 Related Research in West 3
2.2 Related Research in China 4
3. Methodology 6
4. Analysis and Discussion 7
4.1 An Outline of Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 7
4.1.1 Definition of Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 7
4.1.2 Origin of Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 7
4.1.3 Classification of Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 8
4.1.4 Nature of Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 9
4.2 Culture, Language and Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 10
4.2.1 Definition of Culture 10
4.2.2 The Relationship between Culture and Language 11
4.3. Translation, Culture and Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 14
4.3.1 Definition of Translation 14
4.3.2 The Relationship between Translation and Culture 16
4.3.3 Translation Methods of Chinese Enigmatic Folk Similes 17
5. Conclusion 22
References 24
