English-proverbs-and-the-translation英語畢業(yè)論文

湖北經(jīng)濟學院繼續(xù)教育學院本科畢業(yè)（設(shè)計）論文PAGE1 AbstractAsweknow，anykindoflanguagehaveitslinguisticformandcharacters.Whenwespeakalanguage,apartfromthegrammarruleswemustobey,ourlanguageisalsoaffectedbyourcustom;ourhabits，ourculture，ourart，ourtraditionandsoon.Becauseofthesefacts,theproverbcomesup.Thisethicswilldiscussthedefinitionoftheproverb;thecharactersoftheproverb;thecategoryoftheproverbandtheculturedifferenceandthemethodsoftranslatingtheEnglishproverbintoChinese.Keywords:Englishproverb;definition;charecters;culture;methods. 摘要正如我們所知道的，任何一種語言都有其特定的語言形式和特點。當我們說一種語言，除了要遵循語法，我們的語言也會被我們的風俗，我們的習慣，我們的文化，我們的藝術(shù)，我們的傳統(tǒng)等等所影響。由于這些因素，諺語就這樣產(chǎn)生了。這篇論文將討論諺語的定義；諺語的特點；諺語的種類；如何用中文翻譯英語諺語的方法以及文化差異和諺語翻譯的關(guān)系。關(guān)鍵詞：英語諺語；定義；特點；文化；方法ContentsAbstract………………1Content……………….2CHAPTERONE……………………3Introduction………………………….3CHAPTERTWO…………………...32.1Definitionoftheproverbs…………………………..32.2sourceoftheEnglishproverbs……………………..32.3charecterisicsoftheEnglishproverbs…………….102.4translation…………………………112.4.1methods…………………………112.4.2reltionsipbetweenculturedifferenceandtranslation…………..13CHAPTERTHREE……………….18Conclusion……………………………18CHAPTERFOUR……………………18Bibliography………………………….18 CHAPTERONEIntroductionEachlanguagehasitsownproverbsintheworld.Generally,theproverbismostlybasedonitscountry，thehistoryofacountryislonger,theproverbsarericher.Proverbisaformoflanguagetoexpresspeople’semotionsandfeelingsintheirdailylives;andisashortexactsentenceorphrasefromcreatingofpeople’ssocialpractice;andisgraduallythemostconciseandvividpartoflanguage.WithaHollandproverbsaid,“Proverbsarethedaughtersofdailyexperience.”Itmeansproverbsarefrompeople’sdailylives，so,thedailyexperienceismostimportantfactortoaffecttheproverb.Sometimes,apersonwhosaidasentenceasaproverbmightbeforgottenbyothers,buthissentencewasstillremained.Indifferentnations,therearenotonlysomepointsofsimilarity,butalsoabitofdifferenceontheirformsofcultureandalives.ForChinesestudent,translatingEnglishproverbsisastumblingblock.Itisverypossiblethattheyoftennotonlyfeelatalossinunderstandingconversationsbecauseofdifferentidiomsandproverbs.

CHAPTERTWO2.1DefinitionoftheproverbsAproverbisasimpleandconcretesayingpopularlyknownandrepeated,whichexpressesatruth,basedoncommonsenseorthepracticalexperienceofhumanity.Theyareoftenmetaphorical.Aproverbthatdescribesabasicruleofconductmayalsobeknownasamaxim.Ifaproverbisdistinguishedbyparticularlygoodphrasing,itmaybeknownasanaphorism.Proverbsareoftenborrowedfromsimilarlanguagesandcultures,andsometimescomedowntothepresentthroughmorethanonelanguage.BoththeBible(BookofProverbs)andmedieval,LatinhaveplayedaconsiderableroleindistributingproverbsacrossEurope,althoughalmosteveryculturehasexamplesofitsown.2.2SourceofEnglishproverbsProverbscomefromavarietyofsources.Someare,indeed,theresultofpeoplepondering,suchassomebyConfucius,Plato,etc.Othersaretakenfromsuchdiversesourcesassongs,commercials,advertisements,movies,literature,etc.AnumberofthewellknownsayingsofJesus,Shakespeare,andothershavebecomeproverbs,thoughtheywereoriginalatthetimeoftheircreation.Manyproverbsarealsobasedonstories,oftentheendofastory.Forexample,"Whowillbellthecat?"istheendofastoryaboutthemiceplanninghowtobesafefromthecat.AsforEnglishproverbs,therearesomepoints2.2.1Originatingfromfolklife

Proverbsarethesummaryofpeopleexperienceintheireverydaylife.Thesummarizedexperienceandreasonareabstractedfromthepracticeofpeople'slifeandwork.Theyexpresspeople'ssimpleandhealthythoughts,feelingsandsentiments.Moreoftenthannot,itrevealsauniversaltruthfromaparticularpointsoastoenlightenpeople.Agreatnumberofproverbswerecreatedbyworkingpeoplesuchasseamen,hunters,farmers,workmen,housewivesandcooksandsoon,usingfamiliartermsthatwereassociatedwiththeirowntradesandoccupations.Forexample,Livingwithouttheaimislikesailingwithoutacompasswasfirstusedbyseamen;Ifyourunaftertwohares,youwillcatchneitherbyhunters;Aprilrainsforcorn,May,forgrassbyfarmers;NewbroomsweepscleanbyhousewivesandToomanycooksspoilthebrothbycooks,etc.Suchexpressionswereallcolloquialandinformalandonceconfinedtoalimitedgroupofpeopleengagedinthesametradeoractivity.Buttheywereprovedtobevivid,andforcibleandstimulating,solatertheybrokeoutoftheirboundsandgraduallygainedwideacceptance.Asaresult,theirearlystylisticfeaturesfadedinsomewayandmanyhavecometobecomepartofthecommoncoreoflanguage,nowbeingusedindifferentoccasions.Someproverbsarerelatedtosomefolkpracticeandcustoms.Forexample,Goodwineneedsnobush.ThisproverbisfromanancientpopularEnglishpractice.Inthepast,Englishwinemerchantstendedtohangsomeivybushesorapictureofivybushesontheirdoorsasasymbolofwineselling.Butsomemerchant'swinewassogoodthatitcan'tbeignoredwithoutsign.Thisinfactshowsthepastcommonpracticethatmerchantsofdifferenttradeswouldhangdifferentparticularthingsasasignfortheirgoods.Anotherexampleisinvolvedwithpeople'sweddingpractice.Englishpeoplebelievedthatiftheweatherwerefineandsunnyonagirl-weddingday,thegirlwouldmostprobablyenjoyahappymarriagelife.Otherwise,allsortsofmisfortunesandtragedieswouldbefallonher.Becauseofthiscustom,EnglishpeoplehavegotaproverbHappyisthebridethatsunshineson.ThisproverboriginatedfromthecommonpracticeinancientChina.Inthepast,younggirlsdidn'thavetherighttodecidewhomtomarry.Theirparentshadthefinaldecisionintheirmarriage.Usually,theparentswouldaskamatchmakerforhelp.Thematchmakerwentbetweentwofamiliesandpassedonthemessages.Finally,thegirl'sparentsmadethefinaldecisionwhetherthegirlwouldmarrythechosenboyornot.Thisisknownasarrangedmarriage.Suchamarriage,moreoftenthannot,wouldleadthecoupletoanunhappylife.Becausetheyseldomorevenneversaweachotherbefore,theyknewevenlittleabouttheotherparty'sbehaviorormanners,letalonehis/herpersonalityorvirtues.Itwasoftenbeyondthecouple'shopestoenjoyahappymarriage.Someproverbscamefromancientpeopledeeplyrootedbeliefssuchastheirsuperstitioustendencyandbelief.Inthepast,Englishpeoplebelievedthatifapersonspoiledsaltfromthesaltbottle,misfortuneandbadluckwouldfollow.Thenthispersonmustscatterthespoiledsaltfromtheirleftshoulderssoastodriveofftheirillluck.Inturn,EnglishpeoplehavegottheproverbHelpmetosaltandyouhelpmetosorrow.Someproverbscomefrompeople'sdistinctionbetweensexessuchastheirdiscriminationagainstwomen.Itcomesfromadeeplyrootedtraditionalviewpoint.Suchasthreewomenandagoosemakeamarket;Longhairandshortwit;themorewomenlookintheirglass,thelesstheylooktotheirhouse.

2.1.2Originatingfromreligion

BibleisessentialforBritishandAmericancultures.ItissaidthattheirculturesarenotintegratedwithoutBible.ItissafetosaythatBibleinfluenceseveryaspectofitsdisciples'life.Consequently,manysayingsandsentencesinBiblehavebeenpopularlyaccepted.Theyhavebeendeeplyrootedamongpeopleandpeoplefrequentlyusethemtociteatruthorexpresstheirideaswithoutpayinganyattentiontotheiroriginsanymore.ThesesayingsarenolongeronlyconfinedtoreligionandtheyhavebecomeproverbswhichreflectEnglishpeoplereligiousfaithsuchasEverymanmustcarryhisowncrossThisproverbisfromBible,Matthew,onthegroundsofMatthew,themainideaislikethis:'Asthesoldierswentout,theycameuponamanfromCyrenenamedSimon;theycompelledthismantocarryJesus'cross.AndwhentheycametoaplacecalledGolgotha(whichmeansPlaceofaskull),theyofferedJesuswinetodrink,mixedwithgall;butwhenhetastedit,hewouldnotdrinkit.Andwhentheyhadcrucifiedhim,theydividedhisclothesamongthemselvesbycastinglots;thentheysatdownthereandkeptwatchingoverhim.Overhisheadtheyputthechargeagainst,whichread,'ThisisJesus,thekingoftheJews.Fromthis,wecanknowthatcrossmeanssufferings.Theproverbtendstotellusthateveryoneshouldputupwithmiseryindailylifeandundertakethelife'sburden.

AnotherproverbisalsofromtheBible:Onedoesn'tliveonlybybread.ItisfromtheBible,Deuteronomy,thegeneralideais:'RememberthelongwaythattheLordyourGodhasledyouthesefortyyearsinthewilderness,inordertohumbleyou,testingyoutoknowwhatwasinyourheart,whetherornotyouwouldkeephiscommandments.Hehumbledyoubylettingyouhunger,thenbyfeedingyouwithManna,withwhichneitheryounoryourancestorswereacquainted,inordertomakeyouunderstandthatonedoesnotlivebybreadalone,butbyeverywordthatcomesfromthemouthoftheLord.Fromthis,wecanknowthatmaterialisnottheonlythingthatisindispensabletomen.Spiritisalsoveryimportant.Isoneisonlysearchedformaterial,hewillbeconsideredasanimals,forthemostdistinctivecharacteristicbetweenmenandanimalsisthatmenhavepursuitofspiritbutanimalshaven't.Manyimagesintheseproverbshavedidacticmeanings

EnglishpeoplebelieveinChristianity,whichisbyfarthemostinfluentialreligioninthewest.Everyaspectofman'slifeistouchedbythisreligion,sothatithasbecomepartofwesternculture.AndtheBible,whichincludestheOldTestamentandtheNewTestament,isregardedasthescriptures.AlmosteveryfamilyhasaversionofBible,soithascometobeoneofthemajorsourcesofEnglishculture.ManyEnglishproverbsshowthedoctrinesoftheirreligion.Forexample,letnotthylefthandknowswhatthyrighthanddoeth.AccordingtothedoctrinesofBibleallhumanbeingsarebrothersandsisters,andtheyshouldhelpeachother.Sowhenyougivehandstoothers,neverkeepthememorythatyouhavehelpedthem.Anotherexample,Iftheblindleadtheblind,bothshallfallintotheditch.Itimpliesthatifonehaslittleknowledge,itisdifficultforhimtoteachotherssomeusefulthings.Evenifhetriedtohelpothers,hewoulddonothinggoodtothem.

2.2.3Originatingfromliteraryworks

ManyEnglishproverbsinvolveseventsorcharactersofEnglishliterature,especiallyfromShakespeare.Shakespeare'sinsightintohumanbeings,hissensitivitytotheproblemofstate,andhisgeniuswithwordshaveleftaneverlastingmarkontheEnglishlanguageandthethinkingofEnglish-speakingpeopleallovertheworld.NativespeakersofEnglishquotehisworkseveryday,oftenwithoutrealizingtheyaredoingso.Althoughhisplayswerewrittenoverthreehundredyearsago,manyEnglishproverbsfromhisplaysarecitedcommonlyindailyEnglish.

Shakespeare'sworksareprobablythemostcolorfulliteratureoriginofproverbs.Forexample,Allisnotgoldthatglitters.ThisproverbisfromthegreatworksofShakespearetheMerchantsofVenice.Itshowsusthatthosewhohaveagoodappearancearenotreallylearned.Soweshouldbecarefulnottobedeceivedbythosewhoaresuperficiallyflashybutwithoutsubstance.Anotherexample,PatienceperforceismedicineforamaddogisfromShakespeare'sworksAntonyandCleopatra.Ittellsusthatthosewhocannotendureanythingwouldlosehistemperlikesamaddog.

ManyEnglishproverbsarealsofromTheFablesofAesop.Theseproverbsareveryconciseandhumorous,andtheyreflecttheessenceandthetruemeaningoflife.Itisveryeasyforpeopletounderstandthemandtoputthemintopractice.Manyofthemarepasseddowntilltoday.Forexample,Thecamelgoingtoseekhorns,losthisears.Thegeneralideaoftheallusionis:acowshowedoffhishornsinfrontofacamel.Thecamelwasenviousofcow'shorns,soherequestedZeustogiveapairofhornstohim.Zeuswasveryangry,becausehethoughtthatthecamelwasgreedytoaskforhornswithhissohugebody.Atlast,hemadeadecisionthatheletthecamelhavehornsbutwiththecostofcuttingoffapartofhisears.Thisproverbtellsusthatifoneisgreedytooccupyeverything,hewillbepunishedbyhisgreed.

AnotherproverbisalsofromtheFablesofAesop.'Thegrapesaresour',asthefoxsaidwhenhecouldnotreachthem.Theallusion,whichthisproverbcamefrom,isgenerallylikethis:oneday,ahungryfoxsawalotofripegrapeshangingonthegrapevine.Hebeathisbrainshardbutcouldnot

findawaytopickthegrapes.Thehungrierhefelt,theangrierhegot.Finally,hegaveup.Inordertocomforthimself,'Thegrapesaresour',thefoxsaidwhilewalkingaway.Nowadays,people

widelyuseittoexpressthatsomeonewhowantstotakeholdofsomethingwithallhiseffortbutfailstogetitwilllowerthevalueofthisthing.

Therearealsootherproverbs,suchas:Abarleycornisbetterthanadiamondtoacock.Theallusion’smainideais:whenahungrycockwassearchedforfood,hesawadiamond.Thecocksaidtothediamond:'Tosomeonewhoadmiresyou,youareapreciousthing;buttome,youhavenovalueatall,forallvaluablethingscannotmatchwithabarley-corn.'Indeed,accordingtoourcommonsense,adiamondisfarmorevaluablethanabarley-corn.Buttoahungryman,especiallytosomeonewhoneedsgrainsbadly,hewouldchoosegrainsbutnottreasure,fortreasurecannotsatisfyhisstomach.Sothisproverbtendstoimplythatdifferentpeoplehavedifferentviewsnothesamething.Thesubmittingtoonewrongbringsonanother.Theallusion,whichthisproverbcamefrom,isgenerallylikethis:asnakewasoftenriddendownbypeople,sohecomplainedittoZeus.Zeustoldhimthatifhebitsomeonewhofirstlytrampledonhim,thenextonewouldnottramplehim.Itshowsthatifoneputupwiththemistakehemadeatthefirsttime,hewillmakeanothersimilarmistake.Soweshouldgainalessonfromtheaboveallusionsoastoavoidmakingthesamemistakes.

2.2.4OriginatingfromGreekandRomanmythology

'WesternersareheirstoGreco-Romancivilization.ManyideasnowprevailinginwesterncountriescanbetracedbacktothethinkersinancientGreeceandRoman.GreekandRomanmythologiesarewellknowninthewestandhavebeardonastronginfluenceuponpeople'slivesinwesterncountries.ItisnaturalthatitbecomesacommonsourceofEnglishproverbs.'

SomeproverbsarefromGreekandRomanmythology.Eachofthemhasanallusion.Forexample,TheDeviltoohasAchilles'heel.AccordingtotheHomer,wecanknow:AchilleswasaGreekhero.Excepthisheel,everypartofAchilles'bodyisswordproof,sohisheelishisfataldefect.TheproverbtellsusthateventheDevilhashisweakness.Nomanisabsolutelypowerful.ThereisasimilarexamplefromRomanmythology.NotevenHerculescouldcontendagainsttwo.Hercules,asonofZeus,wasaheroinRomanmythology.Hehadincredibleforce,whichhelpedhimgaintwelveheroicachievements.Althoughhewaspowerfulenough,hecouldn'tdefeatalargenumberofenemiesonhisown.Sotheproverbstellusthatman'senergyislimitednomatterhowpowerfulheis.Anotherexample,withoutCeresandBacchus,Venusgrowscold.CeresisRomangoddessofgrainandagriculture;BacchusistheGreetgodofwine;Venusisthegoddessofbeautyandlove.Fromthis,wecanknowthatCeresandBacchusstandforbasicnecessityoflife.Sotheproverbtendstoexpressthatlovecan'tbesweetwithoutmaterialsupport.

2.2.5Originatingfromotherlanguages

Withthedevelopmentofsociety,alanguagecannotavoidcontactingwithotherlanguages.Inthecontact,thecertainlanguagesurelyabsorbssomeproverbsfromothers.Withalonghistory,EnglishlanguageborrowedalargenumberofproverbswidelyfrommanyotherlanguagesincludingGreek,Latin,German,Italian,Spanish,Dutch,Hebrew,Arabic,Chinese,andotherlanguages,amongwhichLatin,GreekandFrenchprovidetherichestnutrition.MostoftheborrowedproverbsinEnglish,duetotheremotenessoftime,havealreadyassimilatedormergedintotheEnglishlanguagewiththeirtracesalmostimpossibletofollow.

ManyEnglishproverbsoriginatedfromFrench.William,DukeofNormandy,France,landedhismightyarmyatPevensyanddefeatedSaxonkingHarold'smennearHastings.WilliamwascrownedaskingofEngland,andthenheopeneddoorstothecontinentandextendedcultureandcommercialrelationswithFrance.Norman-Franceculture,languageandarchitecturewereintroduced.TheconquerorsruledEnglandinalongperiodoftime,andmostofthegovernorsusedFrenchastheirformallanguage.AlthoughEnglandfinallywonhersovereignty,therewerestillmanyborrowedwordsfromFranceremained.Especially,EnglishpeopleacceptedmanyFrenchsayings.Forexample,don’tputthecartbeforethehorse;Ventureasmallfishtocatchagreatone;Ifthelion'sskincannot,thefox'sshall.

ManyEnglishproverbscamefromLatin.BecauseoftheintroductionofChristianityintoBritain,theinfluenceoftheNormanConquestandtheRenaissanceonEnglish,LatinwordshadmadetheirwayintotheEnglishlanguage.AmongtheseLatinwordstherealsoincludedmanyproverbs,whichgainedwideacceptanceofEnglishpeople.Suchas:Fortunefavorsthebrave;Hewhosayswhathelikes,shallhearwhathedoesnotlike;IfeartheGreeks,evenwhenbringinggifts;Thereisnorulewithoutanexceptionandsoon.

2.2.6Originatingfromfamouswriters'wisdom

FamouswritersprovidedoneoftherichestsourcesforEnglishproverbs,whichisonlynexttotheproverbsoffolkorigin.Wealsocansaythatmostproverbs,regardlessoftheirinitial,havebeenpolishedandpreservedandpopularizedbyfamouswritersintheirworks.ItisgenerallyagreedthatsuchfamouswritersasBacon,Pope,Franklinandsooncontributedquitealottothecreation,preservationandpopularizationofEnglishproverbs.

BaconisadistinguishedEnglishphilosopherandwriter.Heisnotedforastyleofthoroughexpositionandalternativemaxims.ManysentencesinBacon'sworkshavebecomegoldensayingandprevailedamongpeople.Forexample,Readingmakesafullmantellspeoplethatonlybyreadingcanapersonbecomelearnedandprofound.AnotherproverbKnowledgeispoweremphasizestheimportanceofknowledgeandencouragespeopletostudymoreandlearnmore.

PopeisanothercelebratedfigureinEnglishliterature.Heemphasizeseducationandknowledgeverymuch.Somesentencesfromhisworkshavebeenacceptedbythereadersandbecomedeeplyrootedamongpeople.TakeAlittlelearningisadangerousthingforexample.ThisdidacticproverbisasentenceinPopeAnEssayonCriticismanditreflectshisideasaboutknowledgeandlearning.

BenjaminFranklinisafamousAmericanstatesman,scientistandwriter.Manysayingsfromhisworkswerewidelyacceptedandenlightenpeople.Forexample,Littlestrokefellgreatoaks.Ittellsusthatonenevergivinguppursuingknowledge,becauseonlythosewhoarestrong-mindedcanbehighlyintellectual.Anotherexample,Godhelpthemthathelpthemselves.Ittendstotellusthatsolongasonevaluesself-relianceandindependence,hecancreateopportunities,seekcompetitionandbereadyfortheris2.3CharacteristicsofEnglishproverbs

2.3.1.Manyeloquencecharacteristics

(1)Oralandconcisewords

WeallknowthatEnglishproverbsareproducedbyBritishworkingpeopleorally,sothewordsofEnglishproverbsareveryconciseandoral.Whenwetranslatethem,weshouldtryourbesttokeeptheoriginalproverb'soralcharacteristic.Forexample,'Badworkmenquarrelwiththeirtools.'Clumsyworkersblamedevice.Obviously,wecanseethatthetranslationismoreformally,anditwillloseitsoralcharacteristic.Sotheaboveoneshouldbetranslatedlikethis,'clumsyworkoftenblamepoortool',whichwillbeeasierforpeopletorecite.

(2)Syntaxstructureandrhythm

Moreover,whenwereadproverbs,wewillfindthatthesyntaxstructureofEnglishproverbsiscompactandsymmetrical;andtherhythmisgentleandunited.Forexample,'Youmaytakeahorsetothewater,butyoucannotmakeitdrink'.Ifwetranslateitlikethis,youputhorsesintotherivertogo,butyoucannotcallitwater,itwilllosethecharacteristicsofconcisewords,symmetricalandcompactsyntaxstructureandgentlerhythm.Soitisbetterforustotranslatelikethis,QianMariveriseasytoforcethehorsesdrinkingwaterisdifficult.

Proverbshavethecharacteristicsofconciseandoralword,symmetricalandcompactsyntaxstructureandgentlerhythm.Therefore,whenwetranslatethem,weshouldtryourbesttokeepthesecharacteristics.Onlyinthisway,canthetranslationhavethetasteofproverb.

2.3.2Deepthoughtandmoral

Likeotherproverbs,Englishproverbsimplydeepthoughtandmoral.Theyusuallyexpresspeople'snoblethought,andtheycanteach,encourage,enlightenandpersuadepeople,likepeople'sgoodfriendsandmotto.

2.3.3Brightethnicandgeographicalcharacteristics

EnglishproverbsarebasedEnglishculturalbackgrounds.WhenwereadEnglishproverbs,wecannotstoptoimaginetheEnglishhistory,geography,customs,politics,economy,etc.Obviously,Englishproverbshavebrightethnicandgeographicalcharacteristics.Therefore,whenwetranslatethiskindofproverbs,weshouldtryourbesttokeeptheoriginalproverbs'ethnicandgeographycharacteristics.2.4Translation2.4.1MethodsFromabovediscussionwecanknowabouttheEnglishproverbincludingitssourceitsdefinitionitscharactersanditsculturaldifferencesbetweenchina,andthenwewilltalkabouthowtotranslateEnglishproverbsintoChinese.Sincealthoughexactlytranslationcanbereached,Chinesestudentswillalsofindthattranslatingexactlyandperfectlythetruemeaningofthewords.Butdon’tworry,therearesomemethodsandtips.Ifwerememberthesemethodsandtips,wewillknowaboutEnglishproverbstranslation.Literaltranslation

Literaltranslation,whichisamaintranslationmethod,meansweneedtotranslateproverbsliterally.SomeEnglishproverbsandChineseproverbshavethesameformandmeaning,andtheseEnglishproverbsdonothavetoomanyculturalbackgrounds.Itiseasyforthereaderstounderstandthem.Whentranslatingthiskindofproverbs,wecantranslatethemliterally.Thisapproachcannotonlykeeptheoriginalproverb'sformandmeaning,butalsocanbeeasilyunderstoodbyreaders.Whatisimportantofall,literaltranslationcantransplanttheEnglishproverbsintoChineseculture.WeallknowthatEnglishproverbshavemanyfreshexpressivemethodsandcomparisons.WecanintroducethesefreshexpressivemethodsandcomparisonsintoChina.Finally,theseEnglishproverbswillenrichChineselanguageandculture.Nowwewillgivesomeproverbswithtwokindsoftranslations-thefirstoneisfreetranslationandthesecondoneisliteraltranslation.

(1)Anunfortunatemanwouldbedrownedinateacup.

Unluckypeoplewhocannotwithstandstorms(Onepersonbadluck,acupofteacanalsobedrowned.)

(2).Bindthesackbeforeitbefull.

Untileverythingcanbesuitable.(TapefilledbeforeZhaozhu.)

(3).Drawnotyourbowtillyourarrowisfixed.

Thinktwicebeforetheyact.(Arrownoimportancefirstdonotbow.)

(4).Abirdinthehandisworthtwointhebush.

10creditsarebetterthanone.(Pairsofbirdsintheforestbetterthanabirdinthehand.)

Freetranslation

Englishproverbscontainsomeuniquehistoricalstoriesandculturalbackgrounds,andourChinesepeoplearenotfamiliarwiththecomparisonsintheseEnglishproverbs.Ifwetranslatethemliterallywithexplanationsorfootnotes,thetranslationmayexpresstheoriginalproverb'sliteralmeaning,butthistranslationmakesproverbslosetheircharacteristics-concisewords,precisestructure,shortform,etc.Meanwhile,wecannotfindtheChineseproverbwiththesamemeaningtotranslateit.Inthissituation,weshouldusefreetranslationmethod.Forexample,'chooseawifeonaSaturdayratherthanaSunday’.Ifwetranslateitliterallylikethis,'chooseawifeadvisedonSaturdays,notonSundays',itisverydifficultforourChinesepeopletounderstandit,becausethisproverbimpliesBritishreligiouscustom.InBritain,peoplebelieveChristianity,everySundaypeoplewilltakeofftheirworkingsuits,andputontheirbestbeautifulclothesgoingtothechurchtodochurch,and'aSaturday'meanstheworkingdays.Thisproverbimpliesthatwhenpeoplechoosegirlfriend,heshouldpayattentiontoherusualbehaviorsratherthanherbeautifulappearance.Soifwetranslateitaccordingtoitsconnotationlikethis,chooseawifeshouldre-moral,isnotonlythere-appearance/Optionalwifelooknormal,notheavyclothing,itiseasierforourChinesepeopletounderstandit(1).littlepitchershavelongears.

Potmouthlong,wereasmallsharp-eared.

(2).Asingleflowerdoesnotmakeaspring.

Aflowerthatblossomsisnotaspring,blossomingspringbeauties.

(3).Fishbeginstostinkatthehead.

FishLantoufirstfoul,thecountrylostthefirstofficialrot.

(4).Neverbuyapiginapoke.

Smokeandmirrorsandtaketheeye;compartmentbagtobuypigs,cheated.

(5).Stillwaterrundeep.

Flowofdeepwater,quietmanofdeepmeditation.

2.4.2Reltionshipbetweencultureandtranslation.DifferentlivingcircumstanceDifferencecountryhavedifferentcuture,differentpeopl