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Abstract:Culture difference is necessary to be paid attention to during the process of translating.
Culture difference is caused by different history, regions, customs, religions and the modes of thinking. Having the awareness of the culture difference will make translation more accurate and successful.
Key words:culture difference; translation
Translation is the communication between languages, during which not only the language itself, but also the culture is translated. As the biggest problem in translation is the difference between two cultures, how to deal with the culture difference is the key to the success of translation.
Culture difference, reflected in language, makes people with different culture backgrounds have difficulties understanding each other. How to dig out the connotative meaning of the language, which can not be found in the dictionary, is the focus in the process of translating rather than the literal meaning.
A.Culture difference caused by different history
The culture of history is referred to the culture formed by the historical development and social heritage. Since different countries and peoples developed in different ways, the precipitated cultures are not the same. For example, a variety of historical allusions, which are the treasure of the whole culture and demonstrate the unique characteristics of the people with the abundant historical information, have been accumulated, based on different historical backgrounds. The essential thing which can ensure the successful translation is to well understand the culture connotation and use the proper method of translating.
For instance, “paint (gild) the lily” and “畫蛇添足” are two allusions with typical national features. Lily, which often appears in the works of art about the virgin Maria, symbolizes purity, nobility and beauty. So to paint the lily or make lily more decorated is considered something in vain and ridiculous. Likewise, snakes, which were added some feet, made the painter lose the competition.“画蛇添足” from Strategies of the Warring States and “paint the lily” from Shakespeare’s King John are two different idioms, but they have equally satisfactory results to express the meaning of doing something in vain.
There are more examples of different metaphors with the similar moral, such as “cast pearls before swine” and “对牛弹琴”, “rob Peter to pay Paul” and “挖肉补疮” and so on, which greatly shows the unique culture of different groups.
B.Culture difference caused by different regions
The culture of region is the culture caused by the natural surroundings and geographic environment. With different locations, different nations create their own cultures and are also molded by the cultures. The same thing or phenomenon is referred to with different language forms.
Take China and the UK as an example. China lies in the east of the Asian continent, to the west of the Pacific Ocean while the UK is situated northwest of the European continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. In the language of Chinese, we prefer to say “从南到北” and “南来北往” rather than “from north to south”, which is the common expression to the westerners. Similarly, 东南, 东北, 西南 and 西北 are expressed to be southeast, northeast, southwest and northwest. “East wind” and “west wind” have totally different connotative meanings to the British and the Chinese, although the literal meanings are the same. To Chinese, east wind is referred to the wind of spring, which brings the people the warmth and makes everything grow. It represents hope and power and is loved by every Chinese. West wind is the wind of autumn, which means desolation and depression. However, to the British, east wind blows from the north of the European Continent with the feeling of being chilly and unpleasant and is mostly hated while west wind, the loved one, brings them spring. As the above, we can see the same “west wind” is entirely different in two cultures due to the different living conditions. So a successful translator must be familiar with the two cultures.
Culture difference is caused by different history, regions, customs, religions and the modes of thinking. Having the awareness of the culture difference will make translation more accurate and successful.
Key words:culture difference; translation
Translation is the communication between languages, during which not only the language itself, but also the culture is translated. As the biggest problem in translation is the difference between two cultures, how to deal with the culture difference is the key to the success of translation.
Culture difference, reflected in language, makes people with different culture backgrounds have difficulties understanding each other. How to dig out the connotative meaning of the language, which can not be found in the dictionary, is the focus in the process of translating rather than the literal meaning.
A.Culture difference caused by different history
The culture of history is referred to the culture formed by the historical development and social heritage. Since different countries and peoples developed in different ways, the precipitated cultures are not the same. For example, a variety of historical allusions, which are the treasure of the whole culture and demonstrate the unique characteristics of the people with the abundant historical information, have been accumulated, based on different historical backgrounds. The essential thing which can ensure the successful translation is to well understand the culture connotation and use the proper method of translating.
For instance, “paint (gild) the lily” and “畫蛇添足” are two allusions with typical national features. Lily, which often appears in the works of art about the virgin Maria, symbolizes purity, nobility and beauty. So to paint the lily or make lily more decorated is considered something in vain and ridiculous. Likewise, snakes, which were added some feet, made the painter lose the competition.“画蛇添足” from Strategies of the Warring States and “paint the lily” from Shakespeare’s King John are two different idioms, but they have equally satisfactory results to express the meaning of doing something in vain.
There are more examples of different metaphors with the similar moral, such as “cast pearls before swine” and “对牛弹琴”, “rob Peter to pay Paul” and “挖肉补疮” and so on, which greatly shows the unique culture of different groups.
B.Culture difference caused by different regions
The culture of region is the culture caused by the natural surroundings and geographic environment. With different locations, different nations create their own cultures and are also molded by the cultures. The same thing or phenomenon is referred to with different language forms.
Take China and the UK as an example. China lies in the east of the Asian continent, to the west of the Pacific Ocean while the UK is situated northwest of the European continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. In the language of Chinese, we prefer to say “从南到北” and “南来北往” rather than “from north to south”, which is the common expression to the westerners. Similarly, 东南, 东北, 西南 and 西北 are expressed to be southeast, northeast, southwest and northwest. “East wind” and “west wind” have totally different connotative meanings to the British and the Chinese, although the literal meanings are the same. To Chinese, east wind is referred to the wind of spring, which brings the people the warmth and makes everything grow. It represents hope and power and is loved by every Chinese. West wind is the wind of autumn, which means desolation and depression. However, to the British, east wind blows from the north of the European Continent with the feeling of being chilly and unpleasant and is mostly hated while west wind, the loved one, brings them spring. As the above, we can see the same “west wind” is entirely different in two cultures due to the different living conditions. So a successful translator must be familiar with the two cultures.