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【Abstract】 There are many languages including idioms and they are noted for the wealth of idiom. Idiom is an inalienable part of languages. There are mainly five methods while translating English idiom: equal replacement translation, liberal translation, literal translation, annotation translation and antithetical couplet and amplification translation.
【Keywords】 English idiom; translation; methods; problems
1 Definition of idiom
Generally speaking, English idiom includes colloquialism, proverb and slang. It is a group of words with a special meaning different from the meanings of its constituent words. The abundance and variety of idioms in the English language may be to a great extent accounted for by the historical development of the language. Many idiomatic expressions come from the everyday life of people.
2 Translation methods of English idiom
Translation is a bridge of alternating information between original work and readers of translation. The main assignment of translation should let the readers who read the translation have the same feeling of others who read the original. Therefore, translators must consider the mentality and regular of readers when they read the translation.
2.1 Equal replacement translation。English and Chinese have rich idioms. People in different parts of the world have similar experience in laboring, living and had similar attitude towards nature. There are some English idioms resembling or approximate with Chinese idioms in no matter on meanings, the figures and styles. In response to this phenomenon there must be expression in each of these nations describing the same thing and having the same indication. So we can use this method to replace equally in the translation. For example, “walls have ears”, if we according to the original to use the literal translation method is“隔墙有耳”. Though the meaning does not deviate from original, the figure and style are similar with the original; it does not conform to the habit of Chinese idiom. If we have the aid of Chinese idiom to translate it as “隔墙有耳”, it would be faithful with the original meaning, figure and style, meanwhile it would conform to the structure and habit of Chinese idiom. The English idiom “burn one's boats ”破釜沉舟posses a nearly ——identical similarity in both figurative feature “boat” and meaning. Many English idioms can use this method to translate into Chinese. Giving some examples as follow:
Constant dripping wears the stone 滴水穿石
fish in trouble waters 混水摸鱼
Like father, like son. 有其父必有其子
Some English idioms have different metaphoric objects but they have the some metaphoric meaning with Chinese idioms. In this condition, we also can use this translation method. There are some examples.
a flash in the pan 昙花一现
at the end of one's rope 山穷水尽
have one foot in the grave 已是风烛残年
Both some English and Chinese idioms do not use metaphor, and the meaning is the literal meaning in a shirt-sleeved way. Generally speaking, the translation of this kind of idioms is easier, and it does not have the problem on keeping the coloring of nation and locality. So we can replace the synonym of the other language's idiom to express the meaning. There are examples as follow:
at one's wit's end 智穷才尽
at sixes and seven 乱七八糟
by fits and starts 时作时辍
When we use this translation method, we should remember that the idioms that have much stronger coloring of the nation and cultural factor, we should avoid using this method to translate.
2.2 Liberal translation。Liberal translation is also called free translation, which does not adhere strictly to the form or word order of the original. It is a method that a translation can resort to only when the literal translation method fails to work. It is the implication to the greatest extent. Because of the cultural factor effects, some idioms cannot retain the original idioms' literal and image meaning, we can change it into the readers familiar way, so that we can translate the implicit meaning.
When we translate some idioms, we could not retain the original literal and image meaning, so we have to show their implicative meaning instead. We can see it often in the idioms of coming from allusions. For instance, “Achilles heel”, it comes from the story Homer. If we translate it into Chinese like this“阿喀硫斯的脚后跟”,then readers cannot understand clearly without knowing this allusion. The Greek poet Homer told us this story in the Iliad. Achilles' mother bathed him as a baby in the River Styx to make immortal, deathless like a god. But unfortunately she held him by the heel and it did not wet. The heel therefore was the one spot where Achilles could be hurt, possibly killed. At the beginning of the Trojan War, none of the Trojan weapons was able to hurt Achilles. However, the god Apollo knew Achilles' weak spot and told Paris about it. Paris then shot an arrow at Achilles' heel and killed him. So according to this, this idiom should be translated as “唯一致命的弱点”.
2.3 Literal translation。Literal translation refers to an adequate representation of the original. It is the basis procedure of all translation civilities. Literal translation uses an idiom in the target language that conveys roughly the same meaning as that of the source——language idioms and consists. Because people have some similarities the feeling about emotion and social experience, English and Chinese idioms have a few idioms which are the same or similar. These idioms' literal and image meaning is the same. That is to say, this kind of idioms' literal and image meaning transmit the cultural information is the same. They can translate mutually. There are some examples:
a gentleman's agreement 君子协定
All roads lead to Rome. 条条大路通罗马
a tooth for a tooth 以牙还牙
Literal translation can keepthe original idioms' meaning and retain the style of the original idioms, so the readers can understand and accept easily. Examples of literal rending in the translation idioms are numerous. Indeed, literal translation should claim top priority in this event of cross-cultural exchange since it as the best way to present to the target reader, the flavors at the source——language idiom. Idiom is the scintilla of a language that possesses much features than other forms of this language does.
2.4 Annotation translation。As there is always some “cultural distance” between Chinese and English. Some idioms have strong national and regional things or they are allusions in special period. And these idioms meanings can be expresses fully. In that case, translators should annotate something to them in order to let the foreign readers can understand easily. For instance, “to carry coals to Newcastle”, if we just translate it like this “运煤到纽卡索，多此一举”that is not enough. Because we add “多此一举”this meaning to reveal the analogical meaning. But readers still cannot understand “纽卡索”, so when we translate this English idiom, we should add an annotation to explain that Newcastle is the center place of coal in England. It is necessary to add the expiation on it. So the better translation is “运煤到纽卡索，多此一举（纽卡索是英国的一个产煤中心）”. These are two examples:
meet one's Waterloo 遭受滑铁卢战役，一败涂地 （滑铁卢是比利时中部的城镇，1815年拿破仑在此地大败）
in the arms of Morpheus 在毛菲斯的怀里，进入梦乡，在酣睡中 （毛菲斯是希腊神话中的“睡梦之神”）
2.5 Antithetical couplet and amplification translation 。As we know, it is commonly seen some idioms are structured antithetical couplet in Chinese. The first line of couplet on scroll shows the figure and the second line of couplet expresses the meaning. For example, “路遥知马力，日久见人心”，“棋逢对手，将遇良才” and so on. And on the translation process, some English idioms cannot express their meaning accurately and completely through a few Chinese characters; we translate these English idioms by using this method to add some words and let it be the antithetical couplet form, the effect of the translation will be better. For instance, “Great men are not always wise”, if we use the literal translation method its meaning is “伟人也不总是聪明的”. That is to say, the implication meaning in Chinese is “再聪明的人也有糊涂的时候”. But if we use this method to add some words and be an antithetical couplet form as“人有失手日，马有失蹄时” or “老虎也会打盹，马也会失蹄” or “智者千虑，必有一失”. There are examples.
Ill news comes apace. 好事不出门，坏事传千里
He who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl. 近朱者赤，近墨者黑
References
[1] Chitra Fernando. (1996). Idioms and Idiomaticity. Oxford: Oxford University Press
[2] 郭著章，李庆生，英汉互译实用教程，武汉大学出版社，1996年12月，修订版
[3] 迪克 麦卡锡，英语成语俗语，中国对外翻译出版公司，1997年1月，第一版
[4] 章和开，英汉翻译技巧，当代世界出版社，1997年8月，第一版
收稿日期：2008-4-17
【Keywords】 English idiom; translation; methods; problems
1 Definition of idiom
Generally speaking, English idiom includes colloquialism, proverb and slang. It is a group of words with a special meaning different from the meanings of its constituent words. The abundance and variety of idioms in the English language may be to a great extent accounted for by the historical development of the language. Many idiomatic expressions come from the everyday life of people.
2 Translation methods of English idiom
Translation is a bridge of alternating information between original work and readers of translation. The main assignment of translation should let the readers who read the translation have the same feeling of others who read the original. Therefore, translators must consider the mentality and regular of readers when they read the translation.
2.1 Equal replacement translation。English and Chinese have rich idioms. People in different parts of the world have similar experience in laboring, living and had similar attitude towards nature. There are some English idioms resembling or approximate with Chinese idioms in no matter on meanings, the figures and styles. In response to this phenomenon there must be expression in each of these nations describing the same thing and having the same indication. So we can use this method to replace equally in the translation. For example, “walls have ears”, if we according to the original to use the literal translation method is“隔墙有耳”. Though the meaning does not deviate from original, the figure and style are similar with the original; it does not conform to the habit of Chinese idiom. If we have the aid of Chinese idiom to translate it as “隔墙有耳”, it would be faithful with the original meaning, figure and style, meanwhile it would conform to the structure and habit of Chinese idiom. The English idiom “burn one's boats ”破釜沉舟posses a nearly ——identical similarity in both figurative feature “boat” and meaning. Many English idioms can use this method to translate into Chinese. Giving some examples as follow:
Constant dripping wears the stone 滴水穿石
fish in trouble waters 混水摸鱼
Like father, like son. 有其父必有其子
Some English idioms have different metaphoric objects but they have the some metaphoric meaning with Chinese idioms. In this condition, we also can use this translation method. There are some examples.
a flash in the pan 昙花一现
at the end of one's rope 山穷水尽
have one foot in the grave 已是风烛残年
Both some English and Chinese idioms do not use metaphor, and the meaning is the literal meaning in a shirt-sleeved way. Generally speaking, the translation of this kind of idioms is easier, and it does not have the problem on keeping the coloring of nation and locality. So we can replace the synonym of the other language's idiom to express the meaning. There are examples as follow:
at one's wit's end 智穷才尽
at sixes and seven 乱七八糟
by fits and starts 时作时辍
When we use this translation method, we should remember that the idioms that have much stronger coloring of the nation and cultural factor, we should avoid using this method to translate.
2.2 Liberal translation。Liberal translation is also called free translation, which does not adhere strictly to the form or word order of the original. It is a method that a translation can resort to only when the literal translation method fails to work. It is the implication to the greatest extent. Because of the cultural factor effects, some idioms cannot retain the original idioms' literal and image meaning, we can change it into the readers familiar way, so that we can translate the implicit meaning.
When we translate some idioms, we could not retain the original literal and image meaning, so we have to show their implicative meaning instead. We can see it often in the idioms of coming from allusions. For instance, “Achilles heel”, it comes from the story Homer. If we translate it into Chinese like this“阿喀硫斯的脚后跟”,then readers cannot understand clearly without knowing this allusion. The Greek poet Homer told us this story in the Iliad. Achilles' mother bathed him as a baby in the River Styx to make immortal, deathless like a god. But unfortunately she held him by the heel and it did not wet. The heel therefore was the one spot where Achilles could be hurt, possibly killed. At the beginning of the Trojan War, none of the Trojan weapons was able to hurt Achilles. However, the god Apollo knew Achilles' weak spot and told Paris about it. Paris then shot an arrow at Achilles' heel and killed him. So according to this, this idiom should be translated as “唯一致命的弱点”.
2.3 Literal translation。Literal translation refers to an adequate representation of the original. It is the basis procedure of all translation civilities. Literal translation uses an idiom in the target language that conveys roughly the same meaning as that of the source——language idioms and consists. Because people have some similarities the feeling about emotion and social experience, English and Chinese idioms have a few idioms which are the same or similar. These idioms' literal and image meaning is the same. That is to say, this kind of idioms' literal and image meaning transmit the cultural information is the same. They can translate mutually. There are some examples:
a gentleman's agreement 君子协定
All roads lead to Rome. 条条大路通罗马
a tooth for a tooth 以牙还牙
Literal translation can keepthe original idioms' meaning and retain the style of the original idioms, so the readers can understand and accept easily. Examples of literal rending in the translation idioms are numerous. Indeed, literal translation should claim top priority in this event of cross-cultural exchange since it as the best way to present to the target reader, the flavors at the source——language idiom. Idiom is the scintilla of a language that possesses much features than other forms of this language does.
2.4 Annotation translation。As there is always some “cultural distance” between Chinese and English. Some idioms have strong national and regional things or they are allusions in special period. And these idioms meanings can be expresses fully. In that case, translators should annotate something to them in order to let the foreign readers can understand easily. For instance, “to carry coals to Newcastle”, if we just translate it like this “运煤到纽卡索，多此一举”that is not enough. Because we add “多此一举”this meaning to reveal the analogical meaning. But readers still cannot understand “纽卡索”, so when we translate this English idiom, we should add an annotation to explain that Newcastle is the center place of coal in England. It is necessary to add the expiation on it. So the better translation is “运煤到纽卡索，多此一举（纽卡索是英国的一个产煤中心）”. These are two examples:
meet one's Waterloo 遭受滑铁卢战役，一败涂地 （滑铁卢是比利时中部的城镇，1815年拿破仑在此地大败）
in the arms of Morpheus 在毛菲斯的怀里，进入梦乡，在酣睡中 （毛菲斯是希腊神话中的“睡梦之神”）
2.5 Antithetical couplet and amplification translation 。As we know, it is commonly seen some idioms are structured antithetical couplet in Chinese. The first line of couplet on scroll shows the figure and the second line of couplet expresses the meaning. For example, “路遥知马力，日久见人心”，“棋逢对手，将遇良才” and so on. And on the translation process, some English idioms cannot express their meaning accurately and completely through a few Chinese characters; we translate these English idioms by using this method to add some words and let it be the antithetical couplet form, the effect of the translation will be better. For instance, “Great men are not always wise”, if we use the literal translation method its meaning is “伟人也不总是聪明的”. That is to say, the implication meaning in Chinese is “再聪明的人也有糊涂的时候”. But if we use this method to add some words and be an antithetical couplet form as“人有失手日，马有失蹄时” or “老虎也会打盹，马也会失蹄” or “智者千虑，必有一失”. There are examples.
Ill news comes apace. 好事不出门，坏事传千里
He who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl. 近朱者赤，近墨者黑
References
[1] Chitra Fernando. (1996). Idioms and Idiomaticity. Oxford: Oxford University Press
[2] 郭著章，李庆生，英汉互译实用教程，武汉大学出版社，1996年12月，修订版
[3] 迪克 麦卡锡，英语成语俗语，中国对外翻译出版公司，1997年1月，第一版
[4] 章和开，英汉翻译技巧，当代世界出版社，1997年8月，第一版
收稿日期：2008-4-17