从文化对比的视角看英汉基本颜色词的翻译

On the Translation of English and Chinese Basic Color Terms from the Perspective of Cross-cultural Comparison

英汉基本颜色词具有很多文化内涵,在跨文化交流时容易造成误会。在具体分析了英汉基本颜色词的文化相似性和差异性之后,我们发现,翻译方法需多样化,对具有相似文化内涵的同样的颜色词,可以选择直译;对具有不同文化内涵的同样的颜色词,采用意译的方法才能准确表达原意;对有着具体文化涵义的基本颜色词来说,可以用直译加注的方法保留原有的颜色意象,同时也使得翻译文本能被目标语读者所理解;对有着相似文化涵义的不同颜色词,最好使用替代的方法让目标语读者理解源语的描述;对一些含有颜色词的专有名词,音译是合适的选择。总之,由于英汉民族存在的文化差异,不同英汉基本颜色词的翻译应当区别对待,以迭到译文的忠实、准确、恰当。

There exist a lot of cultural connotations in English and Chinese basic color terms,which are apt to misunderstand in cross- cultural communications.After an analysis of the cultural similarities and differences of English and Chinese basic color terms,we concluded that various methods are needed in the translation:direct translation to the terms of the same colour and similar cultural innotation,free translation to correctly express the terms of the same colour but different cultural innotations.To the terms with concrete cultural meaning,direct translation with note explanation may be used to keep the original imagery and make the meaning clear to the readers of target language.Substitution may be the best method to the terms of different colours but similar cultural connotation,so that the readers of target language can understand the description of the original language.To some proper nouns of colour terms,transliteration is the proper choice.In brief,owing to the cultural differences of Chinese and English nations,different methods should be used to faithfully,corretly and properly translate the basic color terms.