跨文化交际视角下的汉语流行语英译

On the Translation of Chinese Popular Expressions into English: A Cross-cultural Perspective

流行语是时代的产物,反映鲜明的时代特色和文化特征。流行语翻译是译入语受众理解源语语言文化和社会现象的风向标。流行语翻译应注重流行语词汇的社会意义和情感意义。在分析目前汉语流行语英译的方法、存在的问题及成因的基础上,以跨文化交际理论中的高低语境理论为指导,提出切实可行的翻译策略:1)直译加注;2)意译加注;3)音译加注。强调以"信"(忠实地传递流行语的社会和情感意义)增"信"(了解),以助流行语翻译更好地完成跨文化交际功能。

Popular expressions are products of the development of the times, reflecting distinctive characteristics of times and cultures. The translation of popular expressions provides a significant way for the target language readers to understanding the cultural and social phenomena of the source language. The focus of the translation of popular expressions should be put on the social and emotional mean-ings. In the light of Hall＇s culture theory of High and Low Context, the paper explores the methods, problems in the translation of popular expressions and their causes, and proposes some feasible translation strategies with emphasis on loyalty by providing notes to illustrate the connotations and the contexts in which they are used, hoping to facilitate the translation to be a better messenger of cross-cultural communication.