语言的文化属性及汉译英的失真

Cultural Attribute of Language andthe Distortion in Chinese-English Translation

语言是一种特殊的文化 ,除具有交际和思维功能外 ,还作为文化的载体而存在。由于不同语言各自的文化特性 ,在语言互换过程中会出现原有内涵不同程度丧失的现象 ,即翻译失真。汉语翻译成英语时存在着六种失真的情形 :其一是失趣 ,即原有语言之趣丧失 ;其二是失味 ,即原有文化韵味丧失 ;其三是失义 ,即原有意义部分丧失 ;其四是失礼 ,即原有礼仪内涵丧失 ;其五是失骨 ,即原有民族风骨丧失 ;其六是失美 ,即原有艺术美感丧失。增加直译成份、尽可能展开或加注、扩大文化交流是减少汉译英失真的三种比较有效的途径。

Language is a particular product of culture, which not only performs the functions of communication and thinking but exists as the carrier of culture. Because of the difference of each language cultural features, in the process of translating from one language into another, the connotative meaning will be lost to a certain extent, which is known as the distortion in language translation. This paper summarizes six kinds of distortion in Chinese English translation: the loss of interesting expressions; the loss of cultural taste; the loss of connotative meaning; the loss of courtesy; the loss of vigorous national character and the loss of aesthetic perception. The paper presents three ways of avoid distortion in translation: making a literal translation, making annotations and promoting cultural exchange.