Abstract

China’s long history makes its culture unique to other nations. As a part of culture, idioms are products of this period. The great differences in geographic conditions, religious beliefs and social customs between China and the west bring confusion to idiom translation from Chinese to English. This study is based on Fortress Besieged, written by Qian Zhongshu, translated by Jeanne Kelly and Nathan K Mao. The first step of this study is categorizing idioms in this book, the second step is analyzing translation skills applied in different categories, and the third step is summarizing the characteristics of idiom translation in Fortress Besieged. In this way, this study will be organized. 

With the guidance of translation strategies and combining translation theories like translation aesthetics and dynamic equivalence, idioms in Fortress Besieged will be analyzed. This study mainly aims at finding skills used in idiom translation and their features, trying to explore some common traits of idiom translation in literature works and make those as references for future idiom translation in literature works.

Nowadays, only a few researches deal with idiom translation under a certain text. However, connotation embodied in idioms may be clearly analyzed in a specific text. The primary work is to figure out meanings of idioms before using them in a specific context.

Key words:      idiom translation     foreignization     domestication

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Background Information-1

1.2 The Significance-2

1.3 The Overall Structure-2

Chapter Two Literature Review-4

2.1 Wei-ch’eng and Its English Version-4

2.2 Theories Concerned with This Study-4

Chapter Three Categories of Idioms and Ways of Translation-7

3.1 Categories of Idioms in Fortress Besiege-7

3.2 Strategies and Methods of Idioms Translation in Fortress Besiege-11

Chapter Four Characteristics of Idioms Translation in Fortress Besiege-16

4.1 Accuracy-16

4.2 Conciseness-17

4.3 Readability-17

Chapter Five Conclusion-19

5.1 Major Findings-19

5.2 Limitations-20

References-22