从关联理论视角对比研究《红楼梦》两英译本中汉语习语的翻译

论文总字数：24959字

摘 要

古代章回体长篇小说《红楼梦》由清代小说家曹雪芹撰写而成。《红楼梦》是中国文学史上的一个里程碑。毛主席评价道：“《红楼梦》不仅是爱情故事，也是历史故事，因为它描述了封建大家庭的兴败。”

习语在《红楼梦》中俯拾皆是，其习语具有鲜明的民族特征，同时蕴含着那个时代特有的文化内涵。因此，对译者而言，其习语翻译是一大挑战。然而，关联理论为习语的翻译开拓了新天地。《红楼梦》在全世界受到关注，并被翻译成各种语言。其中在英译本中，代表性的译本当为杨宪益版本与霍克斯版本，本篇论文从关联理论视角，通过比较两译本关于习语的翻译，探索如何实现最佳关联。

关键词: 《红楼梦》；习语翻译；关联理论；最佳关联

Contents

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………1
2. Literature review……………………………………………………………2
3. Relevance Theory and Translation………………………………………2
   1. Basic viewpoints of relevance theory……………………………………2
   2. Significance of relevance theory in translation……………………………3
4. Chinese Idioms…………………………………………………………4
   1. Definition of Chinese idioms……………………………………………4
   2. Classifications of Chinese idioms…………………………………………4
   3. Significance of Chinese Idioms…………………………………………5
5. Analyses on the Translation of Chinese Idioms in A Dream of Red Mansions in Light of Relevance Theory………………………………………6
6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………10

Works Cited…………………………………………………………………11

1.Introduction

A Dream of Red Mansions is described as an encyclopedia of Chinese feudal society. It reflects the Qing Dynasty’s decay by the decline of Jia Family. The love tragedy between Baoyu and Daiyu was presented in the novel. Unlike any other traditional writing style, Cao Xueqin created a realistic and fairy tale. In his novel, a good person has flaws while a bad person has a good side. In brief, A Dream of Red Mansions carries much weight in the history of Chinese literature.

Every language has its own idioms, which are gems of culture. Idioms of different nations are closely geared to native language, history, economic life, geographic environment and customs. Idioms are mainly derived from mythology, allegory, allusion, history event or folk song. They are rich in cultural connotations and ethnic characteristics. Therefore, it is a big challenge for translators to transfer the distinctive national features embedded in idioms.

There are some limitations on relevance theory, for instance, the specific guidelines for communication are not provided in this theory. However, there is no doubt that relevance theory sheds a new light on idiom translation.

Considering what is mentioned above, the author, through a comparative study of the two English versions, will discuss the translation of the idioms in A Dream of Red Mansions in light of the relevance theory .

The paper consists of five sections.

Section One is a brief introduction to the focus of the paper and the reason why the author studies the translation of idioms in A Dream of Red Mansions in light of the relevance theory. Section Two mainly presents major viewpoints of relevance theory. Section Three states the definition, types and significance of Chinese idioms. Section Four exemplifies the applicability of relevance theory to translation and makes a summary of translation methods of Chinese Idioms in A Dream of Red Mansions under the framework of relevance theory. Section Five draws a conclusion and offers translators some enlightenments in the process of translation.

2.Literature Review

The novel reflects the Qing Dynasty’s decay by the decline of Jia Family. There are lots of studies concerning comparisons between Yang Xianyi’s translation and Hawkes’ translation. The two versions have their own characteristics.

Sperber and Wilson put forward relevance theory in Relevance: Communication and Cognition in 1986. The theory has made up some deficiencies of Grice’s Cooperation Principle. Relevancy theory was first employed in translation by Ernst-August Gutt. He makes his ideas that translation is a dynamic process of ostensive-inferential communication. The ideal translation is to achieve optimal relevance. Therefore, the translator should take into account both the original writer’s intentions and the target readers’ cognitive contexts in the process of translation. In our country, there have been an increasing academic articles where relevance theory was presented and reviewed. Undoubtedly, relevance theory makes great contributions in many aspects. However, there also exist some failings, for instance, it lacks specific guidelines for communication.

Though there are various researches about A Dream of Red Mansions, few people study the translation of Chinese idioms in the novel in light of the relevance theory. The thesis will discuss the translation of Chinese idioms in A Dream of Red Mansions based on relevance theory with the aim of supplying some reference for translators.

1. Relevance Theory and Translation
   1. Basic viewpoints of relevance theory

Two Principles of Relevance

The First Principle of Relevance: Human cognition tends to be geared to the maximisation of relevance.

The Second Principle of Relevance: Every act of ostensive communication communicates a presumption of its own optimal relevance. (Sperber and Wilson: 260)

Presumption of optimal relevance (revised):

1. The ostensive stimulus is relevant enough for it to be worth the addressee’s effort to process it.
2. The ostensive stimulus is the most relevant one compatible with the communicator’s abilities and preferences. (Sperber and Wilson:270)

In accordance to relevance theory, the context which is essential to understand the utterance is no longer regarded as a preestablished premise, that is, assuming that new information to be processed is in possession of relevance instead of considering the context first. And then the hearer can confirm the cognitive assumption by analyzing context. In relevance theory, the contextual assumption is the cognitive assumption. The hearer makes the contextual assumption by means of logical information, encyclopedic information, and word information in the cognitive context to in order to find optimal relevance between the utterance and the contextual assumption. Relevance theory makes an explanation about how people organize contexts in accordance to relevance and link new information with given information in order to draw a logical conclusion.

3.2 Significance of relevance theory in translation

The relevance theory provides a new perspective for translation. More and more reviews about relevance theory have been made and domestic scholars lay more stress on relevance theory. For instance, He Ziran has made some analysis and interpretation of it for many times in the field of pragmatics. Relevance theory offers translators some inspirations in the translating process. As a bridge between the original author and the target audiences, the translator should make effort to promote the success of communication between them. Translator can employ a variety of translation methods (such as literal translation, free translation, replacement and so on) flexibly to help the target readers obtain adequate contextual effects. The translator has a relatively large degree of freedom because he can express the original author’s communicative intentions in accordance to his own judgment and understanding of the target readers’ cognitive assumptions. However, the freedom has its limits because translator should analyze and understand the original author’s intention from the textual clues of the original text, which is an ostensive-inference process rather than a simple coding. And the translator should identify the original author’s intentions from both his explicatures and implicatures.

4. Chinese idioms

4.1 Definition of Chinese idioms

An idiom is an expression which functions as a single unit and whose meaning cannot be worked out from its separate parts. (Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics, 1985 )

The Chinese idioms refer to comprehensive and integrated fixed phrases and expressions. Idioms are established and accepted by constant usage and common practice. An idiom is a language unit that is larger than a word. Most Chinese idioms consist of four characters. Idioms are extracted from folk proverbs, classical literary works, poems, fables, allusions, and well-known sayings. As a part of Chinese language, the significance of Chinese idioms can’t be ignored.

4.2 Classifications of Chinese idioms

Idioms mainly include:

set phrases, proverbs, two-part allegorical sayings and common sayings, etc.

1. Set phrase

The set phrase is an outstanding feature of Chinese culture. Set phrases often take form of four-character. A large amount of set phrases have their origins in the ancient times. Set phrases have fixed structure. They are employed as a whole in the sentence.

小题大作 make a mountain out of a molehill

害群之马 black sheep

爱屋及乌 love me, love my dog

殊途同归 All roads lead to Rome

掩耳盗铃 bury one’s head in the sand

1. Proverb

Proverbs are concise. They are widely spread among people by word of mouth. They reflect people’s life experience. Proverbs can be divided into agricultural proverbs, life proverbs, meteorological proverbs and so on

Proper employment of proverbs can make the language lively and interesting

坏事传千里 Bad news has wings

看花容易绣花难 It’s easier said than done

良药苦口 Good medicine tastes bitter

智者千虑，必有一失 No man is wise at all times

王婆卖瓜自卖自夸 Every cook praises his own broth

有其父必有其子 Like father like son

1. Two-part allegorical sayings

A two-part allegorical saying often consists of two parts. The former part is a metaphor and the latter part is its interpretation.

Two-part allegorical sayings are created by the Chinese working people. They are peppered with rich flavor of life. They are popular among the people because of their humor.

狗拿耗子-------多管闲事 have a finger in the pie

林冲上梁山-----官逼民反 be forced to do sth.

1. Common saying

Common sayings were created by the masses. They reflect people’s life experience and make people’s communication more convenient and interesting with local characteristics.

Common sayings are an important part of modern Chinese with concise structure, distinctive image and flexible employment.   It is a favorite expression among the people. Common saying are employed not only in spoken language, but also in fiction, drama, film, music, and even in political comments and news reports.

打退堂鼓 get cold feet

吹牛皮 talk big

炒鱿鱼 get the sack

打小报告 tell on somebody

泼冷水 burst someone’s bubble

4.3 Significance of Chinese idioms

(1) help to guide the practice of language

Idioms have a bright national features both in content and in form. The employment of idioms promotes cultural inheritance.

1. help to deepen our understanding of traditional culture

The uniqueness of Chinese culture can be reflected by idioms’ phonology, morphology and syntax.

1. promote cultural exchange

Accurate understanding of idioms helps the foreigners gain deeper insights of Chinese language and Chinese culture. Thus, idioms play a crucial role in cultural communication.

1. advance the inheritance and innovation of Chinese traditional culture

Under the background of globalization, Chinese traditional culture are confronted with lots of shocks and challenges, so it is essential to develop and innovate idioms. Idioms are not invariable but change over time.

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