Cultural Issues In Chinese Idioms Translation

摘要

This article explores the cultural issues of Chinese idioms translation in the broad context of cultural studies. The author suggests that various factors such as culture, cognition, context and reader should be taken into account in the process of translation. The pragmatic meaning should be much more prized than literal meaning. But the literal meaning should be maximally transferred with the precondition of the successful transference of pragmatic meaning. For there is no ideal translation, some tentative suggestions are proposed and some comments are made to certain versions. The assessment and revision of translation are based on the close relationship between the features of idioms and the communicative process which engenders them. It is impossible for us to define any unique approach in the translating process since so many idioms are culturally specific. Therefore, a critical attitude should be adopted in order to make our translation successful. The examples are taken from the novel Honglon Meng and its two English versions so as to make the paper more convincing and vivid.