Abstract
Idioms are the crystallization of human wisdom and the essence of a nation's language. There are a large number of idioms both in English and Chinese, which mirror the well-established, broad and profound culture of the East and the West. The similarity between Chinese and Western cultures makes the translation of idioms easy and effective, while the cultural differences lead to the difficulty of translation. In the process of translation, the translator needs to make a careful and detailed analysis of the differences between different cultures, in order to accurately grasp the exact meaning conveyed by idioms.
In this paper, I will list the main origins of English and Chinese Idioms, and then analysis the influence of cultural differences of idiom translation. At last, I draw a conclusion different idioms should be translated in different translation methods, such as Literal Translation, Free Translation, Literal Translation and Free Translation, Literal Translation and Free Translation and Annotation, Equivalent Translation.
Key words：English and Chinese idioms; cultural comparison; translation method
Contents
Abstract I
Contents I
Introduction 1
1. A Brief Introduction of Culture and Language 2
1.1 Definitions of Culture 2
1.2 Definitions of Language 2
1.3 The Relationship between Culture and Language 2
1.4 The Impact of Culture on Language 2
2.A Brief Comparison between English and Chinese Idioms 3
2.1 Definitions of English and Chinese Idioms 3
2.1.1 Definitions of English Idioms 3
2.1.2 The Definition of Chinese Idioms 3
2.2 Classifications of English and Chinese Idioms 3
2.3 Features of English and Chinese Idioms 3
2.4 Origins of English and Chinese Idioms 3
2.4.1 Idioms from Religious Books 3
2.4.2 Idioms from Oral Tradition 3
2.4.3 Idioms from Literature and Classics 3
3. The Influence of Cultural Differences on Idiom Translation 4
3.1 Cultural Similarities between English and Chinese Idioms 4
3.2 Cultural Differences between English and Chinese Idioms 4
3.2.1 The Differences in Religious Beliefs 4
3.2.2 The Differences in Geographical Environment 4
3.2.3 The Differences in Traditional Customs 4
4. Methods of Translating Idioms 5
4.1 Literal Translation 5
4.2 Free Translation 5
4.3 Literal Translation and Free Translation 5
4.4 Literal Translation and Free Translation and Annotation 5
4.5 Equivalaent Translation 5
5. Conclusion 6
References 7
