A comparative study on chinese and english animals idioms and translation strategies

Abstract

Idiom, being an indispensable constituent of language, is the quintessence of the erudition. Every civilization has its own characteristics on the ground that there are some discrepancies in history, geography, customs, etc., among divergent sovereign states. Therefore, it is unambiguous that there subsists divergences in metaphorical objects and its implication of animal idioms among distinctive erudition. This paper attempts to compare and contrast English and Chinese animal idioms from its metaphorical objects and meanings and they can be categorized into four types. It is widely acknowledged that some animal idioms have equivalent connotations in culture. However, the majority of them have diverse implications among distinctive countries. On this basis, many exemplars are cited to make clear translation strategies of Chinese animals idioms. The author will interpose several interpretation principles a. Equivalent Translation, Reserve Image; b. Corresponding Translation, Change Image; c. Compromising Translation, Abandon Image. The author expects these translation principles will provide some constructive clues for translators. Here the author will mainly illustrate the translation strategies of idioms that have same metaphorical objects and maintain different metaphorical meanings as well as idioms of metaphorical vacancies on the basis of the comparative study on Chinese and English Animals idioms.