Abstract:As one of the major research topics in the field of cross-cultural studies, people have long since concerned about the translation of idioms. In our country, there are a good deal of papers about translation which also include many excellent works. Cultural differences between Chinese and English language will necessarily lead to different language phenomenon, and idiom is a unique way of expressing when people use languages, and it is the crystallization of a language and culture. 

The research object of this paper mainly bases on the English idioms and Chinese idioms. This paper elaborates the influence of cultural differences on the translation of idioms from the living environment, the traditional culture, historical culture and religious culture and so on, and the main tools are literal translation, free translation, partial translation and so forth. The study aims to suggest a series of solutions to the cultural conflict by probing into the different cultures between China and western countries and find out the reasons for the differences of the translation of idioms.

The results implicate that the differences of the translation of idioms in Chinese and English culture mainly lie in origin, connotation and image; while the reason for the differences are people's ways of thinking, values and ideologies. Basically, different living conditions have determined all differences. In order to understand different cultures and translate the idioms more better, this paper suggests integrating those elite parts from exotic culture, translating the idioms integrating the language environment and study more not only about our own culture but also about the exotic culture.

Key words: intercultural communication; cultural differences; the translation of idioms; reasons for the differences

Table of Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction1

2. Idiom-2

2.1 Definition of idiom-2

2.2 Features of idiom-2

2.2.1 Semantic unity2

2.2.2 Fixed structure3

2.2.3 Rich in figures of speech3

2.2.4 Rich cultural connotations3 

2.3 Species of idioms-3

2.3.1 Set phrases-3

2.3.2 Enigmatic folk similes-4

2.3.3 Proverbs-4

2.3.4 Vulgar slangs-4

2.4 Summary-5

3.Reasons of Cultural Differences on the Translation of Idioms-6

3.1 Introduction6

3.2 Different geographical background6 

3.3 Different customs and habits6

3.4 Different religious belief.7

3.5 Different historical allusion7

3.6 Summary7

4. Ways of Knowing the Foreign Culture8

4.1 Common usage , frequent words and phrases8

4.2 Construction of phrases and relationship between word and word8

4.3 Meaning of polysemanic words.9

4.4 Mode of thinking and logical reasoning.9

4.5 Potential meaning of trope skills10

4.6 Summary.11

5. Principles and Solutions to the Cultural Differences on the Translation of Idioms12

5.1 Introduction to the principle:faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance12

5.2 Solutions to the cultural differences on the translation of idioms-12

5.2.1 Literal translation13

5.2.2 Free translation...13

5.2.3 Combination of literal and free translation.14

5.2.4 Filling-up translation .14

5.2.5 Substitution translation.15

5.2.6 Partial translation..15

5.3 Summary-.16

6. Conclusion-17

Bibliography-18

Acknowledgements-19