Abstract：Under the influence of different cultural backgrounds, social customs and religious beliefs, different cultures vary in their description of color terms. On the other hand, for different nations, the same color term may differ in its connotation and association. “Red” (Hong) has a high exposure in the original novel Hong Lou Meng, from the description of the characters’ dresses to the seasonal scenery in the residence, from traditional celebrations to conventional idioms. Moreover, “Hong” is also indispensable for describing the appearance and psychological movements of the characters. The proper translation of them poses a great challenge to the translator. Based on the study of the translation of “Hong” (Red) in The Story of the Stone, by David Hawkes, this thesis is to discuss and conclude strategies for the translation of denotation and connotation of “red”, and to explore the influence of cultural association and the translator’s purpose on the translation strategies.

Key words: color terms; red; cultural association; translation strategies; 

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-1

3. Translation of Denotation of “Red”-3

3.1Basic Color Terms of “Red”-3

3.2 Color Terms with “Red” of Objects-5

4. Translation of Connotation of “Red”-6

4.1 Showing Emotions-7

4.2 Reflecting Social Culture-9

5. Translation Strategies and Reasons for Different Strategies-12

5.1 Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation-12

5.2 Reasons for Different Translation Strategies-13

6. Conclusion-15

Works Cited-17