Abstract

A Dream of Red Mansions is one of the great works in the late feudal society and it has a highly ideological and artistic culture. It depicts a human world at the end of the feudal society. Especially, the language dominates all, revealing the interpersonal relationship, shaping the character, reflecting the phenomenon of life, highlighting the rebellious consciousness.

 This thesis systematically discusses Hawkes’s and Yang Hsien-yi’s English versions of A Dream of Red Mansions. Firstly, it defines the term cursing expressions and analyses two typical English versions so as to illustrate the features of two versions. Secondly, the thesis analyses the influence of cultural differences on cursing expressions’ translation in A Dream of Red Mansions by studying the different translation in religion, society, ecologic, language and material world. Thirdly, the thesis focuses on the cultural connotation to explore the value of culture. It’s hopeful that the thesis can be helpful for further studies.

 Key words: A Dream of Red Mansions; cursing expressions’ translation; cultural differences; cultural values

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction.1

  1.1 The object of the study and the significance of the study1

  1.2 The methodology of the study.2

  1.3 The literature review of the study2 

2 Two typical English versions of cursing expressions’ translation in A Dream of Red Mansions .3

2.1 Introduction to two English versions .3

2.2 Some comments on two typical English versions .3

3 Influence of cultural differences on cursing expressions’ translation in A Dream of Red Mansions4

3.1 Different cultural translation in religion.4

3.2 Different cultural translation in society.5

3.3 Different cultural translation in ecology6

3.4 Different cultural translation in language7

3.5 Different cultural translation in material.8

4 Cultural connotation of cursing expressions and the significance of its translation.9

4.1 The cultural connotation of expletives .9

4.2 The significance of its translation.11

5 Conclusion.12

References 14