《新世纪汉英大词典》数字词语的英译研究_英语论文

A Study of the Translation of Numerical Words & Expressions in NCCED

摘要

数字词语往往含有丰富的文化内涵，因此它们的翻译值得深思和关注。汉语里的数字词语也不例外，特别是当把它们英译之时。有鉴于此，本文特以《新世纪汉英大词典》为考察范围，挑选其中近3000条数字词语，探讨它们的英译问题。首先讨论了数字词语的定义和特征，然后比较分析了英汉数字词语的文化差异。复次，对汉语数字词语的英译问题进行文献回顾，总结它们的一些翻译方法，例如直译、意译、改译和释译。最后则基于《新世纪汉英大词典》的简介以及对其数字词语的概括，重点研究它所包含的数字词语的翻译方法。经过调查分析，发现《新世纪汉英大词典》数字词语的英译方式无非是直译法、意译法、改译法和释译法。本文最终得出两个结论：第一，汉语数字词语的英译是一种跨文化交际行为，所以只有深入理解两种语言的文化背景，才能达到优质的翻译；第二，上述四种翻译方法不但适用于《新世纪汉英大词典》中的数字词语，也适用于整个汉语言文化中的数字类词语。

关键词：数字词语；《新世纪汉英大词典》；文化涵义；翻译方法

Abstract

Numerical words and expressions are endowed with rich cultural connotations and thus the translation of them into another language worths considered and due attention. The Chinese numerical words and expressions are just such a case, especially when they are translated into English. Keeping this in mind, this paper takes A New Century Chinese-English Dictionary (NCCED for short) as the scope and selects nearly 3,000 numerical words and expressions to discuss their translation. Firstly, the definition and features of them are clarified. Then the cultural connotations of them in both English and Chinese are contrasted and analyzed. Thirdly, a literature review on the English translation of Chinese numerical words and expressions is conducted and some translating methods in this regard are summarized: literal translation, liberal translation, adaption and paraphrase. Fourthly, the translating methods of the Chinese numerical words and expressions in NCCED are talked about on the basis of a brief introduction to NCCED and a survey of its numerical entries. After an investigation, it is found that the major methods employed in the English translation of the Chinese numericals in NCCED are none but literal translation, liberal translation, adaption and paraphrase. In short, there are two conclusions and the first is that the English translation of Chinese numerical lexicon is a cross-cultural communicative activity, so only the cultural backgrounds of the two languages are comprehended clearly, can the translating results will be good enough. The second conclusion is that the four translating methods mentioned above are used not only for the numerical lexis in NCCED but also for those in the Chinese language.  

Key words: numerical words & expressions; NCCED; cultural connotations; translating methods 

Contents

1 Introduction.1

2 The Numerical Words & Expressions in the Chinese and English    

  Language.2

    2.1 The Definition and Features2

  2.2 The Cultural Connotations of both Chinese and English Numeral Vocabulary.3  

3 The Translation of Numerical Words & Expressions4

  3.1 A Literature Review4

  3.2 Some Translating Methods of Numerical Words & Expressions6

      3.2.1 Literal Translation.6

      3.2.2 Liberal Translation.6

      3.2.3 Adaption.6

      3.2.4 Paraphrase7

4 Some Summarized Translating Methods for the Numerical Words &  

  Expressions in NCCED.7

  4.1 A Brief Introduction to NCCED.7

  4.2 The General Situation of Numerical Entries in NCCED8

  4.3 The Four Translating Methods Concerning the Numerical Entries in NCCED.9

      4.3.1 Literal Translation9

      4.3.2 Liberal Translation.10

      4.3.3 Adaption.11

      4.3.4 Paraphrase12

5 Conclusion14

References.15