“Three-beauty Theory” in Xu Yuanchong’s English Version of the Book of Poetry_英语论文

摘要

在2010年德国举办的最美书评中，诗经一举夺冠。《诗经》作为中国传统文学的基石，其美的特性是显而易见的。一方面，从语言角度来看，其语言简洁，隐晦而含蓄美，另一方面，其兼具意美和形美。所以，“如何恰当地传达出诗经的美”是诗经英译的一个重要问题。由许渊冲老先生提出的“三美论”对诗经英译有重要的指导意义，值得学习和推广。

本文旨在对许老的“三美论”做出客观公正的评价。本文通过分析诗歌和诗经的语言特点，结合三美原则，举例说明其在翻译中的妙用，来肯定“三美原则”在诗经中的指导意义，许译本诗经并非尽善尽美，但他在诗经翻译实践做出的有益尝试对中国文学对外传译有重要影响。 

关键词：“三美原则”，许渊冲，《诗经》，翻译

Abstract

In 2010, the competition for the most beautiful book in the World was held in German. In this grand event, the Book of Poetry has won the first prize. Standing as the fountainhead of realism and an artistic milestone in Chinese classical literature, the Book of Poetry is evident by its nature of beauty. Meanwhile, from the aspect of the language, it is simple, implicit, and elegant. It has beauty in meaning, sound and form. That is to say, how to convey the beauty in the book is a vital issue of translating the Book of Poetry properly. The Three-beauty Theory, put forward by Mr. Xu Yuanchong, has become a proper principle to translate the Book of Poetry.

The paper has made a specified narration and analysis about the three aspects of Three-beauty Principle, namely, the beauty in meaning, in sound and in form. What’s more, the paper made an analysis about the representation of three beauties in the version of Xu by specific examples. Through examples, the conclusion could be made, that is Three-beauty Principle is quite suitable for guiding the translation of the Book of Poetry.

Key words: Three-beauty Principle, Xu Yuanchong, Book of Poetry, translation

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Demonstration 1

2.1 The original Book of Poetry 2

2.1.1 A brief introduction to the original Book of Poetry 2

2.1.2 The language features of the Book of Poetry 3

2.1.2.1 Simile, metaphor and the practice of association 3

2.1.2.2 Four-character Regulated Verse 3

2.1.2.3 Repetition 4

2.2 Three-beauty Principle 4

2.3.1The Origin and the Development 5

2.3.2 Beauty in Meaning 5

2.3.2.1 Translation of Images 5

2.3.2.2 Translation of Simile and Metaphor 6

2.3.3 Beauty in sound 7

2.3.3.1Translation of End-rhyme 7

2.3.3.2 Translation of Alliteration 8

2.3.3.3 Translation of Onomatopoeia 9

2.3.4 Beauty in Form 10

2.3.4.1 Length of lines 10

3. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 12

Bibliography 13