《红楼梦》菜名翻译策略_英语论文

Strategies for Translating Dish Names and Cuisine Terms into English in A Dream of the Red Mansions

摘要

《红楼梦》是中国封建社会的百科全书，是中国古典小说的集大成者。其涉及到的民族特色文化，从政治、民俗、饮食、服饰到医药、宗教、文学、建筑，涵盖非常广，而饮食是红楼梦中的重要组成部分。红楼梦中的菜肴种类多到不可计数，大多数的菜名都具有中国传统文化的烙印。

作为一部经典文学名作，《红楼梦》受到翻译界的极大重视，从1842年R.汤姆的英译，迄今为止，已有多个英译版本。其中比较著名的有两个版本，一是戴维.霍克斯的版本，另一个是杨宪益、戴乃迭夫妇的版本。两个版本译者都是翻译高手，但由于文化背景不同，在翻译上存在着很多差异，这些差别，在菜名的翻译上也颇为明显。对于通过文学作品了解中国传统饮食文化而言，比较并研究霍克斯和杨宪益的两个英译本对《红楼梦》的菜名英译研究尤为重要。

这次论文主要研究红楼梦多种菜名的英译，在精心选择《红楼梦》英译本（杨宪益、戴乃迭译本和霍克斯译本）的基础上，熟读《红楼梦》及其英译本，了解小说创作的背景及其文学主题、社会文化意义等；孰知翻译的一般原则、策略、技巧与方法；了解中国传统饮食文化及其变迁；了解菜名可能具有的的社会文化意义；另外，从“红楼饮食”的文化意蕴看中国传统文化的特点，论述中西饮食文化的差异性。

关键词：红楼梦；菜名；文化内涵；翻译策略；中西饮食文化 

Abstract

A Dream of the Red Mansions is the encyclopedia of the Chinese feudal society and also is the culmination of Chinese classical literature. It covers a wide range of topics with strong Chinese national characteristics from politics, customs, foods, and clothes to medicine, religion, literature and architecture. Food culture plays an important part in A Dream of the Red Mansions. The names and specific terms of food culture in the novel are actually unaccountable. The majority of dish names and cuisine terms stamps with Chinese traditional culture. 

As a classical literature, the translation field puts great emphasis on A Dream of the Red Mansions. So far, since R.Tom translated it into English in 1842, there have had many English versions among which the two famous versions are respectively translated by David Hawkes and the Yangs. Although all the translators are masters in translation, due to different cultural backgrounds, there are still many differences existing in the two different versions, especially in dish names and cuisine terms. As a result, it is important to compare and study the two different versions in translating dish names and cuisine terms into English.

This thesis mainly studied the English translation of dish names and cuisine terms. Based on Hawkes’ and the Yangs’ versions, we shall read and reread A Dream of the Red Mansions and its English versions carefully. Firstly, we shall learn the background, theme and social–cultural connotation of the novel. Secondly, we should know Chinese food culture and the changes it has experienced. Thirdly, we may need to realize the social-cultural meaning of dish names and cuisine terms. Furthermore, based on the Red Chamber Food, this thesis also probed into the features of the Chinese traditional culture, especially the differences of Chinese-west food cultures between China and western world.

Key words: A Dream of the Red Mansions; dish names and cuisine terms; cultural connotation; translating strategies; the Chinese-west food cultures