Abstract:

As is known to all, language is the most direct way to communicate information and ideas with human beings. Proverb is the cultural cream shaped in the course of cultural development. Firstly, the thesis explains the definitions of proverb and culture briefly. Secondly, it analyses the cultural differences between English and Chinese proverbs. Thirdly, the thesis puts forward two main translation strategies: domestication and foreignization. Lastly, it suggests using three methods in proverb translation, that is, foreignization as major method, domestication as supplemental method and the combination of both, and gives some examples to illustrate the application of the strategies.

Keywords: cultural differences; proverb translation; domestication; foreignization

摘  要： 

众所周知，对于人类来说，语言是最直接的交流信息和观点的途径。谚语是在文化历史的发展中形成的文化瑰宝。本论文首先简要阐述了谚语和文化的含义，其次分析了英汉谚语的文化差异。接着，本文提出了归化和异化这两种主要的翻译策略。最后，本文提出在英汉谚语翻译中以异化为主，归化为辅及两者适当结合的三种方法，并举例说明了这一主张的实际运用。

关键词：文化差异；谚语翻译；归化；异化

1. Introduction
Proverbs date back from life and make up one of the important parts of language of that country. It reflects the narrow of nature. Great Britain has a long history of languages and the background of cultures. Many proverbs are vivid and having strong local color and national features. Proverbs as the essence of language are the quintessence of culture. Therefore, the translation of proverbs plays an important role in English translation. Nowadays, people no longer consider translation merely as a symbol of language, but as a cross-cultural communication. That is to say, cultural transmission is the essence of translation. So I think foreignization and domestication should be focused in current translation studies. Domestication refers to TL-culture-oriented translation in which expressions acceptable in target language culture are exploited in order to make the translated texts intelligible and suitable for the target text readers. Foreignization is SL-culture-oriented translation, which strives to preserve as much as possible the original flavor in order to retain the foreignness of the source language culture.
The thesis focuses on the two strategies- foreignization and domestication and their application in translation. It firstly explains the definition of proverb and culture briefly. Secondly, it analyses the cultural differences between English and Chinese proverbs. Thirdly, the thesis puts forward two main translation strategies: domestication and foreignization. Lastly, it suggests using three methods in proverb translation, that is, foreignization as major method, domestication as supplemental method and the combination of both, and gives some examples to illustrate the application of the strategies.