摘  要

谚语是在群众间流传的，用简单通俗的话语反映出深刻道理的固定语句。世界上各个民族的谚语都蕴含着哲理和强烈的节奏感。研究一个民族的谚语可以更深入地了解该民族的风俗以及人们的精神生活。英汉谚语的互译不仅涉及了不同语言间的翻译，而且也是文化内容的体现。谚语的产生和使用在各自的文化中呈现出不同的特色，因而谚语翻译历来是翻译的难点。本文旨在从地理、历史、宗教和社会风俗等方面来分析中西方文化差异在谚语中的体现。本文介绍了几种比较实用的适合谚语翻译的方法，如直译、借用、意译、直译加意译和注释等方法。同时用谚语翻译实例进行说明，以便使读者更好地了解中西文化差异，并灵活进行谚语翻译。

关键词：文化差异 谚语翻译 翻译策略及方法
 
Abstract

Proverbs are the fixed statement which widely spread among the masses with a general discourse that can reflect the profound truth. Proverbs of every nation in the world contain both philosophy and strong sense of rhythm in them. To explore the proverbs of a certain language is one of the feasible approaches to get an insight into the nation’s people and spiritual life. The English-Chinese and Chinese-English proverb translation involves not only the transfer of language but also the transmission of culture. The emergence and use of proverbs demonstrate the unique characteristics of its own culture. Therefore, proverb translation has always been a difficulty. The present thesis attempts to study cultural differences between western and eastern proverbs from perspectives like geographic, historical, religious and social customs. This thesis is going to propose several methods for proverb translation such as metaphrase, borrowing, free translation, metaphrase plus free translation and the use of notes. At the same time, practical examples of proverb translation are applied accordingly to benefit learners and readers in their better understanding of cultural differences and their skillful translation of proverbs.

Key words: cultural differences; proverb translation; translation strategies and methods

1 Introduction
Language is the carrier of culture, which reflects the culture it represents. Set phrase or proverb is an indispensable essence part of culture, which contains very rich historical, social, religious and cultural contents. Actually, proverbs are seen as the most important too for people’s communication which can be treated as an indispensable part of culture and is influenced by culture in return. Without culture, language would be insignificant. Moreover, proverbs are considered to be the most popular saying in the society and the wisdoms of a nation which reveals the people’s mind and wisdom in pieces of words. Without proverbs, language would lack spirit and color. A concentrated reflection of various rhetorical means and a mirror of the historical and cultural conceptions of a society are revealed in proverbs.