On the Translation of Chinese Color Idioms from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory

Abstract Every time-honored language has a large number of idioms, which are fixed phrases and short sentences derived and refined from long real life experience with the features of conciseness, metaphor and penetration, etc. They are the pith and marrow of a language and the crystallization of wisdom. Idioms, especially the color idioms are vivid enough to imply sufficient metaphorical meanings and cultural connotations, and carry unique social mores and ethnic characteristics. Therefore, the translation of color idioms is relatively difficult to achieve exact equivalence and misunderstanding occur in cross-cultural communications at times. The reasons for such misunderstanding includes ignoring the figurative meanings of color idioms, neglecting the unequivalence in forms, functions and contents between English and Chinese idioms, not realizing the untranslatability of some color idioms and lacking the cognition of differences between national preferences to colors. And as Eugene Albert Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory emphasizes on the content and form as well as target reader’s response which is appropriate to be applied in English translation of Chinese color idioms. Therefore, in this paper, there will be an exploration of Nida’s theory and the cultural connotatons of color idioms, putting forward some translation strategies to figure out the problems in translation. Also, the author hopes to promote the dissemination of Chinese culture.61290

Keywords: Chinese color idioms; Functional Equivalence Theory; cultural connotations; translation strategies

从功能对等理论谈中国颜色习语的翻译

摘要每一种历史悠久的语言都有大量的习语。习语是经过长时间的使用而提炼出来的固定短语或短句，一般具有文字简练，比喻形象，含义精辟等特点，是语言的浓缩和精华，也是人们智慧的结晶。习语，尤其是颜色习语形象生动，更是蕴含着丰富的比喻意义与文化内涵，承载着独特的风俗习惯与民族特色，因此颜色习语的翻译也因浓厚的文化特色而无法实现完全对等。并且由于在翻译时忽视了颜色习语的比喻意义，忽视了中英习语在形式、功能和内容上的不同，没有意识到部分颜色习语的不可译性以及缺乏不同民族具有不同颜色倾向的认知，所以在跨文化交际中会时不时地出现误解。尤金·艾伯特·奈达的功能对等理论在注重翻译内容和形式的同时，更强调了目标读者的反应。这一理论正与中国颜色习语英译的目标相契合。因此，在本篇论文中，作者会功能对等理论对进行分析，总结中国颜色习语的文化内涵，并且针对翻译中存在问题提出一些翻译策略。

毕业论文关键词：中国颜色习语；功能对等理论；文化内涵；翻译策略

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

1.1 Research Background 1

1.2 Significance of the Research 2

1.3 Organization of the Paper 3

Chapter 2 Literature Review 3

2.1 Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory 3

2.1.1 Introduction of Functional Equivalence Theory 3

2.1.2 Related studies on Functional Equivalence Theory abroad and at home 4

2.2 Related Studies on the Translation of Color Idioms 5

Chapter 3 An Overview of Chinese Color Idioms 6

3.1 Definitions of Chinese Idioms 6

3.2 Classification of Color Idioms