Abstract:

This paper analyses the influences of the differences between the Chinese culture and the Western culture toward translation, from the perspective of religious belief, geographical environment, modes of thinking and different historical culture. It discusses two strategies of translating Chinese idioms. In order to introduce Chinese cultures to foreigners, we prefer the strategy of foreignization based on keeping the functional equivalence from the cross-cultural perspective. In translating English idioms, it aims to propose the integrated translation approach, one indispensable and important tactic to Chinese translation of English idioms based on Nida’s dynamic equivalence.

Key words: English idioms;  Chinese idioms;  cultural differences;  translation methods

摘要：

本论文从宗教信仰，地理环境，思维方式和不同的历史文化的角度，分析了中英文化差异对习语翻译的影响。在翻译汉语习语方面，本论文主要讨论了两种翻译策略。为了向外国人介绍中国的文化，在跨文化的角度保持功能等价的基础上，我们更喜欢异化策略。在英语习语翻译方面，更提倡的是综合翻译这种翻译方法，在奈达动态理论的基础上，是翻译英语习语的一个不可或缺的重要方法。

关键词：英语习语； 汉语习语； 文化差异； 翻译方法

1. Introduction
According to Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's English Dictionary, "idiom" refers to "an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either grammatically or in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements." Idioms are shaped in a community after a long period's living of the local people, so it is the reflection and expression of the environment, life, historical culture, fairy tales, geographic situations, etc. of the native speakers and has a close relation with their innermost spirit and feelings. In some senses, idioms mirror the culture and national characteristics of a country. Lots of cultural information is embedded in idioms.
    Both Chinese and English are enriched with idioms. English idioms and Chinese idioms play very important roles in both languages. On one hand, they have common characteristics of human language. But, they also have great differences resulted from different culture on another hand. Because China and England have different cultures, so the Chinese idioms and English idioms reflect the different cultures. The different backgrounds of culture cause the main cultural differences between Chinese and English idioms. Thus, in translation of Chinese and English idioms, much attention should be paid on the differences of cultures and languages themselves.