摘 要

习语是语言的精华，带有浓厚的民族色彩和鲜明的文化内涵。近几年来，国家政要人物的讲话稿中，引用习语的次数越来越多。习语的使用不仅能生动形象地说明问题，更能够以此为载体让世界了解中国文化。因此，汉语习语的英译在文化输出的道路上扮演着越来越重要的作用。针对习语的英译，已有大量学者进行了研究并得出了系统的结论。国家政要人物讲话稿中的习语翻译，常被用作研究材料的一部分，却少有学者对其进行专门的研究。由于国家政要人物讲话稿中立场和语气的不同，本文作者认为应该采用更贴合其特点的思考方式和翻译形式进行翻译。因此，本文结合当前学者的汉语习语英译理论，以习近平、李克强两位政要人物的十篇英文版讲话稿为材料，从讲话稿中习语的特点、分类和翻译策略入手，探索提出建立习语翻译语库、从来源理解习语、以意译为主直译为辅、多采用释义法等翻译策略，希望能为国家政务人物讲话稿中习语的翻译提供一些有价值的参考。

关键词：汉语习语；英译；释义法；国家政要人物

Abstract

Idioms are the essence of language, with strong colors of nation and distinct cultural connotations. In recent years, more and more idioms have been quoted in the speeches of states officials. The use of idioms cannot only vividly illustrate the intent, but also as a carrier to let the world have a better understanding of Chinese culture. Therefore, the English translation of Chinese idioms plays a more and more important role in the way of cultural exportation. For the English translation of idioms, a large number of scholars have studied and obtained a systematic conclusion. The translation of idioms in the speeches of states officials is often used as part of the research materials, but few scholars have studied them specifically. Because of the difference of position and tone in the speeches of states officials, the author thinks that the way of thinking and translation should be changed. Therefore, this paper is on the basis of the current scholars’ theory of English translation of Chinese idioms, taking the 10 speeches of two dignitaries from Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang as materials, and starting from the features, classifications and translation strategies of idioms in these speeches. The author explores some translation strategies such as “the establishment of idioms translation library”, “the source of idioms makes better understanding”, “the free translation as the main and the literal translation as supplement” and “interpretation”. Hopefully, all of these strategies can provide some valuable references for the translation of idioms in the speeches of states officials.

Key Words: Chinese idioms; English translation; Explanation; states officials

Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

1.2 purpose

1.3 Research Methods

1.3.1 Literature Research Method

1.3.2 Case Study Method

1.3.3Experience Summary method

2. Analysis on the usage of idioms in Chinese political figures ' speeches

2.1 Definition of Idioms

2.2 The classification of idioms in the speeches of Chinese political figures

2.2.1 chengyu

2.2.2 verse，couplets

2.2.3 Famous aphorism

2.2.4 proverb，old saying

2.2.5 imitation of classical Chinese

2.3 Characteristics of idioms in the speeches of Chinese political figures

2.3.1 refining

2.3.2 antithesis

2.3.3 rhetoric

3.  Idioms translation Strategies in the speeches of Chinese political figures

3.1 Preparation before translation

3.1.1 Building Idioms Library

3.1.2The concept corresponding library under the cultural difference

3.2 Translation Strategies

3.2.1 Understand Accurately of the original

3.2.2 Realize communicative function-- paraphrase

3.2.3 Simplified Translation Information

3.2.4 Supplement appropriate information

4. Conclusion

4.1 building translating language library

4.1.1 Building common Idioms Library

4.1.2 Building the corresponding library of difference words

4.2 understanding the meaning Accurately

4.2.1 Finding the source

4.2.2 Avoiding to use the literal meaning

4.3 Based on free translation

4.4 Adding information appropriately

References

Acknowledgements

Brief Discussion on Idioms in the Text of Statement of Senior Politicians

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

The remarks made by states officials in on important occasions, such as conferences and visits, are important ways for a country to contact and communicate with others. Based on this, the content of the speech often contains the national interests and diplomatic attitude, it has a clear political stance, and a high demand for translation. Chinese politicians often use idioms and allusions in speeches, which are the essence of the Chinese language and have highly Chinese distinctives. How to translate them quickly, accurately and vividly is a problem waiting to be studied.

With the rapid development of economy and the increasing international status, our foreign exchanges are more and more frequent. Recently, a large number of scholars have studied the idiom translation. Momin（2013） analyzed and summarized the difficulties in interpreting Chinese idioms in her article "The difficulties and countermeasures of Chinese idiom interpretation". According to the Chinese-English interpretation of the leaders ' speech in APEC, Yang Dongqing (2015) studied the idiom interpretation based on the theory of “interpretative approach”. Mao Ying(2014:147-148) discussed the Chinese-style lexical translation method from the point of view of the Skopos theory. Zhou Xiaogang( 2015) compared and analyzed the English translation of Xi Jinping's inaugural speech, and putted forward his own views on idiom translation. The differences between English and Chinese idioms are mainly embodied in the way of thinking, historical allusions, religious beliefs, customs and production transformation (Li, 2015). Idioms have unique Chinese characteristics, it formed with thousands of years of Chinese traditional culture（Peng amp; Hu, 2017:94-96). Chinese idioms are difficult to be translated into English because of their complex structure, rich connotations, distinctive cultural attitudes and characteristics (Zhao, 2009 :192-195), it has been recognized as a hard nut (Zhang, 2016). In the process of translating, if the image can’t be accepted by the readers of the target language, the literal translation will be opposite to the custom and aesthetic standard of the original. But if completely discards the original image, it will lose certain rhetorical beauty. So in order to make up for the loss which caused by failure to reproduce the original image, translators are required to change the original image (Lu, 2005:104-107) Therefore, the translation of idioms should focus not only on the differences between English and Chinese languages, but also on cultural differences (Huang amp; Chen, 2010:73-73).

In the research above, the translation of Chinese characteristic lexical translation、the difficulty of idiom translation and the translation strategies under different translation theories have been discussed, but no further research has been done on idiom translation in the speech of national political leaders. This paper firstly shows the characteristics and classification of the idioms, which are used in the speeches of the national dignitaries. And then studies the difficulties、key points in the translation. Lastly, it concludes with the new effective translation strategy.

1.2 purpose

In the context of China's increasing international status, the growing prosperity of China's diplomacy and the more and more forceful sound, the paper explores an effective translation strategy of the idioms in the discourse of states officials. Trying to provide reference in translating idioms in the speech contents and conveying our diplomatic attitude accurately, fluently and vividly.