4. Handling of Idioms / “hard nut to crack”

4. Handling of Idioms / “hard nut to crack” • The interpreting of idioms is always difficult. Our mother tongue, the Chinese language, is particularly rich in idioms. So is English. Idioms are usually forcible, terse and vivid. The same meaning could of course be set forth in some other ways, but not with equal force and terseness. This feature of idioms makes it difficult to translate——and all the more difficult to interpret——into a different language off-hand. ( ①pressing, limited time; ②lack of cultural and cross-cultural knowledge.) Metaphorical meaning and certain kinds of invariableness are related to

each other. This can be seen in two well-known phrases, (1) give up the ghost and (2) spill the beans. The meanings are (1) to die and (2) to reveal something; make something known. These meanings are quite different from the literal meanings of the words in the phrases. The man gave up the ghost=the man died. He spilt the beans (=revealed the secret) over my plans to find a new job. But practice has led us to believe that we can present an adequate rendition of an idiom (either C-E or E-C) provided we manage to get an accurate comprehension of the meaning or implication and, on this basis, put across the idea or meaning properly in the light of the context.

A . Definition of Idioms and Their Scope/Range An idiom can be defined as a group of words with a meaning different from the combined meanings of its component words. It is a combination of two or more words which are usually structurally fixed and semantically hard to understand, and function as a single unit of meaning. And idioms can be understood both in a broad sense and in a narrow sense. In the narrow sense, they refer to the set phrases or clauses used in a language. Broadly speaking, they comprise all the idiomatic and special expressions in that language, namely, all the set

phrases, colloquialisms, proverbs, slang and clichés in English, and all the four-character set phrases（成语）, common sayings（俗语）, proverbs and two-part allegorical sayings（歇后语）(of which the first part is descriptive and the second part carries the meaning) in Chinese. For example, “red tape” is an English idiom which means “official rules and procedures that seem unnecessary and cause delay.” Thus one can hardly guess its meaning from the individual words that form it, for these words have already lost their original meaning.

B. Ways to Handle Idioms a) Borrowing or Idiom for idiom As we mentioned previously, both Chinese and English abound in idioms. Some idioms in one language contain images, descriptions and meanings almost identical to idioms in the language. This is because certain natural and human experiences are shared by the whole mankind wherever they live. There are also idioms that express the same meaning though they don’t have identical metaphors or images.

In both cases, we might as well borrow them directly from the target language so as to retain their vividness and achieve equivalence in effect. For example: • Where there’s a will, there’s a way.有志者事竟成。 • Strike while the iron is hot.趁热打铁。Make hay while the sun is out. • All good things must come to an end.天下没有不散的筵席。 • A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.吃一堑，长一智。

杀鸡取卵。To kill the goose that lays golden eggs. • 一箭双雕。To kill two birds with one stone. • 三思而后行。Look before you leap. • 无风不起浪。There is no smoke without fire. • 谋事在人，成事在天。Man proposes, God disposes. • 滴水穿石。Constant dripping wears the stone. • 熟能生巧。Practice makes perfect. • 天道酬勤. 天无绝人之路. God helps those who help themselves.

Literal translation means word-for-word rendition, bringing the whole image into the target language. This approach is used when the image contained in an idiom can be easily understood by the speakers of the target language. This is also an effective way to introduce some images in the Chinese language to the English readers. b) Literal Translation

留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。There’ll never be a shortage of firewood as long as green hills remain; as long as green mountains are there, one need not worry about firewood;While there is life, there is hope. • 易如反掌。As easy as turning over one’s hand/palm; child’s play, a piece of cake. • 海内存知己，天涯若比邻。A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near; a bosom friend afar makes the world smaller; long distance separates no bosom friends. • 君子动口不动手。A gentleman uses his tongue, but his fists. • 千里之行，始于足下。A thousand-li journey is started by taking the first step.

良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳利于行。Good medicine is bitter in the mouth, but good for the disease. • 兼听则明，偏听则暗。Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; heed only one side and you will be benighted. • 血浓于水。Blood is thicker than water. • 如风卷残云一般。Like a whirlwind scattering wisps of cloud. • 癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉。You’re like a toad trying to swallow a swan! • 忙忙如丧家之犬，急急如漏网之鱼。Stealthily as stray dogs, swiftly as fish escaping from the net. • 巧妇难为无米之炊。Even the cleverest housewife cannot make a meal without rice. 杨宪益

Some idioms which exhibit strong national characteristics can neither be handled by borrowing idioms from the target language nor translated literally because it would cause misunderstanding or could not be easily accepted by native speakers of the other language. In this case, it is necessary to resort to free translation, or paraphrasing. For example: c) Free Translation or Paraphrasing

王小二过年，一年不如一年。to be going from bad to worse; to be deteriorating. • 碰一鼻子灰 to be snubbed; to meet with a rebuff; to be rejected. • 擀面杖吹火——一窍不通 to know practically nothing about • 晚娘的拳头，云里的日头。A stepmother is always cruel. • 促膝谈心 talk comfortably at the same table • 獐头鼠目 homely • 木已成舟，只好如此了。What’s done is done, and cannot be undone

打开窗子说亮话。Frankly speaking; Let’s not mince matters. Let’s speak frankly. (According to the psychology of the English people, adopt some similar ways to express its meaning and change the image and the metaphoric meaning in the original language) 狐假虎威 like a donkey in lion’s skin cf. a wolf in sheep’s skin 龙凤之表 he looked every inch a king • 三个臭皮匠，顶（赛过）个诸葛亮。Three cobblers with their wits combined equal/surpass Zhuge Liang —— the master mind; Two heads are better than one. • 一个和尚挑水吃，两个和尚抬水吃，三个和尚没水吃。One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy; Everyone’s business is nobody’s business.

C. Practical Advice for Handling Idioms a) Render the meaning, not mere words in the light of the context • 中国人民解放军70年的历史，是从小到大，从弱到强的发展史。The seventy years’ history of the PLA is a history of its growth in size and strength. (But not “from weak to strong” and from small to large”.) • 别跟他争了，他已经是风烛残年的人了。 Don’t argue with him. He has already got one foot in the grave. • 会上出现了很长时间的僵局。 It was a long time before someone broke the ice at the meeting.

b) Distinguish the commendatory term from the derogatory term. This is also an important rule. Abiding by this rule we cannot be far wrong in interpreting, nor would we commit the mistake of reversal of sense. A commendatory term is one that essentially carries the quality of being good and commendable and express praise and approval.

威武不屈 not to be subdued by force;Unyielding and united as one, the Egyptian people have safeguarded their independence and sovereignty. • 呕心沥血 to work one’s heart out; to shed one’s heart’s blood A derogatory tm is one that tends to take away the good and commendable quality and serves to belittle someone or something that the term is applied to. • 忘乎所以 to forget oneself; to get swollen-headed • 胆小如鼠 as cowardly as a mouse; as timid as a hare.

We should avoid using seemingly identical but actually erroneous idioms in interpreting. (false friend) • 你可不能食言啊！You can’t break your promise. ≠ You can’t eat your words.（承认自己说了错话） • 你可别拖后腿呀！You shouldn’t pull his leg! You should not stand in his way. You should not prevent him from going. • You are pulling my leg. 你在开玩笑。 c) Do not misuse foreign idioms in interpreting

有些英语成语同汉语的习惯说法，在形式上非常相似，使我们极易产生望文生义而造成误译。其实这两有些英语成语同汉语的习惯说法，在形式上非常相似，使我们极易产生望文生义而造成误译。其实这两者之间只是形似意不似，貌合神离。(false friend) Pull sb’s leg 误译：拖后腿正译：愚弄某人，开某人玩笑to play tricks on sb./make fun of sb. Move heaven and earth 误：翻天覆地正：千方百计，想方设法try one’s best to/try every oceans leave no stone unturned Child’s play 误：儿戏正：简单的东西，容易的事情a piece of cake

Eat one’s words 误：食言 正：承认自己说错了话 • Dog-eat-dog 误：狗咬狗正：残酷争夺，人吃人的关系 • Laugh one’s head off 误：笑掉大牙正：毫不在乎，泰然处之 • Make one’s hair stand on end 误：令人发指/怒发冲冠正：毛骨悚然

注意褒贬义的区分：（感情色彩） • The girls were all smiles on hearing the good news. 姑娘们听到这个好消息都满脸堆笑。（故意做作，含贬义含义）眉开眼笑（同上）他一看到送来的珍贵礼物，不由得眉开眼笑起来听到这个消息，姑娘们个个笑逐颜开。（褒义）

补充：歇后语的译法： • 普通比喻的歇后语，我们一般可采用直译。 • 丈八的灯台——照见人家，照不见自己。Like a ten-foot lampstand that shed light on • others but none on itself. • 一条绳拴着两蚂蚱，谁也跑不了。Like two grasshoppers tied to one cord: • neither can get away. • 哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出。Like the dumb man eating the bitter herb, he • had to suffer the bitterness of it in silence.

有些歇后语很形象，但由于汉英两种文字在文化和语言上的差异，那不得不改变一下原来的形象，用读者熟悉的比喻来翻译。有些歇后语很形象，但由于汉英两种文字在文化和语言上的差异，那不得不改变一下原来的形象，用读者熟悉的比喻来翻译。 • 梅香拜把子——都是奴才We’re all birds of a feather —— all slaves. • 肉包子打狗，一去不回头啊！A dog given a bone who doesn’t come back for more. • 十五个吊桶打水，七上八下。It was as if the sword of Damocles hung over (sb.’s head)

歇后语带有浓重的中国民族色彩，，如有包含古代人名、地名、典故，牵涉中国特有的风俗习惯和佛教等，只能意译。歇后语带有浓重的中国民族色彩，，如有包含古代人名、地名、典故，牵涉中国特有的风俗习惯和佛教等，只能意译。 • 八仙过海，各显其能。Each of us shows his true worth. 对后半截出现一语双关，表面上是对前半截解释，实际上表达整个上下文中完全不同的语义。 • 棺材里伸手——死要钱。He’s still after my blood. • 骑着毛驴看书——走着瞧吧。Let’s wait and see what. • 擀面杖吹火——一窍不通。I don’t know the first thing.

带有谐音词语的歇后语: • 孔夫子搬家，净是输（书）Only I feel bad when we lose every fight. • 歇后语用直译加意译法 • The weasel goes to pay his respects to the hen —— not with the best of intentions. • Three cobblers wits combined surpass Zhuge Liang —— the mastermind. • (When the fox preaches, take care of your geese.)

发言者的语体风格： 各种不同场合的无稿发言，就其语言材料的选择和修辞方式而言，除演说体接近于书面语体之外，其他一般均属口语体，个别情况还可能带有俗语体等特点。……口语体的话语往往还夹杂着个人的言语习惯（如口头禅）和各类缩略语，但话语有时却很生动（包括各种格言、谚语、成语、幽默以及名言、诗词等的引用）。要把这种话语的语言材料及时转换成另一种语言，而译语又要基本保持与源语的同一性，这是很不容易的。

Some collected examples of Chinese English translations: • 直译加解释 • “铁饭碗” The iron rice bowl system, under which employees can stay until they retire, has been smashed and the contractual employment system established. Under this system, employees can be fired if they cannot perform well. (permanent job once assigned) • “铁交椅” The “iron chair” system,, under which a manager’s position was secure after promotion, has been also abolished. Officials will be dismissed if their business record is bad.

借用对应/接近的语料：(from the source language or vice versa) • 外甥打灯笼——照（旧）舅 back in the old rut • 一箭双雕 kill two birds with one stone • 说曹操，曹操到 talk of the devil and he will appear • 冰冻长江非一日之寒 Rome is not built in one day. • 来得易，去得快 Easy come, easy go • 趁热打铁 Strike while the iron is hot. Make hay while the sun shines. • 熟能生巧 Practice makes perfect. • 事实胜于雄辩 Actions speak louder than words.

身教胜于言传Example is better precept. • 挥金如土 spend money like water • 破釜沉舟 burn one’s boats/bridges （美国人用） • 入境随俗 When in Rome, do as Romans do. • 捷足先登 The early bird gets/ catches the worm. • 先到先得/招待 First come, first served (First come, last served) • 害群之马 a black sheep • 出乎意料的脱颖而出 a dark horse • 物以类聚，人以群分 Birds of a feature flock together.

家丑不可外扬It’s an ill-bird that fouls its own nest. • 否极泰来 It’s a long lane that has no turning. • 亡羊补牢，犹未为晚 It’s never too late to mend • 鼠目寸光 He cannot see beyond his nose. • 雷声大雨点小/无用的人 Big thunder, little rain. • 画蛇添足/多此一举to paint/gild the lily carry coals to Newcastle • 传译出源语的内容与意义。（保留点“中国味”）即译出隐含意义 • 待业青年 job-waiting youth • 下岗工人 laid-off workers

小康水平fairly comfortable standard of living • 廉政建设 construct clean politics/government • 以权谋私 seek self interests by misusing/abusing power; abuse one’s power for private gains; to seek personal gains • 巧妇难为无米之炊 Even the cleverest housewife can’t cook a meal without rice. 杨宪益夫妇译《红楼梦》Even the cleverest housewife can’t make bread without flour. D. Hawks • 同呼吸共命运 share each other’s weal and woe • 天有不测风云 Something unexpected may happen any time.

望子成龙/望女成凤 to expect one’s son/daughter to become an outstanding personage • 热锅上的蚂蚁 a cat on hot bricks • 对你说别人坏话的人，也会说你的坏话 The dog that will fetch a bone will carry a bone. • 吵吵闹闹 we still love each other very much, but we fight like cat and dog. • 倾盆大雨 to rain cats and dogs • 最佳作品 swan song • 千方百计 leave no stone unturned

三十六计，走为上计Better make myself scare. • 班门弄斧 Teach one’s grandmother to suck eggs. • 没良心的，狗咬吕洞宾，不识好歹 You ungrateful thing! Like a dog that bit Lü Tung-Pin——You bite the hand that feeds you. A Dream of Red Mansion杨宪益戴乃迭 • 一个和尚挑水吃，两个和尚抬水吃，三个和尚没水吃。One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy.Too many cooks spoil the broth.More hands, less work.

丈二金刚摸不着头脑/我刚来，真是丈二金刚摸不着头脑……Being new here, I’m very much in the dark myself. • 跑了和尚跑不了庙The monks may run away but the temple can’t run with it. • 直译与增译结合或加注释 • 东施效颦 Tong Shih imitates Hsi Shih (Hsi Shih was a famous beauty in ancient Kingdom of Yueh. Tung Shih was an ugly girl who tried to imitate her way) 杨宪益译

三个臭皮匠合成个诸葛亮 Three cobblers with their wits combined equal ChuKeh Liang, the master mind. • 梁山伯与祝英台 China’s Romeo and Juliet (The Butterfly Lover) • 济公 Jingong, Robin Hood in China, robbed the rich and helped the poor • 中文/汉语中的歇后语译法：tag phrase: humorous moral points • 坐飞机吹喇叭——想得高 blow your trumpet

黄鼠狼给鸡拜年——没安好心When the fox preaches, take care of your geese.The weasel goes to pay his respects to the hen —— not with the best of intentions. • 一人得道，鸡犬升天 Even the dog swaggers when its master win favor. • 盲人瞎马 A blind man on a blind horse —— rushing headlong to disaster • 要马儿跑又要马儿不吃草 You can’t make your horse work without feeding her. • 猫哭老鼠——假慈悲 shed crocodile tears

引用名言、诗词和典故（英语典故习语多来自“圣经”和希腊罗马神话）引用名言、诗词和典故（英语典故习语多来自“圣经”和希腊罗马神话） • 温故而知新gain new insights through restudying old materials/a look at the past will give one the clue to the present. • 达摩克里斯的宝剑 sword of Damocles • 杀鸡取卵/涸泽而渔 to kill the goose to get the eggs • 出身名门望族be in Burke (double-barreled names); born with a silver spoon in his mouth

人生如梦Life is but an empty dream —— Longfellow • 棘手问题Gordian knot/thorny problem • 致命弱点Achilles heel • 潘多拉的盒子——灾难、麻烦、祸害根源 Pandora’s box • 一败涂地 meet one’s waterloo

4. Handling of Idioms / “hard nut to crack”