论英语谚语的特点与翻译

论英语谚语的特点与翻译Abstract:TheauthorofthispapertriestoprovethatEnglishproverbs,whicharethegemsoftheEnglishlanguage,havesuchcloserelationstoBritishculturethattheytrulyreflectthecolorfullifeofBritishpeoplethroughouthistory.Fromtheperspectiveoflanguageform,Englishproverbsarecharacterizedbyreligiousstructure,conciseform,deepmoral,boldimage,uniquegeographyandethniccharacteristics,andfromtheperspectiveofculturalbackgrounds,theyareassociatedwithreligiousbeliefs，habitsandcustoms，fablesandmyth，andcultureandart.SoitisnotaneasyjobforourChinesepeopletotranslateEnglishproverbsprecisely.Intheendofthepaper,theauthorproposesfourtranslationmethodsofEnglishproverbs:literaltranslation，freetranslation，substitutiontranslation，literaltranslationcombinedwithfreetranslation(Keywords:English;proverb;translation;culture摘要:英语谚语是英国人民智慧的结晶。作者从语言形式上介绍了英语谚语的特点:简练的文字，短小的形式，鲜明的比喻，深刻的寓意，具有鲜明的民族特色和地方色彩等。同时，作者从文化背景方面介绍了英语谚语的产生与英国的传统习俗，宗教信仰，典故及其文学作品有关，正是以上这些因素使得英语谚语翻译比较困难。最后，作者分析了英语谚语的四种翻译方法:直译，同义谚语套用法，意译，直译与意译相结合。关键词:英语;谚语;翻译;文化PartIIntroductionLikeothernation’sproverbs,EnglishproverbsaretheessenceofEnglishpeople’swisdom.Awell-translatedEnglishproverbcannotonlyteach,enlightenandpersuadepeople,butalsocanenrichourChineselanguageandculture.Soitisnecessarytostudyanation’sproverbswhenwetrytostudyitslanguageandculture(Englishproverbshavemanycharacteristics,suchasreligiousstructure,conciseform,deepmoral,boldimage,uniquegeographicalandethniccharacteristics.ThesecharacteristicsmakedifficultiesforustotranslateEnglishproverbsifwewanttokeeptheoriginalproverb’slanguageformandtaste.Moreover,becauseofthedifferencesofreligiousbeliefs，habitsandcustoms，fablesandmyth，andcultureandart，EnglishproverbsandChineseproverbscarryonthedifferentnationalculturalcharacteristicsandinformation.Ifwedonotknowtheseculturalbackgrounds,wecannotunderstandtheEnglishproverb’sconnotationandcannottranslatethemprecisely.ToourChinesepeoplewithalittleculturalknowledgeaboutEnglish,itisverydifficultforustounderstandandtranslateEnglishproverbs.SowhenstudyingEnglish,weshouldtrytostudyitsculturefirstly.Inordertopresentanadequatetranslationofaproverb，wecanusethefourtranslationmethodsflexibly:literaltranslation，freetranslation，substitutiontranslation，literaltranslationcombinedwithfreetranslation(Whentranslating,weshouldtrytochooseapropertranslationmethodfirstly.Secondly,weshouldtranslatetheproverb’sconnotation.Meanwhile,weshouldtrytokeeptheoriginalproverb’sform.Inthispaper,theauthoraimstointroducethecharacteristicsofEnglishproverbs,anddiscussthefourtranslationmethodsandtheiradvantagesrespectively(PartIICharacteristicsofEnglishproverbsEnglishproverbshavethesamecharacteristicsliketheothernations'proverbs.Theyareproducedorallybyfarmers,hunters,workers,sailors,housewives,etc,sotheyconcludeBritishpeople’sexperienceoffightingwiththesocietyandnature,andhavethefunctionofteaching,enlightening,andpersuadingpeople.Englishproverbspossessthefollowingcharacteristics.1.Manyeloquencecharacteristics1.1OralandconcisewordsWeallknowthatEnglishproverbsareproducedbyBritishworkingpeopleorally,sothewordsofEnglishproverbsareveryconciseandoral.Whenwetranslatethem,weshouldtryourbesttokeeptheoriginalproverb’soralcharacteristic.Forexample,“Badworkmenquarrelwiththeirtools.”拙工咎器.(彭小红，2005).Obviously,wecanseethatthetranslationismoreformally,anditwillloseitsoralcharacteristic.Sotheaboveoneshouldbetranslatedlikethis,“拙工常怨工具差”,whichwillbeeasierforpeopletorecite.NowwewillgivetwokindsoftranslationsofsomeEnglishproverbs.Fromthesetranslations,wecanseethatthesecondtranslationismorepopular,andiseasierforpeopletorecite.1.Wellbegunishalfdone.能言其始，事已成半。(良好的开端是成功的一半。)2.Wastenot,wantnot.俭以防匮。(不浪费，不愁缺。)3.Agoodbeginningmakesagoodending.欲善其终，必先善其始。(有了好的开始，才有好的结果。)4.Adangerforeseenishalfavoided.预见其患，则患不足惧。(预见了危险，就等于防备了一半。)1.2SyntaxstructureandrhythmMoreover,whenwereadproverbs,wewillfindthatthesyntaxstructureofEnglishproverbsiscompactandsymmetrical;andtherhythmisgentleandunited.Forexample,“Youmaytakeahorsetothewater,butyoucannotmakeitdrink”(陈红玉，2002).Ifwetranslateitlikethis,你把马牵到河边去，但不能叫它饮水,itwilllosethecharacteristicsofconcisewords,symmetricalandcompactsyntaxstructureandgentlerhythm.Soitisbetterforustotranslatelikethis,牵马河边易，逼马饮水难.Proverbshavethecharacteristicsofconciseandoralword,symmetricalandcompactsyntaxstructureandgentlerhythm.Therefore,whenwetranslatethem,weshouldtryourbesttokeepthesecharacteristics.Onlyinthisway,canthetranslationhavethetasteofproverb.2.DeepthoughtandmoralLikeotherproverbs,Englishproverbsimplydeepthoughtandmoral.Theyusuallyexpresspeople’snoblethought,andtheycanteach,encourage,enlightenandpersuadepeople,likepeople’sgoodfriendsandmotto.Forexample,1.Fishandguestssmellinthreeday.鱼不过三日鲜，言不过三日亲。2.Awisemanthinksallthathesays;afoolsaysthatentirehethinks.智者思其所言，愚者言其所思。3.Learningisbetterthanhouseandland.学富五车胜过万贯家财。4.Ahedgebetweenkeepsfriendshipgreen.君子之交淡如水。5.Allthatglittersisnotgold.闪亮的不一定都是金子。6.Complacencyistheenemyofstudy.学习的敌人是自己的满足。7.Failureisthemotherofsuccess.失败是成功之母。8.Knowledgemakeshumble,ignorancemakesproud.博学使人谦虚，无知使人骄傲。9.Norosewithoutathorn.没有不带刺的玫瑰。10.Pleasurecomesthroughtoil.苦尽甘来。3.BrightethnicandgeographicalcharacteristicsEnglishproverbsarebasedEnglishculturalbackgrounds.WhenwereadEnglishproverbs,wecannotstoptoimaginetheEnglishhistory,geography,customs,politics,economy,etc.Obviously,Englishproverbshavebrightethnicandgeographicalcharacteristics.Therefore,whenwetranslatethiskindofproverbs,weshouldtryourbesttokeeptheoriginalproverbs'ethnicandgeographycharacteristics.Nowwewilltakesomeproverbsasexamplesfollowingwithtwokindsoftranslations.Wecancomparewhichoneisbettertokeeptheethnicandgeographicalcharacteristicsofproverbs.1.Talkofthedevilandheissuretoappear.说到魔鬼，魔鬼就到。(说曹操，曹操到。)2.Twoheadsarebetterthanone.两个人的头脑总比一个的好。(三个丑皮匠顶个诸葛亮。)3.Beautyliesinlover’seyes.情人眼里出美人。(情人眼里出西施。)4.Donotcrossthebridgeuntilyoucometoit.船到桥头自然直。(不要杞人忧天。)5.Neveroffertoteachfishtoswim.不要教鱼儿游水。(不要班门弄斧。)Weallknowthat“曹操，诸葛亮，西施，杞人，鲁班”aretheuniquepeopleinChinesehistory.Ifwechoosethesecondtranslation,ourChinesepeoplewillmakeamisunderstandingthattherearealso曹操，诸葛亮，西施，杞人，鲁班inBritain.Onthecontrary,thefirstkindoftranslationimpliesthebrightethnicandgeographicalcharacteristics,andpeoplecaneasilyknowthattheyareEnglishproverbsbutnotChineseones.PartIIICulturalbackgroundsofEnglishproverbsProverbsarebasedanation’suniqueculturalbackgrounds.Humanculturehasmuchincommon,butalsohasmuchindifference.Thedifferencesofthetraditionalcustoms,religionsandhistoricalstoriesandsomeotherliteratureworksmakeproverbshavestrongculturalcharacteristics.Ifwewanttomasteraforeignlanguage,wemustknowthespecialtyoftheforeigncountry’sculturalbackgrounds.Inthefollowingpart,wewilltalkabouttheculturalbackgroundsofEnglishproverbs:traditionalcustoms,religionandhistoricalstoriesandsomeotherliteratureworks,whichwillhelpusunderstandtheEnglishproverbswell,thentranslatethempreciselyandfaithfully.1.TraditionalcustomsEverynationhasitsowntraditionalculture,inwhichitsowntraditionalcustoms,aredifferentfromothers.Thesedifferencesreflectthebrightnationalfeelingandcharacteristics.Forexample,peoplefromdifferentnationshavedifferentfeelingstothesameanimal.1.1BatInChina,batstandsfor“happiness”.BecauseinChinese,thepronunciationof“蝠”isthesameas“福”(happiness),Chinesepeoplethinkthatbatisaluckythingmeaninghappiness.Onthecontrary,batstandsforanunluckythinginBritain,whichwecanseefrommanyEnglishproverbs.Forexample,“Asblindasabat.有眼无珠”.1.2DogInChina,althoughsomepeoplefeeddogs,mostpeopleabhoranddespitethiskindofanimalpsychologically.Theyoftencomparedogswithbadpeopleorsomedisgustedthings.Onthecontrary,Englishmenlikedogs,becausetheythinkthatdogscanhuntwiththemandlooktheirhomes.Theyregarddogsastheircompanionsandpets.Therefore,inmanyEnglishproverbs,Britishpeopleoftencomparedogswithpeople.Forexample,1.Beatthedogbeforethelion.杀鸡给猴看。2.Betterbetheheadofadogthanthetailofalion.宁为鸡头，勿为凤尾。3.Loveme,lovemydog.爱屋及乌4.Everydoghasitsday.凡人皆有得意时。5.Letthesleepingdoglie.别惹是生非。6.Barkingdogsdonotbite.吠犬不咬人7.Dogdoesnoteatdog.同类不相残.8.Agooddogdeservesagoodbone.有功者受赏.1.3DragonDragonisanimaginaryanimalwithwingsandclaws,abletobreatheoutfire.InChina,dragonisregardedasanauspiciousdeitystandingforemperor.SoChinesepeopleadoreitverymuch,andcomparethemselveswithdragon,suchas“炎黄子孙”,“龙的传人”and“望子成龙”.ButinBritishmythology,dragonisafierceandcruelanimalwithfourfeet,whichisasynonymofevil.SodragonisaderogatorysenseinBritain.Forexample,tosowdragon’steeth，播下不和的种子;tochasethedragon.服用鸦片,海洛因。2.Religion2.1ChristianityWeallknowthatBuddhismhasgreatinfluenceonChineseculture.SotherearemanyChineseproverbsreferringtoBuddhism,forexample,“借花献佛”“闲时不烧香，临是抱佛脚”.However,BritainisanationwhichisinfluenceddeeplybyChristianity.TherearemanyEnglishproverbsreferringtoGod,heaven,devil,hell,etc.Forexample,1.Gothroughhellandhighwater.赴汤蹈火。2.Godhelpsthosewhohelpthemselves.自助者，神助之。3.Talkofthedevilandhewillappear.说到魔鬼，魔鬼就到。4.Manproposes,Goddisposes.谋事在人,成事在天.5.MillsofGodgrindslowbutsure.天网恢恢,疏而不漏.2.2BibleWeallknowthatBibleisabookreferringtoChristianity,anditisalsoanessentialbookineveryEnglishfamily.Eventhoughinasmallpoorvillage,youwillfindthatthereisaBibleineveryfarmer’sausterehouse.Obviously,BiblehascontrolledEnglishpeople’sspiritandeveryaspectoftheirlife,whichhasbeenreflectedinmanyEnglish朱艳，proverbs.Forexample,ForcefulasSamson像参孙一样力大无比,(2002).SamsonisoneofthemostfamousgiantsinBible.Hewasfullofplentifulenergy,whichGodJehovahgavehim.Samsononcemangledalionwithoutanyweaponasherippedalittlelamb.Moreover,heonceusedajawboneofanasstokill1000Philistines.Unfortunately,Philistinesseizedhim,andtheyscratchedhiscoupleofeyes.Withgreatangry,SamsonpushedoverPhilistine’shouse,whichjustsmashed3000Philistines.Atthesametime,hewasalsosmashedbythefallenhouse.Therefore,inBritain,Samsonsymbolizespersonwhoiswithgreatenergy.TherearemanyEnglishproverbscomingfromBible.Forexample,1.Sparetheridandspoilthechild.舍不得棍子，宠坏了孩子。2.Beardthelioninhisden.老虎嘴里拔牙，太岁头上动土。3.Thereisnothingnewunderthesun.天地之大，无奇不有。4.Castyourpearlsbeforeswine.对牛弹琴.5.Judgenotaccordingtoappearance.勿以貌取人.Biblehasfiguredmanypeoplewithvividindividuality.Now,weknowthatBibleplaysanimportantpartinBritishpeople’slife.IfwedonotknowtheliteratureillusionsandproverbsfromBible,wecannotstudyEnglishwell.So,ifyouwanttotranslatevividlyandconcisely,pleasereadBible～Itwillgiveyougreathelp.3.HistoricalstoriesandliteraryworksWeallknowthateverynationhasitsowncultureandhistory,soeverynationhasitsownuniqueliteratureworks.InChina,ConfucianismandTaoisminfluencepeoplegreatly.However,inBritain,peopleareinfluencedgreatlybyGreecefables,Aesop’sfablesandsomeotherliteratureworks,suchasShakespeare’sworks,andmanyproverbsareoriginatedfromthem.Therefore,ifwedonotknowthesehistoricalstorieswell,wecannottranslateprecisely.TakeanEnglishproverboriginatedfromAesop’sfablesasanexample,“Donotbeadoginthemanger”站着茅坑不拉屎,(朱艳，2002).Thestoryislikethis,adoggrabsthebattle’smangerwithoutmakinggooduseofit,anditnevereatsthehaythatthecattlewantstoeat.Sothisproverb’sconnotationistosatireapersonwhocommandeerswealth,resourceandpositionwithoutmakinggooduseofthem.Meanwhile,heimpedimentstheotherpeopletoownthem.Therearemanyproverbsofthiskind.Thefollowingareasexamples,1.Donotchangehorseinthemiddlestream.河中莫换马，临阵莫换将。ItisoriginatedfromahistoricalstoryinEngland.2.Hehasburnthisbridgesbehindhim.破釜沉舟，背水一战。ItisoriginatedfromahistoricalstoryinRoman.3.Graspall,loseall.欲尽得，必尽失。ItisoriginatedfromAesop’sFables4.Happyisthemanwholearntfromthemisfortunesofothers.前车之鉴，后人之福。ItisoriginatedfromAesop’sFables5.WhenGreeksmeetGreeks,thencomesthetugofwar.两雄相争，其争必烈。ItisoriginatedfromGreecefables.6.OnefallsintoScyllainseekingtoavoidItisoriginatedfromGreecefables.7.Charybdis.才离狼窝，又入虎口。Uneasyliestheheadthatwearsacrown.位高心不宁。ItisoriginatedfromShakespeare’sfamousplay-Henry?.8.Practicemakesperfect.熟能生巧。ItisoriginatedfromEnglishpoet,ChristopherAnstey.(安斯泰，1724-1805)9.Alittleknowledgeisadangerousthing.浅学误人。ItisoriginatedfromoneofthemostimportantpoetsinEngland,Pope.(薄柏，1688-1744)10.Curiositykilledthecat.多一事不如少一事。ItisoriginatedfromThomasGray,afamousEnglishpoetin18thcentury.(托马斯)格雷1716-1771)PartIVTranslationmethodsofEnglishproverbsFromtheabovediscussion,weknowthatproverbshavebrightculturalbackgroundsandethnicandgeographicalcharacteristics.IfwedonotmasterenoughEnglishculturalbackgrounds,wecannotunderstandtheirtruemeaningsandconnotations.Whenwetranslateproverbs,weshouldfirstdealwiththediscrepancybetweenlanguageandculture.Weshouldnotonlytranslatetheproverb’sconnotation,formandeloquence,butalsotheethnicandlocalcharacteristics.Onlyinthisway,canwetranslatetheproverbsexactlyandaccurately.Accordingtothedifferentcharacteristicsofproverbs,wewillmainlyintroducefourtranslationmethods―literaltranslation,substitutiontranslation,freetranslationandcombinationofliteralandfreetranslation.1.LiteraltranslationLiteraltranslation,whichisamaintranslationmethod,meansweneedtotranslateproverbsliterally.SomeEnglishproverbsandChineseproverbshavethesameformandmeaning,andtheseEnglishproverbsdonothavetoomanyculturalbackgrounds.Itiseasyforthereaderstounderstandthem.Whentranslatingthiskindofproverbs,wecantranslatethemliterally.Thisapproachcannotonlykeeptheoriginalproverb’sformandmeaning,butalsocanbeeasilyunderstoodbyreaders.Whatisimportantofall,literaltranslationcantransplanttheEnglishproverbsintoChineseculture.WeallknowthatEnglishproverbshavemanyfreshexpressivemethodsandcomparisons.WecanintroducethesefreshexpressivemethodsandcomparisonsintoChina.Finally,theseEnglishproverbswillenrichChineselanguageandculture.Nowwewillgivesomeproverbswithtwokindsoftranslations--thefirstoneisfreetranslationandthesecondoneisliteraltranslation.1.Anunfortunatemanwouldbedrownedinateacup.倒霉的人经不起风浪。(一人倒霉，一杯茶也能淹死。)2.Bindthesackbeforeitbefull.凡事适可为止。(带子装满前要扎住。)3.Drawnotyourbowtillyourarrowisfixed.三思而后行。(箭没搭好，先别拉弓。)4.Abirdinthehandisworthtwointhebush.十赊不如一现。(双鸟在林，不如一鸟在手。)5.Oldbirdsarenottobecaughtwithchaff.没有经验的人易上圈套。(秕糠捉不住老鸟。)6.Catchthebearbeforeyouselltheskin.不要高兴得太早。(没有捉住熊，先不要卖皮。)7.Whenthecatisaway,themicewillplay.阎王不在，小鬼跳梁。(猫儿不在，老鼠成精。)8.Learntocreepbeforeyouleap.按部就班，循序渐进。(先学爬，再学走。)Fromtheaboveexample,wecanseethatliteraltranslationcankeeptheoriginalproverb’svividcomparison.Itisnotonlyeasierforpeopletounderstand,butalsocanenrichourChineselanguageandculture.2.FreetranslationEverycountryhasitsownuniqueculture.Soeverynation’scustoms,experienceandobservationaredifferent.Englishproverbscontainsomeuniquehistoricalstoriesandculturalbackgrounds,andourChinesepeoplearenotfamiliarwiththecomparisonsintheseEnglishproverbs.Ifwetranslatethemliterallywithexplanationsorfootnotes,thetranslationmayexpresstheoriginalproverb’sliteralmeaning,butthistranslationmakesproverbslosetheircharacteristics—concisewords,precisestructure,shortform,etc.Meanwhile,wecannotfindtheChineseproverbwiththesamemeaningtotranslateit.Inthissituation,weshouldusefreetranslationmethod.Forexample,“ChooseawifeonaSaturdayratherthanaSunday”(包通法)徐洁，2002).Ifwetranslateitliterallylikethis,“择妻宜在星期六，不宜在星期日”,itisverydifficultforourChinesepeopletounderstandit,becausethisproverbimpliesBritishreligiouscustom.InBritain,peoplebelieveChristianity,everySundaypeoplewilltakeofftheirworkingsuits,andputontheirbestbeautifulclothesgoingtothechurchtodochurch,and“aSaturday”meanstheworkingdays.Thisproverbimpliesthatwhenpeoplechoosegirlfriend,heshouldpayattentiontoherusualbehaviorsratherthanherbeautifulappearance.Soifwetranslateitaccordingtoitsconnotationlikethis,择妻宜重德，不可只重貌/择妻看平时，不宜重衣着,itiseasierforourChinesepeopletounderstandit.TherearemanyEnglishproverbstranslatedfreely.Forexample,1.Twocanplaythegame.孤掌难鸣。2.Newbroomsweepsclean.新官上任三把火。3.Thegrassisgreenerontheothersideofthehill.这山望着那山高。4.Puttingthecartbeforethehorse.本末倒置。5.Alittlebaitcatchesalargefish.本大利小。6.Therearemorewaysofkillingacatthanbychokingitwithcream.别在一棵树上吊死。7.Lovemelittle,lovemelong.细水长流爱最甜。8.Thebestfriendsmustapart.天下没有不散的宴席。9.Experienceisthebestteacher.经一事，长一智。10.Acontentedmindisaperpetualfeast.知足常乐。11.Askyourpursewhatyoubuy.量入为出。3.SubstitutiontranslationSubstitutiontranslation,whichmeansweusetheChineseproverbwiththesamemeaningtotranslateEnglishproverb.Weallknowthathumanculturehasmuchindifference,butalsohasmuchincommon.Proverbsareproducedinpeople’sworkinganddailylife.Therefore,humanbeing’sexperienceandobservationhavemuchincommon,whicharereflectedonproverbs.ManyEnglishandChineseproverbshavethesamemeaning,connotationandpersuadingway.Inthissituation,weshouldtranslatethembysubstitutiontranslation.Forexample,“Wall2003)，whichhasthesamemeaningandconnotationwithhaveears”(白纯，theChineseproverb,“隔墙有耳”,soweshouldchoosesubstitutiontranslationmethod.Therearemanyproverbsofthiskind,forexample,1.Strikewhiletheironishot.趁热打铁。2.Constantdroppingwearsthestone.滴水穿石。3.Misfortunesnevercomealone.祸不单行。Althoughhumanbeing’sexperienceandobservationhavemuchincommon,EnglishandChineseculturehavegreatdifferences,whicharealsoreflectedintheproverbs.SomeEnglishandChineseproverbshavethesamemeaningandconnotation,buttheyhavedifferenteloquence.Ifwetranslatethemliterally,itisdifficultforourChinesepeopletounderstandtheirconnotation.Inthissituation,weshouldtranslatethembysubstitutiontranslation.Forexample,“Acorneredcatbecomesasfierceasalion”(张毓彪，2005).Ifwetranslateitliterallylikethis,“被逼得走投无路的猫,会像狮子一样凶猛”,maybeourChinesepeoplecanunderstanditsconnotation,butthiskindoftranslationwilllosetheproverb’scharacteristicofconcisewords.Inthissituation,weshouldtrytofindaChineseproverbwiththesamemeaningandconnotationtotranslateit.Wecantranslateitlikethis,“狗急跳墙”,whichwillbeeasyforourChinesepeopletounderstandandreadit.Therearemanyproverbsofthiskind,forexample,1.Birdsofafeatherflocktogether.物以类聚，人以群分。2.Gotothesea,ifyouwouldfishwell.不如虎穴，焉得虎子;不入大海，难擒蛟龙。3.Greatoaksfromlittleacornsgrow.合抱之木，生于毫末;千里之行始于足下。4.Killtwobirdswithonestone.一箭双雕，一石二鸟。5.Onerottenapplespoilsthebarrel.一粒老鼠屎弄坏一锅粥。6.Thefoxpreysfarthestfromhishome.兔子不吃窝边草。7.Romewasnotbuiltinaday.冰冻三尺非一日之寒。8.Ifyouwantknowledge,youmusttoilforit.书山有路勤为径，学海无崖苦做舟。9.Ittakesthreegenerationstomakeagentleman.十年树木，百年树人。4.CombinationofliteralandfreetranslationWhentranslatingEnglishproverbs,wewillfindaproblemthatsomeEnglishproverbshavecomplicatedhistoricalandculturalbackgrounds.Ifweadoptliteraltranslationmethod,itcanexpresstheproverb’sliteralmeaning,butitcannotexpresstheprimaryproverb’sconnotationwell;ifweusefreetranslationmethod,thoughitsconnotationiswellexpressed,thevividcomparisonwillbelost.Inthissituation,weshouldtranslateproverbsbycombiningliteralandfreetranslation.Thismethodwillmakethetranslationexpressboththeprimaryproverb’sliteralmeaningandconnotation.Forexample,“Acathasninelives”猫有九条命，竹有千重根(王书亭、王建明，2004).InBritain,peopleholdareligiousviewthatcathasstronglifepower,becausewhenpeoplethrowitdownfromahighplace,thecatcanstandfirmlyonthefloorwithoutbeinginjured.Moreover,catisverycleverandflexible,soitisdifficulttokillit.Sopeopleusetheproverb“Acathasninelives”toimplypeoplewhohavestronglifepowerorpeoplewhocanescapefromdangeroussituationeasily.However,inChina,ourChinesepeopledonotknowthestory.Ifwetranslatethisproverbliterallylikethis,“猫有九条命”,itisverydifficultforourChinesepeopletounderstandtheconnationoftheproverb;ifwetranslateitbyfreetranslationlikethis,“竹有千重根”,itiseasyforourChinesepeopletounderstandtheconnationoftheproverb,butitisverydifficultforourChinesepeopletounderstandwhyEnglishpeoplecomparecatwithpeoplehavingstronglifepower.Inthissituation,weshouldtranslateitbycombinationofliteralandfreetranslationlikethis,“猫有九条命，竹有千重根”,whichwillmakethetranslationkeepbothitsliteralmeaningandconnotation.Therearemanyproverbsofthiskind,forexample,1.Littlepitchershavelongears.壶小嘴长,人小耳尖.2.Asingleflowerdoesnotmakeaspring.一