Idioms Translation and Cultural Differences

Idioms Translation and Cultural Differences Idioms Translation and Cultural Differences Abstract: As we know, language is bearer of culture and idioms are heavily culturally loaded phrases and sentences. To translate English idioms involves obstacles for Chinese features. When an idiom is being translated, we will find it often hard to be translated. While the key to translate is that its figurative meaning should be remained. In this paper, it is from living conditions, customs, religions belief and historical allusions to describe cultural differences between English and Chinese idioms, and detailed description of methods in English and Chinese idioms translation. Key words: Language , Cultural differences , Idioms , Translation methods 1. Introduction Language is the carrier of culture. Both English and Chinese language has a long history.They have a large number of idioms, they are implicitly, humor, serious and elegant. While idioms are a very important part of any language, and idiom translation plays an important role in translation. Idiom is a speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements. Idioms include colloquialisms, proverbs,slangs and so on. When we translate idioms from Chinese into English or English into Chinese, we should know the cultural differences between English and Chinese idioms, and we can find the right translation methods. 2. the Cultural Differences between Chinese and English Idioms Idioms translation is an intercultural activity, therefore, we should take cultural differences into consideration when we translate them. And the cultural differences between English and Chinese idioms can be classified into four types. 2.1. From living conditions The natural environment is the basis of human living and development. China is a country with continental climate, Chinese people live in the continent of Asia. Since ancient times, China is a large agricultural country, the land is important to peoples life. Therefore, there are many idioms related to wind, agriculture and land-related. Such as æâ€" ©Ã¨ â€°Ã©â„¢ ¤Ã¦   ¹ ( stamp out the root of trouble ), é £Å½Ã¨ °Æ'é› ¨Ã© ¡ º ( seasonable weather for crop raising ), æÅ' ¥Ã¥Å"Ÿå ¦â€šÃ©â€¡â€˜( spend money like water ) ä ¸â€¡Ã¤ ºâ€¹Ã¤ ¿ ±Ã¥ ¤â€¡Ã¥  ªÃ¦ ¬  Ã¤ ¸Å"é £Å½ ( Everything is ready except the east wind ), ä ¸Å"é £Å½Ã¦Å  ¥Ã¦Ëœ ¥( )Chinese people can understand its meaning, for British people it is difficult. Because in Chinese east wind symbolizes spring and warmth , and The United Kingdom is located in the western hemisphere north temperate zone, with marine climate. In England, east wind comes from the northern part of the European continent, and it symbolizes chilly and unpleasant ,while west wind symbolizes spring in England, so they can not understand the real meaning of Chinese idiom. In English there are many idioms related to water, fish, boat and so on, such as as weak as water (Ã¥ ¼ ±Ã¤ ¸ Ã§ ¦ Ã© £Å½), in deep water (é™ ·Ã¥â€¦ ¥Ã¤ ¸ ¥Ã©â€¡ Ã¥â€º °Ã¥ ¢Æ') to keep ones head above water (Ã¥ ¥â€¹Ã¥Å â€ºÃ¥â€º ¾Ã¥ ¼ º), water under the bridge (æâ€"  Ã¦ ³â€¢Ã¦Å' ½Ã¥â€ºÅ¾Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¨ ¿â€¡Ã¥Å½ »)drink like a fish (è ± ªÃ© ¥ ®), to miss the boat (é”™å ¤ ±Ã¨â€° ¯Ã¦Å" º), all at sea (ä ¸ Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã¦â€°â‚¬Ã¦Å½ ª). 2.2. From customs There are many differences between English and Chinese customs. In China, people think themselves are descendant of the Dragon, the dragon is a symbol of auspicious animals. Thus, we have dragon-related idioms contain complimentary sense. Such as æÅ"݌ ­ Ã¦Ë† Ã© ¾â„¢(To expect ones son to become an outstanding personage), é ¾â„¢Ã¥â€¡ ¤Ã¥â€˜Ë†Ã§ ¥ ¥(Harmony reigns) and so on. In western countries, they think dragon is a fire-breathing animal and it is terrifying. In addition, peoples attitude toward the dog is different. In English-speaking countries, people think the dog is a faithful animal to human, such as Youre a lucky dog(ä ½  Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¥ ¹ ¸Ã¨ ¿ Ã¥â€ž ¿),Every dog has his day(å‡ ¡Ã¤ º ºÃ©Æ' ½Ã¦Å"‰å ¾â€"æ„ Ã¦â€" ¥).On the contrary, the dog is a lowly animal in China. Such as ç‹ ¼Ã¥ ¿Æ'ç‹â€"è‚ º ( brutal and cold-blooded ),ç‹â€"çÅ" ¼Ã§Å"‹ä º ºÃ¤ ½Å½( the damned snobbish ),ç‹â€"å˜ ´Ã©â€¡Å'Ã¥  Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥â€¡ ºÃ¨ ± ¡Ã§â€°â„¢( a dogs mouth emits no ivory ),etc. There is another example, in Chinese culture, ox is the symbol of diligence. From ancient times, Chinese farmers went in for farming with the help of ox. So Chinese give love and praise to ox. Then in Chinese we have 力å ¤ §Ã¥ ¦â€šÃ§â€°â€º when it is translated into English, it should be as strong as a horse, Chinese people say Ã¥Æ' Ã§â€°â€ºÃ¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¦   ·Ã¥â€¹ ¤Ã¥Å  ³, in English, people say work like a horse . We use different animal to express the same meaning. In Chinese, there are some idioms related to eat , for example Ã¥ Æ'ä ¸ Ã¤ ºâ€ Ã¥â€¦Å"ç â‚¬Ã¨ µ °means find oneself in serious trouble,Ã¥ Æ'è ½ ¯Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥ Æ'ç ¡ ¬means can be persuaded by reason but not be cowed by force. Some idioms because of their distinctive national features, can not found in English corresponding expression. 2.3. From religions belief Religious belief is an important part in culture. Different religious beliefs had different reflections in different idioms. Chinese people believe in Buddhism and Taoism, therefore there are many Chinese idioms are related to Buddhism. Such as 借èŠ ±Ã§Å' ®Ã¤ ½â€º( borrowing the opportunity ),æ™ ®Ã¥ º ¦Ã¤ ¼â€"生( salvation of all sentient beings ),Ã¥ ¹ ³Ã¦â€" ¶Ã¤ ¸ Ã§Æ' §Ã© ¦â„¢Ã¯ ¼Å'æ€ ¥Ã¦  ¥Ã¦Å  ±Ã¤ ½â€ºÃ¨â€žÅ¡( when the devil was sick, the devil a monk would be ),é â€œÃ© «ËœÃ¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¥ ° ºÃ¯ ¼Å'é ­â€Ã© «ËœÃ¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¸Ë†( While the priest climb a post, the devil climb ten )etc. While in English-speaking countries, people believe in Christianity. So they have many idioms related to Christianity. Such as as poor as a church mouse (ä ¸â‚¬Ã¨ ´ «Ã¥ ¦â€šÃ¦ ´â€") God help those who help themselves (ä ¸Å Ã¥ ¸ Ã¥ ¸ ®Ã¥Å  ©Ã¨â€¡ ªÃ¥Å  ©Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¤ º º), God sends fortune to fools (å‚ »Ã¤ º ºÃ¦Å"‰å‚ »Ã§ ¦ ), Go to hell (ä ¸â€¹Ã¥Å" °Ã§â€¹ ±Ã¥Å½ »), Gods mill goes slowly, but it grind well (Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã§ ½â€˜Ã¦  ¢Ã¦  ¢Ã§â€" Ã¨â‚¬Å'ä ¸ Ã¦ ¼ ), wash ones hands off (æ ´â€"手ä ¸ Ã¥ ¹ ²), the Day of Judgement (æÅ" «Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ® ¡Ã¥Ë† ¤) and so on. 2.4. From historical allusions An important part of historical culture is historical allusion, and England and China have a large number of idioms originated from historical allusion. These idioms are simple but far-reaching, and we often can not be understood from the literal meaning. In Chinese we have Ã¥ ®Ë†Ã¦   ªÃ¥ ¾â€¦Ã¥â€¦â€( wait for windfalls ),ä º ¡Ã§ ¾Å Ã¨ ¡ ¥Ã§â€° ¢( better late than never ),æ‹”è‹â€"åŠ ©Ã©â€¢ ¿( spoil things by excessive enthusiasm )ï ¼Å'èž ³Ã¨Å¾â€šÃ¦ â€¢Ã¨ â€°Ã¯ ¼Å'é »â€žÃ©â€ºâ‚¬Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥ Å½( Mantis catch a cicada, siskin is hind.),å››é  ¢Ã¦ ¥Å¡Ã¦ ­Å'( be pounded on all sides )etc. Most English allusive idioms come from the Bible and Greek and Roman mythology. Such as Achilles heel (å” ¯Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¨â€¡ ´Ã¥â€˜ ½Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥ ¼ ±Ã§â€š ¹), Penelopes web (æ ° ¸Ã¨ ¿Å"Ã¥ ®Å'ä ¸ Ã¦Ë† Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥ · ¥Ã¤ ½Å"), The Trojan Horse (æÅ" ¨Ã© © ¬Ã¨ ® ¡Ã¯ ¼â€ºÃ¦Å¡â€"èâ€" Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥  ±Ã©â„¢ ©), Meet ones Waterloo (ä ¸â‚¬Ã¨ ´ ¥Ã¦ ¶â€šÃ¥Å" °), swan song (ç » Ã¥â€ ±), arrow of Cupid (ä ¸ËœÃ¦ ¯â€Ã§â€° ¹Ã¤ ¹â€¹Ã§ ® ­), A Pandoras box (æ ½ËœÃ¥ ¤Å¡Ã¦â€¹â€°Ã¤ ¹â€¹Ã§â€ºâ€™Ã¯ ¼Å'Ã¥  ³Ã§  ¾Ã©Å¡ ¾Ã£â‚¬ Ã© º »Ã§Æ' ¦Ã£â‚¬ Ã§ ¥ ¸Ã¥ ® ³Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¦   ¹Ã¦ º ), The apple of discord (ç ¥ ¸Ã¦â€š £Ã¯ ¼â€ºÃ¤ ºâ€°Ã§ « ¯)and so on. 3. Principle and methods of idiom translation Idioms are usually short in form but profound in sense. Each idiom bears an image and a figurative meaning. Idioms translation should be faithful. Faithful means the Chinese version must be faithful to the English idiom at least in figurative sense, and English idioms are not exactly equal to the Chinese idioms in figurative sense though they appear to be. For example, pull ones leg is not equal to 拉å Å½Ã¨â€¦ ¿, move heaven and earth is not equal to ç ¿ »Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¨ ¦â€ Ã¥Å" ° and childs play is not equal to å„ ¿Ã¦Ë† . In order to be faithful in translation ,we should convey the original figurative meanings and sacrifice the images. Therefore, pull ones leg can be rendered into Chinese as Ã¥ â€"ç ¬â€˜Ã¦Å¸ Ã¤ º º, move heaven and earth can be rendered into Ã¥ ° ½Ã¥Å â€º and childs play can be rendered into Chinese as 易å ¦â€šÃ¥  Ã¦Å½Å'. All these renditions are faithful to the original figurative meanings. So each idiom bears an image and a figurative meaning. An English idiom and a Chinese idiom which are same in image maybe different in figurative meaning. If we can transfer both the image and the figurative meaning by literal translation, we should use literal translation. If we can not, we should better keep the figurative meaning and sacrifice the image. Then, we should use free translation. Generally speaking, the common methods of translating idioms are the following types: 1. Literal translation 2. Free translation 3. Literal translation + Free translation 4. Adapted translation 3.1. Literal translation A literal translation is a translation that follows closely the form of the source language. If the image and the figurative meaning are not contradictory to each other, then both of them can be retained in the translation, we should make efforts to reduce the loss in translation and use literal translation method as much as possible. For instance, time is money is translated into æâ€" ¶Ã©â€" ´Ã¥ ° ±Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã©â€¡â€˜Ã©â€™ ±, which preserves its original image and figurative meaning. There are many idioms of this kind: In English, 1) Forbidden fruit is sweet. ç ¦ Ã¦Å¾Å"分å ¤â€"ç”Å"。 2) In the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king. ç› ²Ã¤ º ºÃ¥â€º ½Ã¤ ¸ ­Ã¯ ¼Å'ç‹ ¬Ã§Å" ¼Ã§ § °Ã©â€ºâ€žÃ£â‚¬â€š 3) If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. Ã¥ Å'æâ€" ¶Ã¨ ¿ ½Ã¤ ¸ ¤Ã¥â€¦â€Ã¯ ¼Å'å… ¨Ã©Æ' ½Ã¦Å â€œÃ¤ ¸ Ã¥Ë† °Ã£â‚¬â€š 4) Half a loaf is better than no bread. æÅ"‰å Å Ã¥ â€"é  ¢Ã¥Å'…æ€ »Ã¦ ¯â€Ã¦ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰å ¥ ½Ã£â‚¬â€š 5) The Trojan horse. ç‰ ¹Ã¦ ´â€ºÃ¤ ¼Å Ã¦Å" ¨Ã© © ¬Ã£â‚¬â€š 6) Blood is thicker than water. è ¡â‚¬Ã¦ µâ€œÃ¤ ºÅ½Ã¦ ° ´Ã£â‚¬â€š 7) Misfortunes never come singly. ç ¥ ¸Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥ â€¢Ã¨ ¡Å'。 8) An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. ä » ¥Ã§Å" ¼Ã¨ ¿ËœÃ§Å" ¼Ã¯ ¼Å'ä » ¥Ã§â€°â„¢Ã¨ ¿ËœÃ§â€°â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€š In Chinese, 1)明æž ªÃ¦Ëœâ€œÃ¨ º ²Ã¯ ¼Å'æšâ€"ç ® ­Ã©Å¡ ¾Ã©Ëœ ²Ã£â‚¬â€šIt is easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding. 2)城éâ€" ¨Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã§  «Ã¯ ¼Å'æ ®Æ'Ã¥ Å Ã¦ ±  Ã© ± ¼Ã£â‚¬â€šA fire on the city wall brings disaster to the fish in the moat. 3)è · ¯Ã©  ¥Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã© © ¬Ã¥Å â€ºÃ¯ ¼Å'æâ€" ¥Ã¤ ¹â€¦Ã¨ § Ã¤ º ºÃ¥ ¿Æ'。As a long road tests a horses strength, so a long task proves a persons heart. 4)åˆ Ã§â€Å¸Ã§â€°â€ºÃ§Å Å Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦â‚¬â€¢Ã¨â„¢Å½Ã£â‚¬â€šNew-born calves make little of tigers. 5)è ¿Å"æ ° ´Ã¤ ¸ Ã¨ § £Ã¨ ¿â€˜Ã¦ ¸ ´Ã£â‚¬â€šDistant water cant quench present. As the language roots of the cultural is different, literal translation is likely to be ambiguous and vague. In this case, we should add annotation. Such as: ä ¸â€°Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¨â€¡ ­Ã§Å¡ ®Ã¥Å'  Ã¯ ¼Å'è µâ€ºÃ¨ ¿â€¡Ã¨ ¯ ¸Ã¨â€˜â€ºÃ¤ º ® We know Chukeh Liang was a famous person in Chinese history, but maybe some western people have nothing about him. We can translate it into Three cobblers withe their wits combined equal Chukeh Liang, the master mind . ç  ­Ã©â€" ¨Ã¥ ¼â€žÃ¦â€" § ( show off ones proficiency with axe before Lu Ban, the master carpenter ) And in English, to carry coals to New Castle (è ¿ Ã§â€¦ ¤Ã¥Ë† °Ã§ º ½Ã¥  ¡Ã¦â€" ¯Ã¥ °â€Ã¯ ¼â€ºÃ¦Å'‡å ¤Å¡Ã¦ ­ ¤Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¸ ¾Ã¯ ¼Å'ç º ½Ã¥  ¡Ã¦â€" ¯Ã¥ °â€Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¨â€¹ ±Ã¥â€º ½Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¤ º §Ã§â€¦ ¤Ã¤ ¸ ­Ã¥ ¿Æ') 3.2. Free translation Free translation means transmitting the figurative meaning in the original English idiom by means of free translation. And it usually loses the original image, like the translation of the English idiom Call a spade a spade , whose image and figurative meaning can not be accepted by the Chinese readers at the same time if they are literally rendered into Chinese as 把é“ ²Ã¥ ­ Ã¥  «Ã©â€œ ²Ã¥ ­ . So the translator can put it into Chinese as ç› ´Ã¨ ¨â‚¬Ã¤ ¸ Ã¨ ® ³, which is readily accepted by the Chinese readers. There are many idioms of this kind: In Chinese, 1)打å ¼â‚¬Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã§ ªâ€"è ¯ ´Ã¤ º ®Ã¨ ¯ Ã£â‚¬â€šFrankly speaking. 2)ä ¸Å"æâ€" ½Ã¦â€¢Ë†Ã© ¢ ¦ is a Chinese idiom, for Chinese people, it is easy to understand, and if we translate it into Dong Shi imitates Xi Shi , it will very difficult for western people to understand. Because they maybe dont know Dong Shi and Xi Shi. So we can translate it into crude imitation with ludicrous effect 3)Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã¤ ¹â€¹Ã¤ ¸Å"éš…ï ¼Å'æ” ¶Ã¤ ¹â€¹Ã¦ ¡â€˜Ã¦ ¦â€ Ã£â‚¬â€šWhat one loses on the swings one gets back on the roundabouts. ( If we use method of lateral translation, lose where the sun rises and gain where the sun set, the readers will can not understand it. ) 4)Ã¥ ¡Å¾Ã§ ¿ Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã© © ¬Ã¯ ¼Å'焉çŸ ¥Ã© Å¾Ã§ ¦ Ã¯ ¼Å¸A loss may turn out to be a gain. ( Due to the readers dont know the background of this idiom, we can not translate into When the old man on the frontier lost his mare, who could have guessed it was a blessing it was a blessing in disguise? ) 5)Ã¥ ºâ€ Ã§Ë† ¶Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦ ­ »Ã¯ ¼Å'é ² Ã©Å¡ ¾Ã¦Å" ªÃ¥ · ²Ã£â‚¬â€šThere will always be trouble until the trouble-maker is removed. ( If we translate it into Until Qing Fu is done away with, the crisis in the state of Lu will not be over , the readers will not understand a persons name and country name. ) 6)æ ­ ¤Ã¥Å" °Ã¦â€"  Ã©â€œ ¶Ã¤ ¸â€°Ã§â„¢ ¾Ã¤ ¸ ¤Ã£â‚¬â€šA guilty person gives himself away by conspicuously protesting his innocence. ( We can not translate it into No 300 taels of silver buried here. ) In English, 1) a skeleton in the cupboard (Ã¥ ® ¶Ã¤ ¸â€˜) 2) It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Ã¥ ¯ ¹Ã¤ º ºÃ¤ º ºÃ©Æ' ½Ã¦Å"‰å ® ³Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¤ ºâ€¹Ã¯ ¼Å'Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¤ ¸â€¹Ã¥ °â€˜Ã¦Å"‰ã€‚( It can not be translated into ä ¸ Ã§ »â„¢Ã¤ » »Ã¤ ½â€¢Ã¤ º ºÃ¥ ¸ ¦Ã¦  ¥Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥ ¤â€žÃ§Å¡â€žÃ© £Å½Ã§Å¡â€žÃ§ ¡ ®Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¦  ¶Ã© £Å½Ã£â‚¬â€š) 3) Every man has a fool in his sleeve. ä º ºÃ¤ º ºÃ©Æ' ½Ã¦Å"‰ç ³Å Ã¦ ¶â€šÃ§Å¡â€žÃ¦â€" ¶Ã¥â‚¬â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€š( It can not be translated into ä º ºÃ¤ º ºÃ¨ ¢â€"Ã¥ ­ Ã©â€¡Å'éÆ' ½Ã¨ £â€¦Ã§ â‚¬Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¥â€š »Ã§â€œÅ"。) 4) When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war. ä ¸ ¤Ã©â€ºâ€žÃ§â€º ¸Ã¤ ºâ€°Ã¯ ¼Å'å… ¶Ã¦â€"â€"Ã¥ ¿â€¦Ã§Æ'ˆã€‚( It can not be translated into Ã¥ ¸Å'è…Šä º ºÃ© â€¡Ã¤ ¸Å Ã¥ ¸Å'è…Šä º ºÃ¯ ¼Å'Ã¥ ®Å¡Ã¦Å"‰ä ¸â‚¬Ã¥Å" ºÃ¥ ¥ ½Ã¦â€"â€"。) Some idioms from the religious literature, usually we need to use free translation. Such as: å››å ¤ §Ã§Å¡â€ Ã§ © º( All physical existence is vanity),å… ­Ã¦   ¹Ã¦ ¸â€¦Ã¥â€¡â‚¬( free from human desires and passions ),å›  Ã§ ¼Ëœ( principal and subsidiary causes ),ç º ¢Ã¥ °Ëœ( human society ) and so on. 3.3. Literal translation and Free translation This method means to transfer both the figurative meaning and image of source language idiom into target language with the help of free translation. This translation method can help retain the original figurative meaning and image, which can be accepted by the target language readers. In Chinese: ç  «Ã§Æ' §Ã§Å"‰æ ¯â€º the fire is singeing the eyebrows ——— a desperate situation è ´Å¸Ã¨ â€ Ã¨ ¯ ·Ã§ ½ ª proffer a birch and ask for a flogging ——— offer a humble apology ç  ­Ã©â€" ¨Ã¥ ¼â€žÃ¦â€" § show off ones skill with the axe before Lu Ban the master carpenter ——— display ones slight skill before an expert In English: A bull in a china shop å… ¬Ã§â€°â€ºÃ©â€" ¯Ã¨ ¿â€ºÃ§â€œ ·Ã¥â„¢ ¨Ã¥ ºâ€"——— 肆æ„ Ã¦  £Ã¤ ¹ ± The cat weeps over the mouse. çÅ' «Ã¥â€œ ­Ã¨â‚¬ Ã© ¼  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¥ â€¡Ã¦â€¦Ë†Ã¦â€š ² There is no rose without a thorn.çŽ «Ã§â€˜ °Ã§Å¡â€ Ã¦Å"‰åˆ ºÃ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¤ ¹ Ã¤ ¸ ­Ã¦ ¯â€Ã¦Å"‰è‹ ¦ Every flow has its ebb.æ ½ ®Ã¦Å"‰æ ¶ ¨Ã¨  ½Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¤ º ºÃ¥ Ë†Ã§â€ºâ€ºÃ¨ ¡ °Ã¦â€" ¶ 3.4. Adapted translation Some English idioms are found exact counterparts in Chinese which are dissimilar to them in images. In this case we can use these idiomatic Chinese expressions to replace the English idioms. For examples: In English, 1) He that sows the wind will reap the whirlwind. çŽ ©Ã§  «Ã¨â‚¬â€¦Ã¥ ¿â€¦Ã¨â€¡ ªÃ§â€žÅ¡Ã£â‚¬â€š 2) Like begets like. é ¾â„¢Ã§â€Å¸Ã© ¾â„¢Ã¯ ¼Å'å‡ ¤Ã§â€Å¸Ã¥â€¡ ¤Ã£â‚¬â€š 3) Many straws may bind an elephant. çÆ'‚é º »Ã¦ â€œÃ¦Ë† Ã§ » ³Ã¯ ¼Å'ä ¹Å¸Ã¨Æ' ½Ã¦â€¹â€°Ã¥ Æ'æâ€" ¤Ã£â‚¬â€š 4) When shepherds quarrel, the wolf has a winning game. é ¹ ¬Ã¨Å¡Å'ç› ¸Ã¤ ºâ€°Ã¯ ¼Å'æ ¸â€Ã§ ¿ Ã¥ ¾â€"åˆ ©Ã£â‚¬â€š In Chinese, 1) Ã¥ Å Ã§â€œ ¶Ã©â€ â€¹Ã¯ ¼Å'å‡ ºÃ¤ ºâ€¹Ã¦â€¢â€¦Ã£â‚¬â€šA little knowledge is a dangerous thing. 2) Ã¥ °â€˜Ã¨ § Ã¥ ¤Å¡Ã¦â‚¬ ªÃ£â‚¬â€šWonder is the daughter of ignorance. 3) ä ¸â€°Ã¦â‚¬ Ã¨â‚¬Å'Ã¥ Å½Ã¨ ¡Å'。Look before you leap. 4) Ã¥ ¦â€šÃ© ± ¼Ã¥ ¾â€"æ ° ´Ã£â‚¬â€šLike a duck to water. 5) æÅ"‰å… ¶Ã§Ë† ¶Ã¥ ¿â€¦Ã¦Å"‰å… ¶Ã¥ ­ Ã£â‚¬â€šLike father like son. 4. Conclusion: Idioms are a very important part of any language. So necessary knowledge of cultural differences is indispensable to the translation of idioms. Each idiom bears an image and a figurative meaning. When we are translating an idiom, its a basic requirement that we should remain its figurative meaning. For the translator, he must have a good command of English and Chinese language and cultures. References: [1] å† ¯Ã¥ ºâ€ Ã¥ Å½ 《å ®Å¾Ã§â€ ¨Ã§ ¿ »Ã¨ ¯â€˜Ã¦â€¢â„¢Ã§ ¨â€¹Ã£â‚¬â€¹ ä ¸Å Ã¦ µ ·Ã¥ ¤â€"è ¯ ­Ã¦â€¢â„¢Ã¨â€š ²Ã¥â€¡ ºÃ§â€°Ë†Ã§ ¤ ¾ 2002Ã¥ ¹ ´ [2] Ã¥ ®â€¹Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã©â€ ¡ 《ç ¿ »Ã¨ ¯â€˜Ã¦â€" °Ã¦ ¦â€šÃ¥ ¿ µÃ¨â€¹ ±Ã¦ ±â€°Ã¤ ºâ€™Ã¨ ¯â€˜Ã¥ ®Å¾Ã§â€ ¨Ã¦â€¢â„¢Ã§ ¨â€¹ ç ¬ ¬4版》 å› ½Ã©Ëœ ²Ã¥ · ¥Ã¤ ¸Å¡Ã¥â€¡ ºÃ§â€°Ë†Ã§ ¤ ¾ 2006Ã¥ ¹ ´ [3] è ´ ºÃ§Ë† ±Ã¥ Å½ æ  ¨Ã§Å"Ÿæ ´ ª 《ä »Å½Ã¤ ¸ ­Ã¨ ¥ ¿Ã¦â€"‡åÅ'â€"Ã¥ · ®Ã¥ ¼â€šÃ§Å¡â€žÃ¨ §â€ Ã¨ §â€™Ã§Å"‹ä ¹  Ã¨ ¯ ­Ã§ ¿ »Ã¨ ¯â€˜Ã£â‚¬â€¹ é â€™Ã¥ ¹ ´Ã§ §â€˜Ã¥ ­ ¦ 2009Ã¥ ¹ ´ [4] Ã¥  ¢Ã¦ ¦â€ Ã¦ ¢â€¦ 《è ® ºÃ¦â€"‡åÅ'â€"Ã¥ · ®Ã¥ ¼â€šÃ¥ ¯ ¹Ã¦ ±â€°Ã¨â€¹ ±Ã¤ ¹  Ã¨ ¯ ­Ã§ ¿ »Ã¨ ¯â€˜Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥ ½ ±Ã¥â€œ Ã£â‚¬â€¹ Ã¥ ¹ ¿Ã¨ ¥ ¿Ã¦â€¢â„¢Ã¨â€š ²Ã¥ ­ ¦Ã©â„¢ ¢Ã¦Å  ¥ 2009Ã¥ ¹ ´Ã§ ¬ ¬5æÅ"Ÿ

Different businesses and their ownerships Essay

Introduction- The purpose of this report is to look at economic development matters and what encourages new businesses to locate to a new business park. I will be investigating two contrasting businesses that will create new jobs in the local economy. For the voluntary sector I have chosen Oxfam and for the private sector I have chosen Topshop. I have chosen Topshop and Oxfam as my two contrasting businesses. Topshop is a young girls and women’s clothes shop. This business is international and has stores all over the country. Topshop has 300 stores they are still growing and expanding. The owner of Topshop owns other retail shops like Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins. Topshop is part of Arcadia, a public limited company is owned by shareholders, which may be members of the public. Their shares can be bought and sold on the stock exchange. Topshop is run by a board of directors. These people make the major decisions within the business. They have limited liability; this means if the business gets into debt and cannot pay it, the business will get sued. This is known as incorporation. The shareholders’ personal assets cannot be taken to pay the debt; they are then only liable for how much they have invested in the business. The purpose of Topshop is to sell range of clothes for the public to buy, also to make profit. Oxfam is an international charity that was founded in 1942 in England. This organisation provides help to poor countries and disaster affected areas. The purpose of this contrasting business is to help people rebuild lives working on long term projects with communities determined to help ensure they have a better future. Topshop have their own aims and objectives, their aims are: Profit and profit maximisation – they want to make as much profit as they can Survival- they as a business want to be able to survive within the clothes industry and not fail because other businesses similar to them are opening up. Growth- they also want to be able to grow and expand their business and set up more stores in different part of the world to maximise their profit. Their SMART objectives are: SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Realistic, time Constrained. Their objectives are Specific because Topshop will only aim to focus on clothing and fashion accessories particularly directed at women. Measureable in this context will mean that Top shop’s market share can be easily assessed and get to know of their changing needs and wants. Achievable because their business strategies can be stretched to achieve the desired market share. Realistic would be whether they are actually achievable or not. Time constrained will mean they will achieve all the objectives by a certain time. Oxfam also have their own aims and objectives, their aims are: Oxfam’s aims are: To help people in poor countries and relieve poverty Help provide education for people who are in need of it They take donations like toys and clothes, and then they sell on for money and all the money goes to that charity. Raise money and encourage charitable giving. Oxfam’s objectives include To provide clean hospitals To be caring and welcoming to new people To be well organised Give the best possible treatment they can Give as much advice as they can Within Topshop there are a number of different stakeholders which influence the purpose of the business. The purpose of Topshop is to provide good products for customers and also to provide a good service. A stakeholder is anyone with an interest in a business. These can be individuals, groups or organisations and they are affected by the activity of the business. Topshop’s stakeholders: Customers- The businesses aims are set to please the customers and live up the customer expectations. The customers of Topshop expect high quality and value for money clothes and products. They also expect the latest fashion trends and to look good in them as they are paying so much. Topshop as a big clothing shop are aiming to make the working conditions better for the people that are producing their products so then the customers know the clothes have been made in good working conditions which is a benefit . If the customers at Topshop didn’t get what they wanted, they could go elsewhere. Therefore customers have an influence over how Topshop run their business. Employees- Topshop need employees to help the business to expand and open a range of stores. Employees can influence Topshop by contacting their trade unions if they’re not happy with their working conditions. Their point of view would be to make sure they have good rates of pay, good working conditions, contract of employment sick pay and holiday entitlements. Suppliers- For Topshop to make enough profit to keep the business running, they will need suppliers to be able to buy products and sell them to customers. Without suppliers the business wouldn’t survive. Owners- Owners are shareholders in the business, people that have invested in Topshop. If Topshop didn’t have shareholders then the business wouldn’t run as well. Trade unions- It’s an organisation which supports workers when they are in disputes with their employees over the rates of pay they are getting or working conditions they are in. If the manager of the business does not agree with the trade unions or employees then Topshop could lose staff over this. Local communities The community may shop in Topshop as it’s the closest store to them. This will influence Topshop by having local customers who may always have a quick look in their store when they have time. This will increase profit for  Topshop. Government- They make all the laws which Topshop have to stick to. This means if they don’t stick to these laws they could get fined and loses customers over. In conclusion, some stakeholders will have a much bigger influence compared to the others. For example staff could go elsewhere and find a new job and work there instead. Oxfam’s stakeholders Customers- Customers in Oxfam will buy products and the money made will go to the charity then gets passed on the people to provide them with foods, clothes etc. If Oxfam didn’t have customers then they wouldn’t be able to raise money and help people that are in need of education, clothes and food and water. Employees – Oxfam needs employees to help the commerce to expand its self and open more stores up around the world. Also they would need staff to help achieve their aims and objectives. The employees that work at Oxfam are volunteers and they don’t get paid. If they don’t have employees then the business wouldn’t be able to raise money for the charity. Suppliers- They have two types of suppliers, members of the general public who donate second hand goods. They influence Oxfam because if they didn’t donate to this organisation then Oxfam as a charity wouldn’t be able to stock their shops. The second types of suppliers have medical supplies which help people in third world countries. Owners- Oxfam is a charity and as such does not have owners but trustees who help to keep the organisation on track with its aims and purpose. Local communities- Local community donate and buy goods from the charity. They influence Oxfam because they buy goods of them and if they didn’t Oxfam wouldn’t be able to achieve their target of making money to give to that charity. Government – The government make laws and legislation which Oxfam must follow. They  influence them because Oxfam may have to change the way they work and how they run the business. In conclusion, the stakeholders of Oxfam have a big influence on the business and how they run the business. For example, employees have the biggest amount of influence because if the business doesn’t have enough staff they wouldn’t be able to expand the business and create more stores around the world to raise more money. Both organisations have a number of different stakeholders. Each of the stakeholders will have a level of influence on the businesses. Some stakeholders will have more influence than others. The stakeholders that I think would have the most influence in Topshop would be customers, employees, government and shareholders. Topshop’s main aim is to make a profit. Customers in Topshop want the latest fashionable clothes at reasonable prices. They also expect high quality products t hat last the season. If Topshop introduced clothes that did not meet their customers’ expectations then sales would decrease and Topshop would not be able to achieve their aims and objectives as they wouldn’t be making enough money to make a profit. Employees that work in Topshop have an influence on the businesses aims and objectives because if they didn’t have employees to work in the stores then they wouldn’t meet their aims and objectives as a business because people have any to buy the product off. Also employees are needed widely for expanding the business to different part of the world and opening more of the stores. The government also have a big influence on Topshop’s business aims and objectives as they make all the laws for not only that business but other businesses too and if the business doesn’t follow or stick to those rules then they will get fined and could have a bad reputation created which would have negative influences on them as current cust omers may be put off buying products from them and go to one of their competitors close by like New Look or River Island. Shareholders are the last of the four stakeholders I think have a big influence on Topshop’s aims and objectives. They are important because the store wouldn’t grow and expand if they didn’t have owners. Both organisations have a number of different stakeholders. Each of the stakeholders will have a level of influence on the businesses. Some stakeholders will have more influence than others. The stakeholders that I think would have the most influence in Oxfam would be volunteers, customers. I think volunteers would have a big influence on the businesses aims and  objectives for Oxfam because without volunteers, the stores wouldn’t be able to run and that means the charity would have money donated for the charity. Oxfam is not out there to make a profit; the business would be struggling not because of them not making a profit as there wouldn’t be anyone to work in the shops. Customers are very important in the influence of Oxfam’s aims and objectives as the business wants to have second hand goods handed in from the customers and then people will buy the second hand goods if they know the money is going to charity. If the customers weren’t coming into the charity shops then this would affect their aim to raise money because there is no-one to buy the products. Overall, I know that within the two contrasting businesses I have described above, they both have a number of different stakeholders that have an influence on their businesses aims and objectives.

The Importance of Time in Shakespeares The Winters...

The Importance of Time in The Winters Tale Leon. No foot shall stir. Paul. Music, awake her; strike! [Music] Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach; Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come! Ill fill your grave up: stir, nay, come away: Bequeath to death your numbness; for from him Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs: --The Winters Tale (V.iii.98-103) Unlike most of Shakespeares earlier plays, The Winters Tale moves from tragedy to comedy. The disastrous consequences of Leontes jealousy and tyranny are resolved by the passing of time. Only after sixteen years can the two royal families come together again. Time also plays a significant role in the reading of the†¦show more content†¦In many instances of the play, Leontes requests are not heeded to, despite his position as king. When Leontes wants Camillo to poison Hermione, Camillo does not do as he says. Instead, he runs off with Polixenes, buying precious time for everyone. Camillo and Polixenes evade death, and Hermione is given enough time to stage a death so that she can avoid being killed also. Camillos noble defiance gives everyone valuable time; the key factor which allows people to take shelter from Leontes tyranny. The second half-line of line ninety-eight consists of a trochee and two iambs: Music, awake her; strike! Since the only varying foot of the latter half-line is the trochee, music, Shakespeare seems to be emphasizing the significance of music. In a sense, music is a representation of time because it is defined by its time signatures, which designate much of its rhythmical patterns. Music is also the magical element that accompanies the transformation of the still Hermione into the living Hermione, which makes it an agent of change. In other words, Shakespeare conveys that music, or time, has the power to change. Paulina calls for the music to awake her (98), and it does. Time is the essential element that frees Hermione from the bondage of her hiding. In line ninety-nine, Paulina is summoning Hermione from the statue. She indicates that it is time for Hermione to reveal herself. The line beginsShow MoreRelatedTheme Of The Cherry Orchard And The Cherry Orchard748 Words   |  3 Pagesgo back to the time of innocence for them, etc., the human race has not yet acquired the knowledge or capabilities of going back in time. Whether we are looking back and romanticizing the past, or shucking the past altogether in favor of a more optimistic future, time functions around us and is present at every moment. The importance of this seemingly simple concept echoes throughout history, human relationships, wars, and art to try to gain some kind of small understanding of time. This is especiallyRead MoreShakespeare s Othello And The Winter s Tale A Comparison1843 Words   |  8 PagesShakespeare’s Othello and The Winter’s Tale a Comparison Between Desdemona and Hermione William Shakespeare, in his Othello and The Winter’s Tale portrays some curious facets of femininity, maybe deliberately or not. Desdemona in Othello is a Venetian beauty with resolute individuality, while Hermione in The Winter’s Tale is more mysterious. When we take the reality aspect, the former is more realistic and true to life, which has implications even in this time. The latter, is to an extent, unrealRead MoreEssay on Antony and Cleopatra1655 Words   |  7 Pagesarose within the military and the English nobility. After all, their major source of honors and promotion in the monarchs court--great military feats--was constricted by the lack of war (Giddens 2). Shakespeares emphasis on Romes martial society in Antony and Cleopatra addresses the importance that a martial society held for men in England during Elizabeths reign. Military prowess defined masculinity by power and honor. Giddens highlights a Francis Bacon quote from Of the True Greatness ofRead MoreThe Sonnet Form: William Shakespeare6305 Words   |  26 PagesShakespeare’s Sonnets William Shakespeare The Sonnet Form A sonnet is a fourteen-line lyric poem, traditionally written in iambic pentameter—that is, in lines ten syllables long, with accents falling on every second syllable, as in: â€Å"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?† The sonnet form first became popular during the Italian Renaissance, when the poet Petrarch published a sequence of love sonnets addressed to an idealized woman named Laura. Taking firm hold among Italian poets, the sonnet

Bias in the US Media Free Essay Example, 1000 words

The headline on CNN was; 'Moms: Don't flash your gun at Kroger (Lobosco). The perception created by this headline is that mothers may are concerned about safety, especially of their children. Portraying the motherly appeal is something that can be very effective especially where security is the main concern. NEWSMAX, however, do not bring out that perception and only refer to it as a 'gun control group'. Without question, the headlines from the very start are subjective and may influence a rational reader who is just out to get information to develop certain attitudes. Another type of bias that is evident from these stories is that of omission. CNN, as perceived by analysts, is liberal and supports gun control. NEWSMAX, however, is conservative and in support of the second amendment that allows an individual to own and carry firearms. It must for this reason that one reading the two articles feels the tone of the message being inclined to either the side of gun control or in favor o f the second amendment. CNN in favor of gun control and out to prove that it is a dangerous thing for guns to be within the public domain this creates a different perception. We will write a custom essay sample on Bias in the US Media or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page