This research paper delves into the translation strategies for curse words from Chinese to English within the context of literary works, specifically focusing on "A Dream of Red Mansions," a classic Chinese novel. The study acknowledges the cultural aversion to curse words due to their offensive nature and association with negative emotions. However, it emphasizes the importance of these words in literature, where they contribute to the authenticity and expressiveness of the text. The paper is structured into three main sections. The first section provides a comparative analysis of curse words in English and Chinese, highlighting their common offensive traits and the cultural nuances that differentiate their usage. The second section presents a detailed examination of various translation strategies applied to curse words in the novel, including literal translation and free translation. The third section discusses the challenges translators face when bridging cultural barriers and offers recommendations for achieving faithful and expressive translations. The study underscores that curse words extend beyond their everyday negative connotations and are integral to the literary expression. It concludes that translators must possess a deep understanding of both the source and target languages' cultural contexts to effectively translate curse words. The recommended approach involves understanding the literal and extended meanings of curse words, considering the context, and employing a combination of literal and free translation strategies to maintain the essence and emotional impact of the original text.
| Published in | International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 12, Issue 3) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11 |
| Page(s) | 34-41 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Curse Words, Translation Strategies, Cultural Barriers, Literary Works, Faithfulness, Expressive Translations
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APA Style
Chen, Y. (2024). Chinese-English Translation of Curse Words in A Dream of Red Mansions: Literal Versus Free Translation. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 12(3), 34-41. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11
ACS Style
Chen, Y. Chinese-English Translation of Curse Words in A Dream of Red Mansions: Literal Versus Free Translation. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2024, 12(3), 34-41. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11
AMA Style
Chen Y. Chinese-English Translation of Curse Words in A Dream of Red Mansions: Literal Versus Free Translation. Int J Lit Arts. 2024;12(3):34-41. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11
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Download@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11,
author = {Yang Chen},
title = {Chinese-English Translation of Curse Words in A Dream of Red Mansions: Literal Versus Free Translation
},
journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
volume = {12},
number = {3},
pages = {34-41},
doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20241203.11},
abstract = {This research paper delves into the translation strategies for curse words from Chinese to English within the context of literary works, specifically focusing on "A Dream of Red Mansions," a classic Chinese novel. The study acknowledges the cultural aversion to curse words due to their offensive nature and association with negative emotions. However, it emphasizes the importance of these words in literature, where they contribute to the authenticity and expressiveness of the text. The paper is structured into three main sections. The first section provides a comparative analysis of curse words in English and Chinese, highlighting their common offensive traits and the cultural nuances that differentiate their usage. The second section presents a detailed examination of various translation strategies applied to curse words in the novel, including literal translation and free translation. The third section discusses the challenges translators face when bridging cultural barriers and offers recommendations for achieving faithful and expressive translations. The study underscores that curse words extend beyond their everyday negative connotations and are integral to the literary expression. It concludes that translators must possess a deep understanding of both the source and target languages' cultural contexts to effectively translate curse words. The recommended approach involves understanding the literal and extended meanings of curse words, considering the context, and employing a combination of literal and free translation strategies to maintain the essence and emotional impact of the original text.
},
year = {2024}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Chinese-English Translation of Curse Words in A Dream of Red Mansions: Literal Versus Free Translation AU - Yang Chen Y1 - 2024/05/17 PY - 2024 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11 DO - 10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11 T2 - International Journal of Literature and Arts JF - International Journal of Literature and Arts JO - International Journal of Literature and Arts SP - 34 EP - 41 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2331-057X UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20241203.11 AB - This research paper delves into the translation strategies for curse words from Chinese to English within the context of literary works, specifically focusing on "A Dream of Red Mansions," a classic Chinese novel. The study acknowledges the cultural aversion to curse words due to their offensive nature and association with negative emotions. However, it emphasizes the importance of these words in literature, where they contribute to the authenticity and expressiveness of the text. The paper is structured into three main sections. The first section provides a comparative analysis of curse words in English and Chinese, highlighting their common offensive traits and the cultural nuances that differentiate their usage. The second section presents a detailed examination of various translation strategies applied to curse words in the novel, including literal translation and free translation. The third section discusses the challenges translators face when bridging cultural barriers and offers recommendations for achieving faithful and expressive translations. The study underscores that curse words extend beyond their everyday negative connotations and are integral to the literary expression. It concludes that translators must possess a deep understanding of both the source and target languages' cultural contexts to effectively translate curse words. The recommended approach involves understanding the literal and extended meanings of curse words, considering the context, and employing a combination of literal and free translation strategies to maintain the essence and emotional impact of the original text. VL - 12 IS - 3 ER -
Sino-German Center for Higher Vocational Education Innovation, Shenzhen Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, China
