Chinese  
Position:Translation skills

How to translate Chinese adage?

From;    Author:Stand originally

In the card in front, I mention proverbial “ of a China 3 smelly cobbler, ” of Zhu Geliang of be better than. After this card is published, netizen Vmax leaves a message to me, ask me whether this adage can be translated into the sentence below. I answer him to say, OK of course, but I do not encourage you to be done so, main reason is: Your translation, our Chinese looks so that understand, but the foreigner looks not to understand, they know Zhu Geliang is what person far from, if you want to let a foreigner also can look so that understand, you must be at the back of translation, additional add a paragraph of explanatory note, introduce " historical novel of the Three Kingdoms " , introduce Zhu Geliang again, only such, foreigner ability understands this adage truly, do you say a trouble? !

Three Cobblers Are More Clever Than Mr. Zhuge Liang. (3 cobbler will be cleverer than Mr Zhu Geliang. (3 cobbler will be cleverer than Mr Zhu Geliang..

Actually, a lot of adage of our China, have corresponding English saw, both meaning is identical similar perhaps, can replace completely each other, usually, do not need ourselves interpreter. For instance “ 3 smelly cobbler, ” of Zhu Geliang of be better than this is proverbial, have a corresponding English saw, look please below group. Another and " historical novel of the Three Kingdoms " the proverbial “ that the character concerns says Cao Cao, cao holds ” , also have corresponding English saw, look please below the 2nd.

① Two Heads Are Better Than One. (Two heads are better than a head. (Two heads are better than a head..

② When We Talk About The Devil, he Will Appear. (When we talk about a devil, he will appear. He will appear..

See here, some friends may ask: Where can be these corresponding English adage found? I ever was in the foreign language bookshop of well of Beijing king government office, had seen the book of this respect, the title seems to be called " Chinese-English adage phraseology is in charge of " (time grew, it is not clear to write down) , we can be planted from this in the dictionary, the corresponding English of adage of China of fish great majority is proverbial. Home is “ English hot ” now, english books (include English dictionary) numberless as the sand, I think this kind of dictionary ought to be found not hard.

A China is proverbial, when the English that cannot find correspondence in the dictionary only is proverbial, we just consider him interpreter, nevertheless this kind of circumstance seems not to see more. For instance “ Zhou Yu hits Huang Gai, one wishs to hit, one wishs to endure ” this is proverbial, I did not find corresponding English adage all the time, accordingly I am its interpreter:

One Is Willing To Sell, and The Other Is Willing To Buy. (A person is willing to sell, another person is willing to buy. Another person is willing to buy..
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