英语论文英语双关语及其翻译Word格式.docx

1、同音双关、同词双关、音义双关。英语双关利用其特有的本质特点，故意造成歧义，来达到言在此而意在彼的特殊效果。英语双关语的应用能起到一种诙谐幽默，冷嘲热讽，形象生动的作用并能充分体现人物的性格特征，加强语言的美感，提高该作品的可读性来引起读者的兴趣。然而，英语双关语的翻译又是极其困难的，很多人甚至认为是不可译的，因为英汉两种语言的语音不同，两种语言的多义词并不能一一对应，但英语双关语还是存在一定的可译性。本文主要介绍3种主要翻译方法：直译法，意译法，注释法。 【关键词】 英语双关语；分类；本质特点；作用；翻译1. IntroductionIn a certain context, a word o

2、r phrase that is relevant to two or more conceptions, ideas or feelings is often employed to make an expression more effective or humorous. This is achieved when there exists identity or similarity between certain words in such aspects as pronunciation, formation or meaning. This identity or similar

3、ity produces double meanings, which enables people to connect naturally the literal meaning with the implied meaning. Of these two meanings, the implied meaning is the principal part.This is what we call the use of pun. “The use of pun dates back to ancient days. Shakespeare favored pun particularly

4、. It is estimated that there are about 3000 puns employed in Shakespeares works 1.” The employment of pun in English novels, poems, speeches, advertisements and riddles makes them highly readable and prompts people to appreciate the beauty of language. And the translation of English puns into Chines

5、e enhances the charm of the original works and the understanding of the version.2. Definition and classification of puns2.1 Definition of punsLooking at the same issue from different perspectives, we may often come up with different definitions of the thing under discussion. And, not surprisingly, p

6、un can be thus defined in many ways. There is such a humorous explanation about pun: “punning to torture one poor word ten thousand ways （John Dryden）”2.In Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, pun is defined as “An amusing use of a word or phrase that has two meanings, or words with the same

7、sound but different meanings”3 . According to The Oxford English Dictionary, pun is defined as “the use of word in such a way as to suggest two or more meanings or different associations, or the use of two or more words of the same or nearly the same sound with different meanings, so as to produce a

8、 humorous effect”4. In Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, pun is defined as “A figure of speech depending upon a similarity of sound and a disparity of meaning”5.From the above definitions, we can see that homonyms, homophones, and homographs all are available to construct puns with.2.1.1

9、 HomonymsA homonym is a word that is identical to another word in pronunciation and spelling but not in meaning 6. For example:（1） Can: n. & v. Put something in a container Can: modal verb Be able to （2） Change: To become different Change: n. Money in the form of coins（3） Bear: Sustain responsibilit

10、y; endure difficulty, etc Bear: A kind of animal, having thick fur and walking on its soles（4） Book: A written or printed work Book: Engage （a seat etc.） in advance; make a reservation of 2.1.2 HomophonesA homophone is a word that is identical to another word in pronunciation but not in spelling and

11、 meaning.（5） Bale: A large bundle Bail: To remove water from a boat（6） Knew: Past of know New: adj. Of recent origin or arrival（7） Soul: Spiritual or immaterial part of man, held to survive death Sole: Lower surface of human or other foot（8） Pair: A set of two persons or things used together or rega

12、rded as a unit Pear: A yellowish or brownish-green fleshy fruit, tapering towards the stalk2.1.3 HomographsA homograph is a word that is identical to another word in spelling but not in pronunciation and meaning.（9） Minute: Sixtieth part of an hour Minute: Very small; trifling（10） Digest: To change

13、food in the stomach into a form your body can use Digest: A short piece of writing that gives the most important facts from a book, report etc（11） Lead: Guide by the hand, direct movements of Lead: A kind of metal（12） Wind: Air in more or less rapid natural motion Wind: Go in circular, spiral course

14、2.2 Classification of English punsConcerning the classification of puns, different linguists have different standpoints. As He Shanfen states in “Contrastive Studies of English and Chinese-Languages”, puns can be roughly divided into three kinds. They are named antalaclasis, paronomasia and syllepsi

15、s 7. Here the author uses two examples to explain the first two parts. Antalaclasis refers to a word used twice or more, but each time with a different meaning. For example:（13） To England will I steal and there Ill steal.The first “steal” means “to go to England secretly without being noticed”, whi

16、le the second “steal” is used in its most commonly used meaning.Paronomasia is the use of two words, which are similar in pronunciation but different in meaning. For example:（14） Catch the Raincheetahs and cheat the rain. Here “raincheetahs” is the brand name of the product. It is pronounced similar

17、ly to “raincheater” which echoes to “cheat the rain”. In “English Writing and Rhetoric” written by Prof. WenJun, a more specific means of classification brings about five categories of puns 8 : homophonic pun, paronomasia, antalaclasis, Sylletic pun and asteimus.However, according to Li Xinhua, in h

18、is work, “A Detailed Study of Figures of Speech in English”, he points that those five categories classified by Prof. Wenjun are clear but over-elaborate. In summary, it is clearer to divide into these two types: one is homophonic pun, the other is homographic pun. He also points out that, in those

19、five categories, No1 and No2 belong to the homophonic pun; the others belong to the homographic pun, which is the way to bring complication into simplicity. And it is easier to master the characteristics of figure of speech. However, as Lv Xu states in “Practical English Rhetoric”, according to the

20、characteristics and functions of their formation, puns can be divided into three types9: homophonic puns, homographic puns, puns on both pronunciation and meaning.2.2.1 Homophonic punsIt is the use of words with the same or similar pronunciation but different spellings and meanings. It also called p

21、honetic puns, and phonetic pun is the basic form of English pun. In our daily communication, phonetic is the carrier of transferring information. According to psycholinguistics, speech communication is a process of psychological activities from encoding to decoding. When speakers employ the order of

22、 thinking-meaning-voice to transmit outside, it is called encoding; when listeners employ the order of voice-meaning-thinking to process and try to understand, it is called decoding. The inter-processing only relies on hearing, lacking visual sense, and it will cause ambiguity in understanding. （15）

23、 “How is bread made?”“I know that!” Alice cried eagerly. “You take some flour”“Where do you pick the flower?” The white Queen asked. “In a garden or in the hedges?“Well, it isnt picked at all.” Alice explained. “Its ground”“How many acres of ground?” said the white Queen.10（Lewis Carrol: Alices Adve

24、ntures in Wonderland）In this example, “flower” and “flour” have the same pronunciation but quite different in meaning. The adoption of the homophonic pun makes the dialogue more vivid, humorous. Moreover, “ground” can be understood as “solid surface of the earth”, and also can be understood as “the

25、past of grind”. （16） Drunk drivers often put the quart before the hearse.Here, “quart” is similar to “cart” in sound, while “hearse” is similar to “horse”. This sentence can construct homophonic pun by borrowing from the idiom “put the cart before the horse”, which means “put or say things in the wrong order”. This pun is driving at warning the addicting drivers that driving after drink is a kind of suicide.（17） “Waiter, theres a hair in my soup.”“So sorry, sir. Did you order it without?“Hair” here means “one of the fine thread-like strands that grow from the skin