Abstract:Figures were created by our ancients to meet their increasing needs for advanced productive activities. They were, at first, mainly used in calculation as mathematical symbols or concepts. As unique components of human’s languages, figures, in a certain way, are a typical kind of characters. Throughout the history, figures have been playing an important role in exhibiting such cultural diversities as values, aesthetics, and universal views. Therefore, we can contract cultural differences from the figures each country adopted. It is commonly acknowledged that each country has a figure complex, either viewing a certain figure as the incarnation of sanity, or ascribing one to the omens of evil. When it comes to translating figures, it is important to completely convey to the readers the cultural meanings behind the figures. Since time immemorial, Chinese have showed a preference to “三”, which was fully embodied through numerous abbreviations and idioms in former documents. “Three”, the counterpart of “三” in English, was crowned as a holy number of different cultural backgrounds from that of “三”, which casts obstacle to find an exactly equivalent word in translation. Moreover, the semantic vagueness in “三” is exclusive in Chinese. This essay will concentrate on the skills adopted in translating the cultural notes of figure “三” in Chinese context. 

Keywords: Chinese figure “三”, cultural notes, translation skills

Contents

摘要

Abstract

Chapter 1 Introduction-1

1.1 Previous Researches or Findings in This Respect-1

1.2 Motivations for the Present Study-2

Chapter 2 Cultural Notes of Chinese Figure“三”-3

2.1 Expressions of Figure “三”-3

2.2 Cultural Notes of Figure “三”-4

Chapter 3 C-E Translation Skills for Figure“三”-7

3.1 Semantic Differences between “三” and “three”-7

3.2 Literal Translation-7

3.3 Free Translation-9

3.4 Functional Equivalence-11

3.5 Transliteration-13

Chapter 4 Suggestions-15

Chapter 5 Conclusion-17

References-19

Acknowledgements-20