摘 要:翻译是一种语言传播行为,是把源头语言和目的语言进行转换的过程,以此达到不同语言文化的沟通，而思维方式的差异对这一过程有着很大的影响。本文以中英为例,在思维与语言关系基础上,首先强调思维方式对翻译的重要性，接着分析了中英思维方式的主要差异和这些差异给英汉语言翻译带来的影响，最后总结思维方式的研究对中英翻译的意义。希望本文的研究能给中英翻译带来一些启示和帮助。

关键词：思维方式；英汉差异；翻译

Abstract:Translation is a kind of language communication, a process in which source language and target language are converted so as to communicate different language cultures, and the differences between thinking modes have a great impact on the process. On the basis of the relation between thought and language, the paper takes Chinese and English as the examples, first emphasizes the significance of studying thinking modes, and then the main differences between Chinese and English thinking modes and theirs influences on the translation of two languages are analyzed in detail. Finally, the significance of studying thinking modes in translation is concluded. It is hoped that this study will bring some enlightenment and help to Chinese and English translation.

Key words: thinking modes; the differences between Chinese and English; translation

Contents

摘 要..i

Abstract...ii

I. Introduction.........1

II. The Relation Between Thought and Language...2

2.1 Thought and Language....................2

2.2 The Importance of the Study of Thinking Modes in Translation...3

III. The Differences Between Chinese and English Thinking Modes....4

3.1 Concrete Thinking vs. Abstract Thinking....4

3.2 Subjective Thinking vs. Objective Thinking..5

3.3 Dynamic Thinking vs. Stative Thinking......7

IV. The Impact Exerted by the Different Thinking Modes upon Translation....8

4.1 The Impact upon Word Translation...9

4.2 The Impact upon Sentence Translation.......10

4.3 The Impact upon Discourse Translation....11

V. Conclusion....14

Bibliography..15

Acknowledgements........16

On the Effects of the Differences Between Chinese and English Thinking Modes on Translation

I. Introduction

Thinking mode is the fundamental way that people look at things, and it plays a decisive role in people’s words and deeds. At the same time, the thinking mode, which is closely related to language, is the generation of the language. Accordingly, language prompts the formation and development of thinking mode and is the main tool of thinking mode. With different nationalities and cultural backgrounds, people look at things in different ways, which is due to the differences of thinking modes. In the course of translation, it is, however, not only the exchange of different languages, but also the communication between different cultures. What’s more, the hardest thing in translating is the exchange of different cultures. The most essential difference between Eastern and Western cultures lies in the different patterns of thought. It means that thinking modes take a vital position in the process of translating.

Language reflects thought, and thought controls language. Therefore, in the course of translation, thinking modes play an indispensable role. Meanwhile, the differences of Chinese and English thinking modes are caused by multiple factors instead of a relatively single condition, such as historical reason, geographical reason, philosophical reason, the way of production, etc.

By contrasting different thinking modes between Chinese and English, this article seeks to illustrate that many differences exist in Chinese and English language, and that these differences can be exposed in the process of translating.

The article is made up of five sections: in the first section, the author briefly states thinking modes and language, which provides the precondition for the exploration in the following sections. In the second section, the relation between thought and language is mainly analyzed, and the importance of the study of Chinese and English thinking modes in translating is indicated. In the third section, the differences between Chinese and English thinking modes are primally summarized from the following parts: concrete and abstract thinking, subject and object thinking, dynamic and stative thinking. In the fourth section, the thesis concentrates on the effects of the different thinking modes on translation, mainly from the aspects of word translation, sentence translation and discourse translation. In the last chapter, the significance of studying thinking modes in translation is reemphasized, and the importance of transfer of thought modes in the course of translation is pointed out as well.