{"id":2034,"date":"2024-04-29T20:40:58","date_gmt":"2024-04-29T20:40:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/CLD\/?p=2034"},"modified":"2024-04-30T02:37:04","modified_gmt":"2024-04-30T02:37:04","slug":"strategies-for-translating-chengyu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/CLD\/strategies-for-translating-chengyu\/","title":{"rendered":"Strategies for Translating Chengyu"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Independent Contributor: Jim Jones<\/em><\/p>\n

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Photo by Cristina Gottardi<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

There are four types of formulaic expressions (\u719f\u8bed) in Chinese: collocations (\u60ef\u7528\u8bed), two-part allegorical sayings (\u6b47\u540e\u8bed), proverbs (\u8c1a\u8bed), and chengyu (\u6210\u8bed). Numbering between 5,000 and over 20,000 depending on the dictionary, the chengyu are interesting and useful Chinese idiomatic expressions that encapsulate a rich tapestry of culture and history.<\/p>\n

Exploring this form across different languages reveals similarities and variations. Yojijukugo (\u56db\u5b57\u719f\u8bed) is the similar chengyu form in Japanese. The Korean equivalent is called Sajaseong-eo (\u56db\u5b57\u6210\u8bed). Many of the Japanese yojijukugo were adopted from the Chinese. The Japanese term koji seigo (\u6545\u4e8b\u6210\u8bed) refers to an idiom that comes from a specific text as the source, mostly historical accounts written in Classical Chinese. A particular Chinese chengyu does not necessarily mean the same thing as that same particular form in Japanese or Korean.<\/p>\n

Commonly, many chengyu are from Classical Chinese and were created by succinctly paraphrasing or summarizing the original text. Translators can find chengyu to be packed with information, which itself poses unique challenges when rendering them into English. For example, should a translator use just a few words to reference the original meaning or elaborate across lines to explain thoroughly? It\u2019s a tradeoff, and the translator will need to make that decision based on the context. Sometimes the historical event is an integral part of the meaning, but sometimes it is only incidental to the meaning.<\/p>\n

LOOKING UP CHENGYU<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just as with individual words and expressions, a translator has several sources for chengyu meanings: online (such as mdbg.net and iciba.com), printed, and human expertise. Usage in history, or how the item has been translated in the past, will often give good clues as to the current meaning.<\/p>\n

However, the accuracy of a found definition is important. Printed resources can err too, but people do tend to trust them more. How can it be verified that the meaning as explained by someone seemingly experienced is correct and the one you found online is not? What do you do if you find out that the way a particular chengyu has been translated for hundreds of years does not fit your context? My answer: as with other items (individual words), and as with translation work in general, this issue depends on the judgment and experience of the translator.<\/p>\n

CATEGORIZATION CAN HELP<\/strong><\/p>\n

When first encountering a chengyu in a text, classifying it into one of several categories will help the translator make the word choices that are necessary for putting it into appropriate English. Three possible categories that chengyu are in are:<\/p>\n