TheDifferencebetweenOrientalandOccidentalThinking PatternsinTranslation

【Abstract】Translation is a transfer of language as well as that of culture and thinking patterns. The difference between Oriental and Occidental thinking patterns is responsible for different ways of expressing in English and Chinese. This paper mainly introduce representation and influence of the difference between oriental and occidental thinking patterns， which can help translators understand the difference and its influence on language.

【Key words】thinking pattern； language； translation； oriental； occidental

【作者簡介】郭远，南充外国语中等专业学校。

Translation is a method of using a kind of language to express the content accurately and completely to another kind of language. However， translation is not a simple meaningless practice； it is a kind of language exchanging activity in human society. So language expression has become a kind of cultural code and cultural carrier. As is known to all， western and eastern cultures have many discrepancies for different natural environment and human environment. The most significant discrepancy between them is on the level of thinking pattern.

1. Main Difference between Oriental and Occidental Thinking

A. Hyotaxis and Parataxis

In The Theory and Practice of Translation， Nida have emphasized， “Perhaps， one of the most important differences in linguistics is the contrast between hypotaxis and parataxis.” Namely， the essential disparity between Chinese and English is the distinction of hypotaxis and parataxis. Different ways of thinking mode make a distinction on the structure of language form between English and mandarin.

B. Concrete and Abstract

Generally speaking， the feature of oriental thinking pattern is in the natural of strong vivid. The concrete thinking pattern refers to the psychological process in humans mind which memory is broke and analyzed， then building a new image in the mind. An important characteristic is specific image which must be used in the process of thinking.

C. Subject and Object

The difference of oriental and occidental thinking patterns also displays on the understanding of the relationship between human and nature. “Unity，”“Everything is prepared in my carry on” and “human is main body of universe，” which shows that human is the dominant in orientals thoughts on the relationship between man and nature， having a kind of subjective consciousness.

2. Influence of the Difference between Oriental and Occidental Thinking Patterns in Translation

A. The Influence of Hyotaxis and Parataxis

Anglo-American thinking is full of logic and dialectical， with strict logic and scientific system. Therefore the occidental lay stress on hypotaxis in language and attach great importance to grammar form. But in contrast， Chinese with strong sensuality and intuition is partial to intuitive thinking， thus paying more attention to the parataxis in language. The difference of thinking logic leads to grammar mistakes and affect the correctness of translation.

B. The Influence of Concrete and Abstract

Occidental with abstract thinking pattern is good at utilizing abstract concepts to express specific objects， focusing on the ability of using abstract thinking， while oriental stress on concrete thinking mode， getting used to apply concrete skills to express abstract objects. For the difference of thinking habit， It is difficult to understand various meanings， which would affect the accuracy of version.

C. The Influence of Subject and Object

Occidental make a strict distinction between subject and object， laying emphasis on the function and influence of objects to human beings， getting used to multi-purpose inanimate nouns as the subject of sentences. The two categories of active and passive always are quite distinct from each other. Chinese stress on man-centered subjectivity， considering that only human beings can make conscious action or behavior. Therefore nouns that denote living beings are often used as the subject of sentences.

Translation is not only a linguistic form of conversion， and more important is also a kind of cross-cultural communication activity. Therefore， the study on the difference of thinking pattern also has very huge effect on translation， and the difference of thinking patterns must affect and restrict the translation between oriental and occidental. During the prosperity time of international cultural exchanging between China to the world， for a better development on Chinese translation， while focusing on the difference of thinking patterns， barriers of discipline， genre and regional restrictions must be broke down on translation research to build a researching pattern of complementary and inter-discipline integrated.

References：

[1]Nida，Eugene A.and C.R.Taber.The Theory and Practice of Translation[M].Leiden：E.J.Brill.1969.