Polysemy is a common phenomenon in all languages, especially in English. Polysemy exists in many fields, including English business letters. In fact, polysemy originates from the extension of word meaning and also caused by cultural differences. As many English learners have some difficulties in translation of polysemes in English business letters inducing by cultural differences. They would be confused at choosing the precise meaning for a certain word in different contents. Therefore, it is necessary and meaningful to have a research on translation of polysemes in English business letters inducing by cultural differences. In translating polysemes, primary learners not only have to know the nature of polyseme, but also have to master the translation skills of polysemes, such as, referring to the original context according to the specific fields, analyzing word collocation, and recognizing the effect which different cultures has on meanings of polysemes. Besides, attention must be paid to the differences of cultures and the characteristics of business language. The translation of words is, to some extent, determined by cultural differences and specific fields. Primary learners can overcome the difficulties they have in translating polysemes in English business letters inducing by cultural differences and improve their skills of translating polysemes if they keep on learning, analyzing, practicing and accumulating polysemous words in scientific ways.
Key words: cultural differences; English business letters; polyseme; translation; context; collocation; metaphor
摘要:一词多义现象在各种语言中都非常普遍，特别是英语，其中包括英语商务信函。一词多义实际上源于词的意思的延伸。由于许多英语学习者对由中西文化差异所引起的商务信函中的多义词翻译有一定困难，多义词的翻译研究是必要而且有意义的。翻译多义词，不仅需要了解多义词，还要掌握多义词的翻译方法，例如结合上下文语境，分析词的搭配，了解隐喻和联想在多义词词义产生上的作用等。除此之外，对由中西文化差异所引起的商务信函中的多义词翻译更要注意了解文化差异和商务语言的特点。只有通过不断地学习，练习与积累，英语学习者才能克服在翻译商务信函中的由文化差异所引起的多义词时所遇到的种种困难，进一步提高翻译多义词的技巧。
关键词: 文化差异; 英语商务信函; 多义词; 翻译; 语境; 搭配; 隐喻
CONTENTS
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………....1
2. Introduction of the influences of cultural differences toward translation…………..2
2.1 Cultural factors cause barriers in polysemy translation……………………2
2.2 Polyseme translation as a cross-cultural event……………………………..3
3. Polysemy and the Translation of Polysemes…………………………………….….4
3.1 A brief introduction of polysemy………………………………………….4
3.2 Polysemes in English Business Letters……………………………………5
3.3 Difficulties in translating polysemes………………………………………6
3.4 The consequences of imprecise translation of polysemes…………………8
4. Methods of Translating Polysemes………………………………………………. . 8
4.1 Translating with the help of dictionary…………………………………. . 8
4.2 Translating by word collocation…………………………………………. 9
4.3 Choosing the specific meaning of a word according to the context……...10
4.4 Choosing the specific meaning of a word according to the specific field..11
4.5 Getting familiar with the cultures………………………………………...12
4.6 Getting familiar with the characters of business language and acquiring the translation techniques…………………………………………………….15
4.7 Collecting polysemes in scientific ways………………………...……….16
5 .Conclusion………………………………………………………………………....17
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….18
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