Sometimes, literal translation can be influenced by cultures. For examples:
Sauna: 桑拿浴—一种芬兰式的蒸气浴;
Internet: 因特网—国际互联电脑网络;
AIDS: 艾滋病—一种获得性免疫缺损综合症;
the sword of Damocles: 达摩克里斯之剑—喻临头的危险,源于希腊传说, 古Syracuse国王命其延丞达摩克里斯坐在以一根头发悬挂的剑下,以示君王多危;
a Judas Kiss: 犹大之吻—喻口蜜腹剑,阴险的被判,源自<<圣经>>, 指耶稣十二使徒之一犹大以接吻为暗号出卖耶稣,导致耶稣被钉死在十字架上;
the Gordian knot: 戈尔迪结—喻棘手问题,源自希腊传说, 戈尔迪结在木桩上系了一个众人皆无法解开的绳结,后由亚历山大王一刀斩开。
西施: Xishi— a famous beauty in the late Spring and Autumn period in ancient China;
气功: qigong— a system of deep breathing exercises;
磕头: Kowtow, to touch the forehead to the ground while kneeling, as act of worship, respect, etc. esp. in former Chinese custom;
粽子: Zongzi, a kind of glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves;
清明节: Chingming, a traditional Chinese holiday to commemorate the dead observed in late spring;
功夫: Kung fu, a Chinese martial art based on the use of fluid movements of the arms and legs.
From the previous examples, it comes to a conclusion that some proper nouns must be translated literally according to the cultures of original works.
However, some vocabulary, idioms and sentences which have possessions of distinctive cultural features of original texts can not be translated by the way of literal translation exactly. Then, free translation has to be used in these circumstances so as to express the original meaning directly. Through filling in some vacancies among words, meanings and cultures, these translated works would become more fluent and easy to be understood by target readers.
Free translation can also be effected by cultures. For examples:
(1) Original Text: It was another one of those Catch-22 situations: you are damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t.
Translated Text: 这真是又一个左右为难的尴尬局面, 做也倒霉, 不做也倒霉。
(2) Original Text: Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
Translated Text: 如果让我选择是一个没有言论自由的政府, 还是要一个只有言论自由而无政府的国家, 我会毫不犹豫地选择后者。
(3) Original Text: The study has a Spartan look.
Translated Text: 这间书房风格简朴。
(4) Original Text: I wonder whether he is a Trojan Horse.
Translated Text: 我怀疑他可能是个内奸。
(5) Original Text: He is just a stalking horse in the election contest.
Translated Text: 他在这次竞选中只不过是充当一个掩护性候选人。
(6) Original Text: 天有不测风云。
Translated Text: Something unexpected may happen any time.
(7) Original Text: 望子成龙
Translated Text: to expect one’s son to become an outstanding personage.
(8) Original Text: 狗嘴里吐不出象牙。
Translated Text: A filthy mouth can’t utter decent language.
(9) Original Text: 情人眼里出西施。
Translated Text: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
(10) Original Text: 有眼不识泰山。
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