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1. An idiom is a group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words. Most languages are rich in
idioms. While many of them are culture-specific, others are more universal. Proper use of idioms helps to add more colour to the
translation. A considerable number of idioms in English have their equivalents in Vietnamese. Consider the following examples:
a. Equivalent in both the meaning and the manner of expression.
Examples:
to fight like cats and dogs = cãi nhau như chó với mèo
There's no smoke without fire. = Không có lửa sao có khói
b. Equivalent in meaning, but not in the manner of expression:
Examples:
like looking for a needle in a haystack = giống như mò kim đáy bề
make a mountain out of a molehill = chuyện bé xé ra to
However, many other English idioms have no equivalents in Vietnamese. In such cases, the best way to translate them is to overtranslate
by paraphrasing or explaining:
Example: The publication of the pictures opened up a real Pandora’s box.
= Việc công bố những bức ảnh đó đã gây ra rất nhiều rắc rối mà lúc đầu người ta không ngờ tới.