Abstract: Idioms in short stories usually play the roles of making language expressions concise, presenting local features and shaping characters. This paper compares the three English versions of Black Li and White Li translated by Chi-Chen Wang, William A. Lyell and Don J. Cohn respectively. Based on truth-seeking-utility-attaining continuum evaluation model, it evaluates these three English versions from the perspective of translator behavior criticism. We find that in the truth-seeking-utility-attaining continuum, three English versions all tilt towards the utility-attaining end. But they have different degrees of utility-attaining. Chi-Chen Wang’s version has the highest degree of utility-attaining, Lyell’s version the second. Compared to these two versions, Cohn’s version has the highest degree of truth-seeking. With the comparative study of idiom translation in the three versions, we conclude that translation of Chinese idioms should keep the balance between truth-seeking and utility-attaining. Based on keeping faithfulness to the source text, translators should choose appropriate translation methods to achieve the aim of serving target readers and society. Meanwhile, since the shades of meaning would influence the reproduction of idioms’ functions in translation, translators should also pay attention to the choice of words for the representation of idioms.

Keywords: Black Li and White Li; idioms; truth-seeking-utility-attaining continuum evaluation model; translator behavior criticism

摘要： 熟语在小说中一般起到简练语言、展现地域特色和刻画人物形象的作用。本文选择老舍短篇小说《黑白李》的王际真（Chi-Chen Wang）英译本、莱尔（William A. Lyell）英译本和科恩（Don J. Cohn）英译本，基于“求真—务实”连续统评价模式，从译者行为批评视域对三个英译本中熟语的翻译进行描写性对比与评价，发现三个译本在“求真—务实”连续统一体中都偏向“务实”一端，但相比较而言，王际真译本务实度最高，莱尔译本务实度次之，科恩译本则求真度最高。通过对三个译本中的熟语翻译进行对比研究，我们认为汉语熟语的翻译应以务实为上，同时兼顾求真，在最大程度忠实原文的基础上以服务于目的语读者和社会为目的。译者应在此基础上选择合适的翻译方法。此外,由于词义的细微差别会影响到熟语功能的再现，所以译者不仅要选择最合适的翻译方法，还应注意词语选择的准确性。只有这样，才能尽可能达到译本在“求真—务实”之间的最佳平衡。

关键词: 《黑白李》, 熟语, “求真—务实”连续统评价模式, 译者行为批评