关于隐喻mataphor的英文论文.doc

1. IntroductionThe study on metaphor has a history of more than two thousand years. Since Lakoff and Johnson (1980) explore a new way for the study on metaphor from the perspective of cognitive linguistic, many Chinese scholars in various fields have made researches on the translation of English metaphor. Some scholars pay attention to translation of English metaphor in literature, such as in plays, poems, novels and so on. Some scholars are concerned about the translation of English metaphor in economy and politics. Others focus on translation of English metaphor in science and technology. This thesis explores the methods for translating English metaphor based on the analysis of difficulties existed in translating English metaphor. Translation of English metaphor will be helpful to English learners to understand, appreciate English metaphors and flexibly apply them to daily life. It also will promote exchange and cooperation between China and the foreign countries. 1.1 Definition of metaphor The word “metaphor” comes from the Greek word “metaphora”, “meta” means “change” and “pherein” has the meaning of “carry”, “metaphors means “a transfer of meaning”. The combined word refers to a particular linguistic process, through which the characteristics of a certain object could be transferred to another one, in the effect that the second object could be taken as the first one (Lin, 2007). Ox ford advanced learners English-Chinese dictionary (2009) defines metaphor as “a word or phrase used to describe somebody or something else, in a way that is different from its normal use, in order to show that the two things have the same qualities and to make the description more powerful”. In other words, metaphor is a figure of speech that refers to a comparison between two basically different objects but have something in common in some connotations. 1.2 The essence of metaphorMetaphor is one of the most common linguistic phenomenons. The traditional rhetoric regards metaphor just as the transference of a word from one thing to another, which both was comparison (Shi, 2007). Their views are concerned about the literal meaning of words, not the sentences. Many scholars in western have made researches on metaphor from various perspectives and levels since 1970s. Metaphor is not only a language phenomenon, but also a way of thinking of human beings, and that metaphors are pervasive in our everyday life (Richards 1936, p.72). Lakoff and Johnson (1980) explore a new way for the study on metaphor from the perspective of cognitive linguistic. They believe that metaphor is the principle and basic mode of human existence. And they claim that our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature. (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980, p.3)In short, metaphor, as one of the most common linguistic phenomena, is a very important component of English language. It is a cognitive activity of peoples interpreting and understanding experiences in one field through those in another (Shu, 2000, p.28). Therefore, it is significant to explore translation of English metaphor into Chinese. The methods for translating English metaphor can contribute to English learners in China to understand, appreciate and use them in daily lives. In addition, they can also promote successful cross-cultural communication.2 The necessity for translation of English metaphorMetaphor is not only a figure of speech, but also a kind of cognitive thinking as well as the bridge between language and cognition. As a result, translation of English metaphor can help English learners to understand English language better. In addition, many English metaphors carry the rich western culture, so translation of English metaphor can help us to understand their culture better and make a successful cross-cultural communication.2.1 Translation of English metaphor can help English learners to improve their English study.Vocabulary, as a very important part of learning language, plays a significant role in the process of learning English. English metaphor, as a bond of English language, plays an indispensable part in the process of learning vocabulary. Therefore, translation of English metaphor can help English learners to improve their vocabularies, especially the English beginners.In China, most of students adopt the method of learning by note to learn English vocabulary, which leads to be unable to use vocabularies flexibly in communication or in writing. Metaphor is a cognitive activity of peoples interpreting and understanding experiences in one field through those in another (Shu, 2000, p.28). From this point of view, metaphor is the main motivation for producing meanings of a word, and is the main source of polysemy of a word as well as the methods of increasing vocabularies. For example, she is a woman with a stone heart, and John is a man who never loses heart. In English, the basis meaning of heart is an organ of body, but in example 1 and 2, heart is extended for heartless and courage as well as confidence. These extended meaning is association with its basic meaning. Therefore, in the process of learning English, English learners can explore the extended meaning of a word to avoid learning by note. As a result, translation English metaphor can help English learners to enlarge their vocabularies and understand vocabularies better.The traditional rhetoricians considered metaphor as decorative in nature. It is a grace or added power of language (Richards, 1936, p.5). As a result, translation of metaphor can help English learners to understand English metaphors and apply them in writing, which will improve their writing skill. Shu (2000,p.113) claims that conciseness is one of the most obvious characteristics of metaphor that a word or words can often express a series of meaning, which causes listeners image of all the relative events and contexts. In his views, metaphor can strengthen the effect of expressions. Therefore, application of English metaphors based on understanding them can strengthen expressive power of their writing.Translation of English metaphor can help English learners to enlarge their vocabularies and use them in communication or writing flexibly, which will improve their English study. 2.2 Translation of English metaphor can improve international exchange. English, as the common used language in the world, plays an important role in international exchanges. English metaphor, as a very important component of English language, not only is pervasive in our everyday life, but also is widely used in literature, economy and science. With the development of society and economy, the exchanges among countries become more and more frequent. However, in the process of economic, technological and cultural communication between east and west, we often misunderstand what they say because we can not completely understand some English metaphors that carry cultural differences in language. Consequently, it leads to ambiguity in both their understandings, which will hinder the cultural exchanges among countries. As a result, translation of English metaphor can help us to understand and apply English metaphor in international communication. Many English metaphors carry rich western culture including history, customs, and religion and so on. If we just know about the literal meaning of their expressions, we can not open the door to further exchange. For example, a Chinese admires a westerner and says that he is a dragon. A westerner will be very angry when he hears what you say that. This is because that dragon is regarded as an ominous animal in western culture, which is always used to describe the bad-tempered person or cruel forces. However, dragon in Chinese culture is regarded as Chinese, which represents powerful and successful. If we do not understand the culture of English-speaking countries better, it will lead to cultural conflicts. Therefore, since English metaphors convey the cultural connotation of English-speaking countries, translation of English metaphor can help us to know their culture better, which avoid cultural conflicts in conversations and improve further communication.3 The difficulties existed in translation of English metaphorMetaphors are pervasive in our daily lives. Conversations are full of metaphors in our daily lives that in every three sentences on average, there is a metaphor appearing. English metaphors are closely related to culture of English-speaking countries. Consequently, we should pay more attention to cultural differences in translation. In addition, Chinese language also affects the translation of English metaphor, which makes it difficult to translate English metaphor correctly. 3.1 LanguageMost of figurative languages are produced in our daily lives, resulted from human beings understandings of the world and their attitude towards the world. Since human beings living in the same world share the same external environment and experience the similar process of social development, there must be some similar figurative languages in both English and Chinese. For example, time is money while in Chinese, we will say “时间就是金钱”. To everyone no matter what language they speak, time is a valuable and limited resource just as money. However, English and Chinese belong to two different kinds of linguistic systems. Some words or phrases in both English and Chinese have the similar denotative meaning and they overlap in connotative meaning, but they are not common. Translation of English metaphor will be affected by Chinese language, which brings difficulty in translating English metaphors. Firstly, the same vehicle is used in different metaphors. For example: 1) When you fail, you should not lose heart. 2) He loses his heart to that beautiful girl. These two metaphors adopt heart as vehicle, but their senses are different. In example 1, heart has the meaning of courage, which is similar to Chinese. Therefore, we can easily to find out the corresponding word “灰心丧气” in Chinese. However, in example 2, heart means affection and the whole sentence means that he loves the beautiful girl. English learners in China often confuse with these two metaphors due to the effect of Chinese language. Therefore, the same vehicle in Chinese metaphor will affect us to understand the same one in English metaphor, which makes it difficult to translate English metaphor faithfully and correctly. Secondly, some similar metaphors in both English and Chinese represent different meanings. English learners often translate English metaphor into Chinese by word for word and try to find out a corresponding metaphor in Chinese. They often translate English metaphor according to this way. For example, John moved heaven and earth to get it done on time. The phrase “to move heaven and earth” will be easily mistranslated as “天反覆地” in Chinese by English learners in Chinese because they have similar words in both English and Chinese. Therefore, Chinese language will produce an effect on translating English metaphor correctly. English and Chinese are two different languages. Few English metaphors can find out the corresponding one in Chinese. Sometimes, Chinese language will mislead us on translating English metaphors, which gives rise to difficulty in translation. 3.2 Cultural differencesTranslation of English metaphor not only involves the simple language, but also the complex social culture. As we all know that metaphor is out feelings of the world and the attitude towards the world. People living in the same external environment have the similar living experience. Therefore, there may be some similar metaphors in both English and Chinese. For example, there are some similar metaphors with the word “heart” in English and Chinese: a stone heart (铁石心肠), a heavy heart (心情沉重) and heart to heart (心心相印) and so on. The cultural overlap between English and Chinese makes it possible to easily translate English metaphor into Chinese. However, each national culture has its own particular characteristic due to the different social background and environment. Not all metaphors in various cultures have the same sense for there will be cultural banks and cultural conflicts in different national culture. In other words, the same vehicle of metaphors in different cultures expresses the different meanings. For example, animal is used as the vehicle of metaphor in both English and Chinese, but their sense is quite different. Dogs in Chinese culture express the derogatory sense, such as 狐朋狗友 (disreputable gang), 狗咬狗 (dogfight) and狗嘴里吐不出象牙 (A filthy mouth cannot utter decent language). However, in western countries, people regard dogs as their friends or family member because they think that dog is honest, kind and smart. Therefore, they have many metaphorical expressions related to dog, such as a lucky dog, a top dog, and love me love my dog. This is because that customs between China and foreign countries are different. If Chinese people do not understand this phenomenon of cultural differences, they can not translate English metaphor faithfully and correctly. As a result, when translating English metaphor, attention should be given to cultural differences. Nida (2001, p.82) points out that “translating means communicating. For truly successful translating, biculturalism is even more important than bilingualism, since words only have meanings in terms of the cultures in which they function”. Consequently, translating English metaphor can not be divorced from the social culture of English-speaking countries. Since there have been huge differences existed in living environment, history, traditions and customs, religion, myths and literature, it is quite difficult to translate English metaphors into Chinese that reproduce the same metaphorical effects. 4 Methods for translating English metaphor In the process of translation, translators not only pay attention to the external form of metaphor, but also have to handle the conflicts of metaphorical sense by the analysis of the difficulties existed in translation of English metaphor. Therefore, when translating, translators should pay attention to the literal meaning of words or sentences, and have to explore cultural connotation that they carry in certain social context (Li & Yi, 2002). In order to translate English metaphor faithfully and correctly, Newmark (2001, pp.81-97) had put forward seven approaches for translation of English metaphor: 1) reproducing the same image in the target language; 2) replacing the image in the source language with a standard target language image; 3) the translation of metaphor by simile; 4) translation of metaphor (or simile) by simile plus sense; 5) conversion of metaphor to sense; 6) deletion; 7) same metaphor combined with sense.4.1 Literal translation approachLiteral translation is an approach that has been regarded as the most important translation and is the most frequently used for translation. Professor Liu Chong (1994, p.172) defines literal translation as follows:“In the process of translation, literal translation takes sentences as the basic units and at the same time takes the whole passage into consideration; a translator who attaches great importance to literal translation does his or her best to reproduce the ideas and writing style of original work, retaining as many rhetorical devices and sentences structure as possible”. In other words, when the original meaning is not impaired, it is essential to give priority to literal translation, for it is able to maintain the basic structure of the original sentence and also reproduces its artistic conception, image and intended meaning (Zhao, 2000, p.132). Therefore, literal translation of English metaphor can directly translate the vehicles of English metaphors into Chinese that their metaphorical meanings maintain unchanged, and keep the basic structure of English metaphors as well as reproduce their images in Chinese without any changes. Since people living in the same external environment have living experience that is more or less similar, there must be some cultural overlap in using the similar metaphors in both English and Chinese. In such situation, literal translation of English metaphor can not only retain the vehicles of English metaphors, but also keep their metaphorical meanings in Chinese. Therefore, literal translation of English metaphor is an appropriate to translate some phrase metaphors in English. Here are some examples:To strike while the iron is hot 趁热打铁To hang by hair 千钧一发To go through fire and water 赴汤蹈火To burn ones boat 破釜沉舟To add fuel to the flame 火上加油The above metaphorical examples in English can be found the fully corresponding ones in Chinese with the same vehicles and unchanged metaphorical meanings. In such situation, literal translation of English metaphor can directly English metaphor into Chinese, which retain the vehicle and reproduce the same image in Chinese.In addition, some English metaphors are equivalent to Chinese metaphors in structure and style that that their tenors, vehicles as well as senses are same. Then we can literally translate then into Chinese. For examples:1） Time is money.时间就是金钱。2） Life is a journey.人生就是一次旅行。3）Argument is war.辩论是战争。4） Blood is thicker than water.血浓于水5） Eye is the window of mind,眼睛是心灵之窗。The above metaphorical examples retain the rhetorical devices and sentences structure of English metaphors with unchanged tenors, vehicles and sense by literal translation, which to some extent keeps their national and cultural characteristics and enable the Chinese readers to accept their cultural characteristics.As we all know, language is like a mirror of culture. With the increase in cultural exchanges bet