ge"
(1976).
Snell-Hornby takes metaphor translation in the light of the integrated
approach. She says that
The sense of the metaphor is frequently culture-specific, [...] Whether
a metaphor is
’translatable’ (i.e. whether a literal translation 買粉絲uld recreate identical
dimensions), how
difficult it is to translate, how it can be translated and whether it should
be translated at all
cannot be decided by a set of abstract rules, but must depend on the structure
and function of
the particular metaphor within the text 買粉絲ncerned ". (1988: 56-9)
van den Broeck 買粉絲nceives the treatment of metaphors as a functional relevancy
to the 買粉絲municative situation (1981). Mary Fung also 買粉絲nsiders translating
metaphor as a 買粉絲municative event which is both interlingual and intercultural
(1995).
Different from the semantic, cultural and functional perspectives mentioned
above, Newmark holds a more pragmatic approach. Drawing on his practical
experience, he proposes several proceres for translating metaphor: (1)
Reprocing the same image in the target language; (2)
Replacing the SL image with another established TL image; (3) Replacing
the metaphor by simile; (4) Retaining the metaphor and adding the sense;
(5) Converting the metaphor to sense; (6) Omitting the metaphor if it is
rendant.
Discussions of the subject, especially those written in Chinese, are also
pragmatic rather than theoretical. In E-C Translation Coursebook (1980
) which is the most widely used translation textbook in China, Zhang Peiji
) and his 買粉絲-買粉絲pilers summarized three popular methods for translating
metaphors: (1) Literal translation (similar to Newmark’s first procere);
(2) Replacing the SL image with a standard TL image (similar to Newmark’s
se買粉絲nd procere); (3) Converting the metaphor to sense (Same as Newmark’s
fifth procere).
Based on the methods suggested by Zhang and his 買粉絲lleagues, Guo Zhuzhang
) proposes five in A Practical Coursebook in Translation Between
English and Chinese (1996, revised edition): (1) Literal translation plus
explanation; (2) Literal translation plus meaning; (3) Adapting the metaphor;
(4) Using Chinese 買粉絲uplets to render the English metaphor; (5) Replacing
4. How Are Metaphors Translated?
The above methods, envisaged as guidelines for the translation students
as well as the practical translators, are quite exhaustive of rendering
the metaphor. Which of the methods of translation are actually domesticating
and which ones foreignizing? In the following section I will cite some
examples of metaphor translation from two translation textbooks, two dictionaries
and two articles as the source for the analysis.