An Exploring Study On Explanatory Power Of Conceptual Integration Theory For The Lmage Transfer In English Translation Of Tang Poetry

Traditional translation theories usually take translation as a kind of meaning transfer between the source and the target languages,and they seldom focus on the translation process,thus neglect the fact that translation is dynamic which is constrained by many different factors.Besides,previous translation theories rarely mentions the significant role that the translator plays in the translation process systematically,so does the mental activity in the translator’s mind.The author uses the conceptual integration theory put forward by American linguist Fauconnier to make a translation analysis of the Image transfer in English translation of Tang poetry in this thesis,trying to prove the feasibility of applying it to English translation of Tang poetry and present the explanatory power of conceptual integration theory to translation.With the development of cognitive linguistics in recent years,the research focus of translation gradually turns to the translator’s cognitive process in translation.As an important branch of cognitive linguistics,conceptual integration theory develops very fast in this century and begins to catch more attention.The basic network model of conceptual integration proposed by Fauconnier consists of four mental spaces:two input spaces,a generic space and a blended space.Based on this original network model,the author proposes a new network model of translation in which translation process is divided into two phases:de-integration of the source text and integration of the target text.In the first operation,the translator interprets the source text and forms a blended conceptual structure in his mind;in the second operation,the translator generates the target text based on the conceptual structure of the source text compressed in his mind.This translation network model fully reflects the translator’s agency and creativity in the translation process and explains why the same text may have different versions of translation.The explanatory power of conceptual integration theory to poetry translation is tested in this thesis, which offers a new perspective to translation studies.In addition,this thesis reveals the importance of translator’s agency in the translation process.This research broadens the application field of conceptual integration theory and contributes to the development and perfection of the theory itself.