Conceptual Integration Theory And Its Application To The Metaphor Translation Of Tang Poems

Traditionally, metaphor was noted only as a primary persuasive element in rhetoric and viewed as primarily decorative and ornamental in nature. However, with the further study of metaphor, people begin to know about the influence metaphor has on the thinking mode, artistic creation, and language use of human being, as well as the cognitive function of metaphor. We know that Chinese language is worthy of being called as a treasure-house of metaphors. Being the representative of Chinese classical poetry, Tang poetry, which is known as a sea of metaphors, has been paid more and more attention to.Conceptual integration theory (CIT), initiated in 1985 by Fauconnier, based on the mental space theory, is rapidly emerging as a major force in cognitive science.By studying the translation of metaphors, this paper, which takes the metaphors in the 300 Tang Poems as data, aims at breaking through research on translating Tang poems. The author attempts to offer some strategies of dealing with metaphor translation in this area, based on the explanation of conceptual integration theory to the metaphor translation in Tang poems and on the comprehensive understanding of metaphor.The main body of this thesis is divided into five parts. The first part gives a brief introduction of the features of Tang poetry, the purpose of study, the collection and analysis of data. The second part reviews the history of metaphor translation, analyzes several existing metaphor translation strategies proposed by scholars both at home and abroad. The third part systematically introduces the development, theoretical frame, network and optimal principles of CIT, and based on which, a cognitive model of metaphor translation is proposed—to see metaphor translation as two independent blending processes in both the source language and the target language. The fourth part is the application of theory. The author classifies the metaphors in 300 Tang Poems into four groups; by sample analysis of metaphor translation based on CIT, the author proposes four strategies applied in the metaphor translation with a figure illustrating their percentages. The last part is a brief conclusion.