A Comparative Study Of Two English Versions Of The Romance Of The Three Kingdoms In The Framework Of Conceptual Metaphor

Conceptual metaphor has brought many new enlightenments for study of translation. Conceptual metaphor theory argues that human thinking process is metaphorically to some extent. For conceptual system, in terms of which we think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature. Therefore, we understand or express a concept by a concept that we already have in mind. This theory, when applied to the trans-cultural “translation”, makes translation works much more vivid and richer. It requires us to switch between metaphorical thoughts in different cultures flexibly.The study chooses influential English versions of the “Three Kingdoms”, represented by British Sinologist Brewitt-Taylor and American Sinologist Robert Moss. Based on the theory of conceptual metaphor, the study compares and analyzes orientational metaphor, ontological metaphor and structural metaphor in “Three Kingdoms” by the two translators. The possible reasons for their differences are also discussed. From the analysis of examples, research findings are: Robert Moss tends to literal translation and Taylor pays attention to free translation; translator’s purposes and social cultural are two main factors that lead to differences of versions.