Translation Of Idiom Metaphor In E-C Bilingual Dictionaries

The quality of idiom metaphor translation has a crucial influence on that of an E-C bilingualdictionary. Therefore, the present study aims to conduct a systematic study of idiommetaphor translation in E-C bilingual dictionaries. Thirty identical idiom metaphors fromfour different E-C bilingual dictionaries are selected as research data. In order to provide apicture of the history and latest achievements of idiom metaphor translation in E-C bilingualdictionaries in the20thcentury, the comparative studies will be conducted from two differentangles: E-C bilingual dictionaries of the same period and different periods of time. Aftercareful analysis, idiom metaphor translation differences in dictionaries of the same periodand different periods of time are discovered.In order to evaluate these translation differences and improve the compilation of bilingualdictionary, the thesis attempts to apply relevance theory to account for the nature and processof idiom metaphor translation in E-C bilingual dictionary. On the basis of the communicativemodel of lexicography and relevance theory, idiom metaphor translation in E-C bilingualdictionary can be regarded as a special kind of communication with two ostensive-inferentialprocesses within the system of bilingual dictionary communication. The compiler playsdurable roles in these two ostensive-inferential processes. As an audience in the firstostensive-inferential process, based on the originally envisaged context, the compilerattempts to correctly interpret the original writer’s intention through the pursuit of optimalrelevance. Since idiom metaphor translation in E-C bilingual dictionary is within the systemof bilingual dictionary communication, and is constrained by the features of E-C bilingualdictionary, after inferring a large number of individual utterances in which an idiommetaphor appears, the compiler needs to generalize stabilized application(s) of an idiommetaphor, which makes a dictionary authoritative. Therefore, idiom metaphor translation inE-C bilingual dictionaries involves abstractions and generalizations in the compiler’sinferential process. As a communicator in the second ostensive-inferential process, afterassessing the cognitive environment of target users, the compiler conveys the understandingto the target users in a way that is optimally relevant to them. Obviously, in each process，optimal relevance is the principle of successful communication.Since the success of idiom metaphor translation depends on the success of these twoostensive-inferential processes, on the basis of these two ostensive-inferential processes, fourcriteria of idiom metaphor translation in E-C bilingual dictionaries are proposed. These four criteria are:(1) idiom metaphor translation should be the correct interpretation of originalwriter’s intention;(2) idiom metaphor translation should be of generality;(3) idiommetaphor translation should require no unjustifiable processing effort;(4) idiom metaphortranslation should have adequate contextual effects to make it worth processing. The resultof comparative studies will be evaluated against these four criteria.