Interpretation For Image Actualization Of "moon" In Tang Poetry Translation From Conceptual Integration Theory

As the achievement of the second-generation cognitive linguistics,conceptual integration theory is a kind of mental space theory andprovides scientific cognitive rationales for many unexplainable linguisticphenomena. The theory is based on dynamic concepts, time and spaceand points out that conceptual integration is a mental processing ratherthan physical operation, which means information of mental spaces cangenerate a new structure to realize understanding through composition,completion and elaboration. The cognitive process of translation isactually a four-space interaction integration process which involves twostages: Firstly, de-integration (decomposition) stage of the source text bythe translator in which the conceptual structures are built; secondly,integration (composition) stage of the target text by the translator usinghis or her knowledge background and cognitive ability. In the secondstage, the mental representations of the communicated events formed inthe de-integration process are reconstructed in the target language torealize the translation process.Tang poetry is the essence of Chinese culture, while image is thesoul of Tang poetry. In translation, understanding and transmitting imagesserves as a key to appreciate Tang poetry and reproduce their romanticcharm. To some extent, the translation process of a Tang poem is a restructuring and reproducing process of the image in English. It is worthnoting that with transformation of the language form, the culture contextalso changes. The culture context which the original poetic imagesdepend on must be reproduced in another one which is precipitated byanother language. Such reproduction will be restricted by the translator’scognitive ability, which offers a feasibility premise for the use ofconceptual integration theory to interpret image actualization of“moon”in Tang poetry. Besides, as this theory is also grounded on psychology,philosophy, neurology and other subjects, it owns directive meaning forinterdisciplinary research.This thesis selects typical and abundant moonlight poems of TangDynasty as corpora and applies conceptual integration theory to interpretimage actualization of“moon”in those translated texts from cognitivelevel. It aims to employ this theory to explain the cognitive mechanismbehind the meaning construction of the moon image in Tang poetry anddemonstrate that with this theory, the mental operation mechanismstriggered by the moon image in the mind of poets and readers can berevealed. Thus a fresh theoretical perspective and research direction forimage translation study of Tang poetry is found.This thesis adopts diversified research methods. Chapter One mainlyadopts the method of literature review, while chapter three to six mainlyemploy case study method and graphic method, by analyzing translated texts to illuminate that conceptual integration theory has strongexplanatory power on Tang poetry translation. Conclusion mainlyassumes theoretical analysis to conclude that translation is experiential,interactive, dynamic and creative.This thesis is made up of eight parts. Part one is introduction whichbriefly talks about the background, reasons, purposes, significance,contents, research methodology as well as the originality of the thesis.Part two is literature review which mainly deals with the research onconceptual integration theory and translation of Tang poetry. Part threeserves as a systematic introduction to conceptual integration theory. Itinterprets the definition of this theory, operation of spaces, basic networksand forms of conceptual integration, compression of vital relations,blending forms of poems and the relationship between conceptualintegration theory and translation. Part four, five, six and seven is the corecontent of this thesis. Part four adopts the mirror network to interpret theimage actualization of“moon”in the translated text of On the Frontierand the first two translated lines of on Hearing a Flute at Night from theWall of Shouxiang from the perspective of frontier. Part five focuses ontime dimension and employs the double-scope network and the mirrornetwork to respectively interpret the image actualization of“moon”in thethirteenth and fourteenth line of A Moonlit Night on the Spring River andthe eleventh and twelfth line of Ask the Moon With a Cup of Wine in Hand. Part six interprets homesickness image actualization of“Moon”inthe first two lines of Mooring by Maple Bridge at Night and the fourthline of Thinking of My Brothers on a Moonlit Night throughcutting-joining blending and the simplex network. Part seven uses thesingle-scope network to interpret image actualization of“Moon”in thefirst two lines of The Moonlight Night and the twenty-fifth andtwenty-sixth line of A Moonlit Night on the Spring River from the aspectof love. The systematic analyses fully prove that conceptual integrationtheory possesses strong explanatory power for meaning construction ofmoon image in Tang poems. The last part is the conclusion in which thefindings and limitations of the thesis as well as recommendations forfurther study are pointed out.