Conceptual Schema Comparison From The Perspective Of Verb "Xiao" Translation And Its Significance To C To E Translation

On the basis of Cognitive Semantics and Cognitive Grammar, CognitiveLinguistics is a linguistic revolution and studies language from a new perspectivesince1970s. It mainly addresses to the ways in which concept and meanings arestructured within certain circumstances in the mind. Apart from the researches fromLakoff and Langacker, Talmy is another American cognitive linguist who has greatlycontributed to the theory of cognitive linguistics. However, attention to his work andresearch has been comparatively insufficient.Beginning from the perspective of concept, Talmy’s cognitive semantics theoryinvestigates the cognitive process and mechanisms from language and how languagestructures concept. He builds his conceptual schematic systems by respectivelycategorizing grammar form and lexical form as closed and open form. Schema is akind of psychological technical term exploring mental cognitive process.Talmy’sconceptual schematic system is mainly concerned about the reaches on Englishconceptual schematic systems among which the force dynamics is the most famousone.Verb is one of the most elemental parts of speech in language systems. It enablesthe language user to command and organize other concepts in the sentences. Hence itmakes the cognitive and comparative study of verbs much more significant. A Dreamof Red Mansions is a classic and encyclopedic literature work in china and its verbselection renders it as quintessence of Chinese culture. This thesis attempts tocompare the verb “xiao” and their translation in two English translation versions of ADream of Red Mansions by Yang Hsien-yi, Gladys Yang and David Hawkes. From the structure comparison of the verb “xiao” translation of the same concept, thedifference between English and Chinese in conceptual schema could emerge,including the analysis of conceptual schematizing process.In this thesis, how Chinese governed conceptual schematic system is translatedinto equivalent English conceptual schematic system is discussed here. The verbtranslation methods involved in this conversion process from Chinese to English havesome significance to C to E translation and provide some suggestions to translationpractice and teaching. Meanwhile, it enriches Talmy’s cognitive conceptual schematicsystem.