E-C Translation Of Metaphor In Public Speech From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

Public speech, as a special variety that falls between spoken language and written language, requires different translation strategies from those for the translation of other varieties. German Skopos translation theory can provide translators with a new perspective of translating public speeches.This paper will focus on the combination of Skopos theory and translation of metaphor in public speech. Examples will be given to illustrate how to classify metaphor and what translation strategies should be taken for each type of metaphor. According to the way the tenor and the vehicle imply and sustain each other, this paper categorizes metaphor into three types namely regular metaphor, implicit metaphor and submerged metaphor. The frequently used approaches to the translation of metaphor in general include paraphrase, metaphrase, and imagery substitution. There are eternal dilemmas among these three approaches in the field of translation, and Skopos theory is precisely intended to solve this problem. The purpose of translation possesses so much significance in Skopos theory that it is claimed that all translation strategies and procedures should serve it. In this light, the author of this paper believes that the translation of metaphor in public speech can be roughly divided into two main procedures:the first procedure is decoding the possible purpose of the original and establishing the purpose of the translation, and the second encoding the purpose of the translation into the target text. Here the key to translation is correctly establishing the purpose of translation. the purpose of translation should be inferred by the translator from the translational situation which is consisted of all the factors relevant to translation such as texts, agents of translation (sender, receiver, initiator, translator), and culture, etc. the yardstick for a translation purpose is whether it can guide the translator to produce a target text that can be received in the target culture by the target receivers.This paper will have a close review on the development of the studies of metaphor as well as Skopos theory to establish the theoretical framework. According to the author’s analysis, Skopos theory is applicable to the translation of metaphor in public speech. In terms of decoding, accurate understanding of the ground between the tenor and the vehicle serves as the key to interpreting the metaphor as well as the original author’s purpose. In terms of encoding, translators should adjust their translation approaches to the requirement of the purpose of translation, and the main yardstick for a target text is whether or not it complies with the purpose of translation. Generally speaking, there are three kinds of purpose in the field of translation, namely the purpose of the translator, the communicative purpose of the target text, and the purpose of a certain translation approach or strategy. In Skopos theory, translation purpose generally refers to the communicative purpose of the target text. Based on different communicative purposes of the target text, the author of this paper holds that if it is to introduce the language features of the original metaphor, one should adopt metaphrase; if it is to help the readers better grab the connotation of the original metaphor, one should employ paraphrase; and if it is to make the target receptors receive the same effects as the original readers do, imagery substitution should be preferred.