On Cultural Connotation Of Metaphors In Tang Poetry And Their Domestication & Foreignization In C-E Translation

Schleiermacher once claimed that there were only two strategies for translation: One is to guide the translation to approach to the original culture,while the other is to guide the translation to approach to the target culture.The former skill is foreignization and the latter is domestication.As the miniature of Chinese traditional culture,metaphors in Tang poetry are abundant in cultural connotation.But the differences between Chinese and English cultures become the main obstacle of translating those culture-loaded metaphors in Tang poetry into English.As a result,translating metaphors in Tang poetry into English usually requires that a translator should make a choice between the two strategies.Consequently,domestication and foreignization of metaphors in Tang poetry become the focus of debate.To solve the problem of domestication and foreignization of metaphors in Tang poetry from cultural perspective,the paper firstly analyzes the cultural connotation of metaphors in Tang poetry from the aspects of sources and functions of those culture-loaded metaphors in Tang poetry.Those culture-loaded metaphors in Tang poetry are mostly originated from Chinese traditional customs,natural landscape,religions,historical stories and legends,so metaphors in Tang poetry are the miniature of Chinese traditional cultural and rich in cultural connotations.And poets often employ those metaphors to suggest their inner feelings.But the problem is that the differences between Chinese and English cultures result in different modes of cognition,consequently,a same metaphor may bring different connotations to the original readers and the target readers.Moreover,the target readers can hardly understand the deep connotation of metaphors in Tang poetry and appreciate the charm of Chinese traditional culture due to cultural differences.Thus,the paper next makes a cultural comparison of cultural connotation between Chinese and English metaphors.The paper concludes four points:(1)The same vehicle in Chinese and English have similar cultural connotation,which is actually cultural universality;(2)Same vehicle in Chinese and English can have different cultural connotations;(3)Different vehicles in Chinese and English have similar cultural connotation;(4)Vehicle is unique in Chinese and English.Certainly,though there is cultural universality between Chinese and English metaphors,the cultural diversity accounts for a large proposition.The cultural universality decides the translatability of metaphors in Tang poetry;while the cultural diversity not only prevent foreign readers from properly understanding the cultural connotation of metaphors in Tang poetry,but also increases the difficulty of translating those metaphors in Tang poetry.Although there is no systematical theory framework of translating metaphors in Tang poetry,the paper still dissects the principles of translating metaphor in Tang poetry through analyzing the translation theory of metaphors in other genres of literature.And the paper finally concludes four concrete and practical strategies by case analysis,so that the translation of metaphor in Tang poetry can be flexible in form,equivalent in emotional accommodation and feasible in cultural communication.