汉语新词语英译的隐喻认知模式分析

From Denotative Meaning to Cultural Semantics:Translating Chinese Neologism into English from Metaphorical-Cognitive Perspective

应建构隐喻认知的理论框架,分析新词语的文化语义生成机制,进而认识其翻译规律。新词语翻译是文化语义导向寻求隐喻认知过程的对应,其特点是文化语义和认知过程两个层面的对应。新词语文化语义隐喻认知的普遍性与文化模式的特殊性聚合于原词语与译入语的对应过程。这要求译者在原词语的文化语义扭曲程度和译入语的可接受性之间取得平衡。如文化语义扭曲程度在可接受范围内,译者应优先考虑译入语的可接受性。否则,则应以可接受性为代价,保证原语语义扭曲程度在可接受范围。

This article attempts to establish a theoretical framework from the metaphorical- cognitive perspective to shed light on translating of Chinese neologism into English with fo- cus on cultural semantics. This study found that the translation of new words is a cultural semantics-oriented process seeking metaphorical-cognitive mapping, which is characterized by two levels of correspondence, cultural semantics and cognitive processes. Another find- ing is that the metaphorical-cognitive universals of new words and particularity of cultural patterns are integrated into the mapping process of the original word and the target word. This requires the translator to strike a balance between the extent to which cultural semantics of the original is distorted and to which the target is accepted. If cultural semantic distortions are within acceptable range, the translator should improve the acceptability in the target language as much as he can. Otherwise, the cultural semantics should be given precedence over the acceptability of the target word even if the acceptability might be impaired.