A Report On E-C Translation Of Metaphors In Chapter One And Chapter Two Of Federal-State Relations In Sabah,Malaysia:The Berjaya Administration,1976-85

This report is based on E-C translation of Regina Lim’s monograph:Federal-state Relations in Sabah,Malaysia:The Berjaya Administration,1976-85 to summarize the problems encountered and also find solutions in its metaphor translation practice.The political and economic development history of Malaysia’s Sabah under the Berjaya Administration is introduced in the source text from three aspects:federalism,national politics,and economic system.According to Newmark’s text type theory,the source text is a typical informational text.The metaphorical concept contained in the source text represents rich historical subject information and historical emotion.The metaphorical concepts in the source text are classified into three categories:ontological metaphors,orientational metaphors and structural metaphors.Based on the specific context and cultural background information,the translation of the following six metaphors is analyzed:entity and substance metaphor,personification metaphor,"front and back" metaphor,"up-down" metaphor,war metaphor and building metaphor.Under the alternating guidance of semantic translation and communicative translation theories,the following translation skills are combined:extension,conversion,explanation,division,etc.to balance the relationship between historical messages and the rhetorical effect of the source text.This translation practice is of positive significance to the study of the development history of the Malaysian party alliance since the 20th century and the analysis of the historical problems left by the party in Sabah.Through this translation practice,the following conclusions are drawn in the report.First,since the metaphorical concepts involved in this information text carry important historical information which implies the characteristics of the historical subject,the primary task in translation is to convey in the target language the authentic and reliable historical information of the source.The translation of metaphorical concepts in this informative text can be guided by the communicative translation.While it has expressive function,semantic translation theory has a guiding role in displaying text tension.Second,the equivalent relationship of the metaphorical concepts between the source domain and the target domain under the guidance of communicative translation theory is probed by the author who employs various techniques to decide the choice of metaphorical concept.The historical subject detail hidden in the metaphorical words should be explored,based on the principles of communicative translation theory.Then,according to the theory of semantic translation,the rhetorical functions and poetic features of metaphors are taken into consideration.Logical smoothness of the target language should be achieved in the translation practice of historical texts.As for the translation of the metaphors in the informative text,communicative translation serves as the major guidance and semantic translation as its supplement.The literariness of rhetoric is taken into account on the premise of ensuring the information transmission of the historical subject.Third,the development and change in the course of history is embodied by the metaphorical concepts which play an important role in rendering the emotion of texts.Under the guidance of communicative translation and semantic translation,the choice and expression of metaphorical meaning should be combined with the specific context.