A Study On Animal Metaphor Translation In Pearl S. Buck’s English Version Of Shui Hu Zhuan From The Perspective Of Conceptual Metaphor Theory

Since the 1970 s,translation study has developed into an interdisciplinary subject,including culture,philosophy,cognitive linguistics,etc.The development of cognitive linguistics has expanded the field of translation study.Metaphor is an essential part of every language.In the beginning,the study of metaphorical translation was greatly influenced by the traditional rhetoric-oriented theory.It was treated as a rhetorical device whose primary function was to modify the language.George Lakoff and Mark Johnson proposed “conceptual metaphor” for the first time in the book Metaphors We Live By in 1980,and then conceptual metaphor theory emerged consequently.The conceptual metaphor theory believes that metaphor is not only a rhetorical device but also a fundamental tool of human thinking and cognition.Metaphor is everywhere,which can be associated with many intentions,one of which cannot be ignored is animal intention.Animals play a vital role in metaphor because of their rich connotations and their close relationship with human beings.As we all know,there are many idioms and proverbs containing animals in Chinese,all of which contain profound and unique Chinese traditional culture.In addition,the intentions of some animals have different meanings in different cultural contexts at home and abroad.Shui Hu Zhuan,the first novel with Zhanghuiti-Style in Chinese history,celebrates the peasant uprising and is written in vernacular Chinese,holds a crucial position in Chinese literature and even world literature.The author Shi naih-an uses rich descriptive techniques and many idioms and proverbs to shape many characters with distinctive personalities,which is very impressive.It is worth mentioning that he artfully applies metaphors in his creation,adding a unique literary charm to the novel.As the translator of the first complete Chinese-English translation of the classical Chinese novel Shui Hu Zhuan,Pearl S.Buck has insisted on spreading the original Chinese culture to the West.In her translation,she mainly reflects the translation strategy of foreignization.She has made significant contributions to the cultural exchanges between China and the West.Pearl S.Buck’s translation of Shui Hu Zhuan provides a brand new perspective for the West to get better understanding of Chinese history,Chinese literature and its characters and plots,and Chinese culture and its embedded traditional values and social norms.It is still an influential English version in the literature circle.Considering the above factors,the thesis chooses Pearl S.Buck’s translation of Shui Hu Zhuna as the analytical text,aiming to explore the Conceptual Metaphor Theory and its latest development.Taking the examples of animal metaphors from Shui Hu Zhuan,the thesis adopts the strategy of associating theory with proofs.In addition,the thesis hopes to take a look at the cognition,understanding,and translation patterns of animal metaphors in Shui Hu Zhuan translated by Pearl S.Buck from the perspective of conceptual metaphor.Through research,the thesis aims to construct a translation framework of Shui Hu Zhuan and other Chinese classics containing animal metaphors.Based on the translation framework,the thesis makes a relatively complete and systematic analysis of animal metaphors in Shui Hu Zhuan,explores the modes of conceptual metaphor and culture,and interprets the charm of traditional Chinese culture carried by the animal metaphors in Shui Hu Zhuan.It aims to provide valuable references and meaningful help for similar studies.