A Corpus-Based Study of the Chinese Translation of Color Metaphors in Shakespeare’s Plays

Abstract

Metaphor is a fundamental cognitive concept and this study utilizes a corpus-based approach to explore the vibrant color metaphors used in Shakespeare’s plays, as well as the Chinese translations of these metaphors by Liang Shiqiu, Zhu Shenghao, and Fang Ping. The primary focus of this analysis is on the translation methods and strategies employed by these three translators, with an emphasis on how they transfer the form, content (i.e., function), and meaning of the color metaphors into Chinese. Both rhetoric and conceptual metaphors are examined to provide insight into the translation practice of these three individuals. It found that there exists a significant similarity among the three translators in literally translating a majority of the color metaphors in Shakespeare’s plays; however, distinct differences emerge in their adoption of de-metaphorization while translating nonconforming color metaphors. Three major factors are discussed to account for the similarities and differences in translating color metaphors: (1) the shared cultural experiential sources for the color metaphors in English and Chinese cultures; (2) the universality of metaphorical thinking among people from different cultural backgrounds; (3) the skopos (purpose) of the three translators in translating Shakespeare’s plays during various historical periods. This study has significant implications for global corpus-based drama studies and metaphor studies, as well as corpus translation studies.