Does Conceptual Integration Theory Work? A Case Study of the English Translation of Culture-Loaded Terms in Chinese Government Work Report

Abstract

Currently, the emphasis of research on culture-loaded terminology in the Chinese Government Work Report lies in developing translation strategies, with limited analysis of the cognitive process that translators undergo during the translation process. However, Conceptual Integration Theory has gained significant attention in recent years for its effectiveness in analyzing cognitive activities. This paper employs the Conceptual Integration Theory as a theoretical framework to analyze culture-loaded terms in the Chinese Government Work Report. This analysis involves the use of the conceptual integration network, including generic space, cross-space mapping, selective projection, blending, and emergent structure, as well as the construction of mental spaces. It has been found: (1) Translators utilized four mental spaces, namely the original terms space, translator space, generic space, and translation space. Through cross-space mapping, the original terms space and translator space projected a shared, abstract structure and organization into the generic space. The elements of the original terms space and translator space were then projected into the translation space within the constraints of the generic space. (2) The simplex network is unsuitable for translating these terms, while the other three conceptual integration networks do. Translating these terms with a mirror network is deemed to be the simplest method, while the two-scope network is the most complex. This paper aims to illustrate the thinking process of translators and offer suggestions for translating these terms.