Incorporation of Conceptual Metaphor Theory in Translation Pedagogy: A Case Study on Translating Simile-based Idioms

Abstract

Acknowledging the necessity of achieving cognitive equivalence in the target culture in translation, this study attempts to demonstrate the efficacy of the incorporation of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) into the curriculum of translation classrooms for translating metaphorical language more accurately. With this aim, a case study was designed after the collection of 10 simile-based idioms constructed with white and black colours from English metaphor and idiom dictionaries. Among the 10, five idioms were with similar mapping conditions (SMC) and the other five were with different mapping conditions (DMC) with Turkish. Eighty students studying at the Department of Translation and Interpretation, Atılım University, were divided into two groups, experimental and control, and were assigned a translation task requiring them to translate 10 simile-based idioms from English to Turkish. Then, the experimental group received training on CMT and practised applying this theory for translation purposes. After the training, both groups were given a post-test and, later, the translations in the pre- and post-test were compared statistically in terms of their accuracy. The results revealed that CMT had a significant effect on achieving cognitive equivalence, especially while translating simile-based idioms with DMC, proving that CMT should become an inseparable part of translation courses.