Translation studies as a discipline has been greatly concerned with metaphors especially with respect to their translatability and transfer methods. Linguists have argued that the translation of metaphors can be greatly problematic, since rendering them from one language and culture to another may be hampered by linguistic and cultural differences.
Brevik (2008) explains accurately that “there are several problems related to translating metaphors, the most obvious being, as Dagut(1976:24) points out that ‘since a metaphor in the SL is, by definition, a semantic novelty, it can clearly have no existing “equivalence” in TL’”. She also quotes from Lomheim (1995:132-134), saying that “‘striking metaphors in SL can only be translated equivalently
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She stresses the reason why metaphors are so difficult to translate by stating that “most words in a language have absorbed cultural aspects and historical experiences”.
According to the previous lines, we can summarize that the difficulty of translating metaphors lies in their “culture-bound” (Brevik:2008) aspect. To illustrate that point, Brevik (2008) gives the example of Anderman (2002)” ‘even the metaphor The world is my oyster, made more or less universal by William Shakespeare, may be difficult to understand in a community which does not have oysters. At other times, the same metaphor might exist with small cultural amendments. In England, pigs can fly; in Spain, donkeys can’”.
It is crystal clear that the only challenge posed by metaphors in finding the appropriate equivalent that has the same effect as the original. Despoina,P (2013) commented that “The concept of equivalence can be said to hold a central position in translation studies. Nevertheless, it has been a rather controversial one, causing many heated debates among translators as to its nature, definition and applicability… The most influential equivalence theories have been proposed by scholars in the field, such as Vinay and Darbelnet (1958), Jakobson (1959), Nida and Taber (1969), Catford (1965), House (1997), Koller (1979), Newmark (1981), Baker (1992), Pym (2010) ... It is concluded that the usefulness
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Linguists afterwards, criticized this view of equivalence because it assumes that all languages are identical while it is known that Arabic and English (for instance) are both linguistically and culturally incompatible.
In the same regard, Nida maintains that there are two basic types of equivalence: (1) formal equivalence and (2) dynamic equivalence. In particular, Nida argues that in formal equivalence the TT resembles very much the ST in both form and content whereas in dynamic equivalence an effort is made to convey the ST message in the TL as naturally as possible. It could be argued that Nida is in favor of dynamic equivalence since he considers it to be a more effective translation procedure. Nida‟s preference is more clearly stated in Nida and Taber‟s edition (1969) since it is argued that dynamic equivalence in translation goes beyond correct communication of information.
Reinforcing that, Jaber, I.N (2010) says “Nida, a translator of the Bible, favored the dynamic equivalence (a translation principle according to which a translator seeks to translate the meaning of the original in such a way that the TL wording will trigger the same impact on the TT audience as the original wording did upon the ST audience (Leonardi 2000:
Throughout this excerpt, the use of imagery is vital to the evolution of Chief Bromden. Chief wakes up with the sudden urge to do something. As he walks around, he feels the cold tiles against his feet, and he realizes how many times he had walked on the tiles before, but had never felt it at all. “I walked down the windows to one where the shade popped softly in and out with the breeze, and I pressed my head against the mesh.” In this paragraph the imagery of the smells and Chief presses his head against the mesh, appeals to the senses of smell and touch.
Another example of metaphors in
Life can really suck sometimes. It can give us the illusion that everything is going to go smoothly as planned, but then it surprises us with tragedy or rough, unexpected circumstances. It is during these times that we just don’t know what to do and feel hopeless. But hope is always there. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it seems impossible to find, but there is always hope for any situation or circumstance.
They use metaphors to help connect their own lives to the lives of others. Whether it is from literary works that they are reading or connecting to each other’s lives. This use is very effective because it helps us to know what is going in the student's lives by connecting with things and sayings that we can understand. Allusions are also a very effective in this piece because it connects the real-life problems that the students are going through with things that everyone can understand. An example of this is when the students compare their lives to the lives of Holocaust survivors.
The poem “Ithaka” by C. P. Cavafy illustrates Foster’s quest theory by using metaphors. Throughout the poem there are several metaphors but overall the whole poem is a metaphor all in itself. The speaker begins to tell you right as the poem begins, “Laistrygonians, Cyclops, angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them: you’ll never find things like that on your way as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,as long as a rare excitement stirs your spirit and your body.” The Laistrygonians, Cyclops, and angry Poseidon are obstacles that will cross your path, don’t let them get in your way. It is comparing these three terrifying things to the obstacles you come across everyday and how you can’t let them destroy you.
Metaphors are an influential piece to the literary world due to, “the process of using symbols to know reality occurs”, stated by rhetoric Sonja Foss in Metaphoric Criticism. The significance of this, implies metaphors are “central to thought and to our knowledge and expectation of reality” (Foss 188). Although others may see metaphors as a difficult expression. Metaphors provide the ability to view a specific content and relate to connect with involvement, a physical connection to view the context with clarity. As so used in Alice Walker’s literary piece, In Search Of Our Mothers’ Gardens.
In the except from the novel “ Under the feet of Jesus” by Helena Maria Viramontes shows the development of Estrella from being angry to understanding what she needed to do to succeed. The author uses figurative language and selection of detail to show the changes Estrella’s character went through, which reveals that knowing what things are is beneficial. The author uses figurative language like similes and metaphors to show Estrella’s frustration with her teacher and her understanding of tools. The author says, “ all that a jumbled steel inside the box… seemed as confusing and foreign as the alphabet she could not decipher.”
“The Metaphor,” by Budge Wilson, is a short story about a young girl, Charlotte, coming of age. It begins with Charlotte as a seventh grader stuck between the two poles of her life: her teacher and mother. During the course of this bildungsroman, there are many techniques the author uses to strengthen and amplify its theme of growing up. Through the use of motif, juxtaposition, and symbolism, the reader is aware of the protagonist’s growth. In the story, the most potent motif is the metaphor.
Superior writers use a vast number of well-used elements. It is key to use exceptional elements if you thrive to be a great writer. An example of a writer with higher-level elements is Ray Bradbury. Bradbury has a famous short story called "The Pedestrian. "
His uses of metaphors clarify and create a clear connection between his ideas and the audience. While explaining the convictions of man
1. The line “We lived on a combination of irregular paychecks, hope, fear, and government surplus food” is a hyperbole and zeugma. The word that creates the zeugma is the word lived, as the narrator uses the word lived to mean different things in the same context. The narrator actually lived off of paychecks and government food, but did not literally live off of hope and fear like the line suggests. The line is also a hyperbole because the author did not literally live off of the hope and fear, as you cannot sustain yourself with emotions.
The overall understanding of metaphors used in everyday language comes from learning with one another, just like Lipsitz’s idea of evolution in his book, “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right”. Metaphors
Authors use Imagery, Simile and Metaphor to put a clear picture in the reader's head. In the “Pedestrian” Simile, Imagery and metaphor are used to put a clear picture in the reader's head as well as developing the mood at the same time. In the "Pedestrian" Bradbury uses imagery, simile and metaphor to develop the futuristic setting and the mood so that the reader better understands where Mr.Mead is and what he see's.
In the novel The Old Man and The Sea, written by Ernest Hemingway a credible author, the use of figurative language was not sparse. Figurative language enhances the story line and makes the book interesting and detailed. The most notable uses of figurative language were similes, metaphors, personification, idioms, and hyperboles. Similes are described as a comparison using like or as. We found many examples throughout the text.
Nature is a beautiful component of planet earth which most of us are fortunate to experience; Ralph Waldo Emerson writes about his passion towards the great outdoors in a passage called Nature. Emerson employs metaphors and analogies to portray his emotions towards nature. Emerson begins by writing, “Our age is retrospective. It builds the sepulchres of the fathers.” , this is a metaphor for how we think; all our knowledge is based on what is recorded in the olden days and a majority of our experiences are vicarious instead of firsthand encounters.