Metaphor translatability, untranslatability and in-betweens [articol]

Abstract

Metaphors were traditionally viewed as powerful rhetorical tools, but more recent studies have acknowledged metaphors as cognitive, communicative and cultural elements. Whether linguistic or cognitive, metaphor translation requires metaphor analysis and metaphor analysis entails at least linguistic, communicative, social and cultural competence. Between the totally untranslatable and easily translatable metaphors, there are many other degrees of translatability. The main objective of this paper is to explore some of the techniques of metaphor translation between effortless translatability and total untranslatability by pursuing an inductive approach together with a description of the procedures and strategies used.