Analysis of metaphor translation from the perspective of relevance theory—a case study of the translation of metaphor in fortress besieged

Abstract

Fortress Besieged is a unique satirical novel in the history of Chinese contemporary literature. It is deeply loved by readers at home and abroad for its humorous and refined language. There are abundant Chinese metaphors in the novel, so it is of certain significance to explore the translation of metaphors for the cultural exchanges between China and the West. Taking the English translation of Fortress Besieged as the research subject, this paper explores how to translate metaphor in novel from the perspective of relevance theory. It is found that the translator adopts the following methods in dealing with metaphor translation: retaining the original metaphor image, transforming the original metaphor image, retaining the original metaphor image and annotating it, explaining or omitting the original metaphor image.