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Article published In: Target
Vol. 14:1 (2002) ► pp.43–73

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Translation and ‘similarity-creating metaphors’ in specialised languages

 | Universidad de Valladolid (Spain)
 | Universidad de Valladolid (Spain)
Published online: 24 January 2003
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https://doi.org/10.1075/target.14.1.03fue
This corpus-based research deals with the translation of metaphor in specialised texts. In these texts, metaphor is both a cognitive tool and aesthetic device. Some metaphors, particularly those which create a new similarity, seem to develop into technical terms, and this can cause translation problems. The study focuses on metaphors for ‘inflation’ in English economics texts, and their translation into Spanish. The translation strategies are analysed and their results assessed.
Résumé
La présente discussion fondéesurl’analysede corpus aborde la question de la métaphoredansdestextesspécialisés. Dans lestextes en question, la métaphoresapparaît à la foiscomme instrument cognitif et commeressourceesthétique.Certainesmétaphores, tout particulièrementcellesquiproduisentunesimilarité nouvelle, semblentproliférer en termes techniques, cequi est de nature à générerdesproblèmesdetraduction.L’enquêteseconcentresur la métaphoreappliquéeau concept d’“inflation”dansdestexteséconomiquesdelangueanglaise. Les stratégiesdetraductionsontpassées en revue et l’analyse vise à en évaluerlesrésultats.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Metaphor in specialised texts
  • 3.Metaphor in economics
  • 4.Data and methodology
  • 5.Results and discussion
    • 5.1Metaphorical scenarios conceptualising the term ‘inflation’
    • 5.2Reactions of the informants
    • 5.3The translation of metaphors
    • 5.4Proposals for the translation of metaphor
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
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