A Cognitive Analysis on Translation Strategy

zwwh@overseaen.comISSN 1009- -5039htp://www.overseaen.comOverseas English海外英语Tel:+86 -551- -5690811 5690812A Cognitive Analysis on Translation StrategyZHONG Hui(Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)Abstract: A cognitive interpretation of the basic translation strategy, domestication and foreignization, is elaborated in this paper. It is pro-the style of the source text (ST) and the translator's performance, both of which are generated from individualized style of construe, decidedby a range of experiences. So great importance should be atached to experience and construe. Such an interpretation is proposed to pro-vide a new perspective to study translation strategy and initiate a better comprehension of the sT and translation.Key words: cognitive analysis; translation stategy; style; construe; experience中图分类号:H3159文献标识码:A文章编号:1009- -5039(2012)03- -0121-02Of the wealth of various studies on translation, many empha- rive as our inelligence permits, again and again, the experience ofsize that great importance should be attached to style. But how to cognition is memorized in our own mind, inherited in our descen-deal with the style demands more endeavor. A. F. Tytler elaimed, dants' brain, form our basic style of cognition. In the same way, our"that the style and manner of writing should be of the same charac- style of construe is generated from our experience, on which someter with that of the original" (Tytler, 1978: XXXVI). But then how to .classical argument can be found in Metaphors We Live By:define the concept of style? Is it secondary to content, like EugeneIt would be more correct to say that all experience is culuralA. Nida claimed? And by what means the "same character" can be through and through, that we experience our "world" in such a wayachieved? The significance of style is reconsidered and style is rede-. that our culture is already present in the very experience itself (La-koff & Johnson, 1980: 57).the construe that decides the choosing of translation strategy, do-Then the style of text, which is some outward and visible mani-mestication and foreignization. The former designates the type of festation of our style of construe, of our behavior, of our culture, alsotranslation in which a transparent, fluent style is adopted to mini-generated from the experience. Considering the deterninants ofmize the strangeness of the foreign text for target language readers; translation strategy, here the bodily experience and the social expe-while the latter means a target text is produced which deliberately rience are discussed respectively.breaks target conventions by retaining something of the foreignness2.1 Bodily experienceof the original.Because of the common limits and specialty of our body's phys-1 Style of STiological structure, we behave in this way instead of another. For ev-W alter Benjamin proposed in the very beginning of The Task eryday experienceof the Translator:etition, our manner of action or thinking can be ritualized or styl-"Its (a literary work's) essential quality is not statement or the ized, and even memorized and inheried by the next generation, forimparting of information. Yet any translation which intends to per-instance, our spatial experience can result in a spatiality conceptformn a trasmiting function cannot transmit anything but informa- widely used today, such as UP-DOWN, FRONT BACK, IN-OUT,tion- hence, something nessential. This is the hallmark of bad NEAR-FAR. Besides such kind of common bodily experience, an-translations. " (Benjamin W alter, 1992: 69)other type of bodily experience deserves our attention. Out of theSo what is the essential quality, the very point worth trying for specialty of individual's physiological structure or psychologicala better translation? Not the topic, not the event, not the subject or preference, or just because of unique habit, unique bodily experi-substance of a discourse or writig, not the content itself, but the ence come into being, that is a conceivable reason for the diver-way in which the content is arranged, that is the style. The style isgence of styles in the realm of art.no less significant and essential than content, at least in literary 2.2 Social experienceworks. We see text style, no matter the style of the ST or target texlIn society, we need to communicate and cooperate with others,(TT), as a superficeial manifestation of the individualized way inadhere to ethics, obey some rules, handle various problems, andwhich we think and behave. Furthermore, it is pointed out that theeven suffer some punishment if your behavior is inappropriate. Inindividualized style of construe, are dynamically generated from hu-such an interaction with others, our style of construe is unconscious-man experiences, which is discussed in the following part.ly influenced by various social experiences. According to what ex-2 The generation of styleactly a community or individual experiences, the way we construeWe perceive with our sensory organ, leam, reason and memo-some particular situation varies greatly and then result in the indi-中国煤化工MHCNM HG收稿日期:2011-11-06修回 日期:2011-11-27作者简介:钟慧(1986-),女,湖南常德人,硕士研究生,现就读于西南大学外国语学院,主要研究方向为认知语言学。栏目责任编辑:梁书N凰121Overseas English海外英语2012年02月vidualized style, which is the origin or determinant of text style. Be-perience is shared in TL speaking society, domestication has thesides, the generation of style is a dynamic process. On the onepriority; but even in the first situation, if a perfect equivalence ofhand, we are involved in endless newly happened events, and out of the social experence that decided the style of ST is available in thethe corresponding experiences, our style of construe has to changetranslator's mind, for example, against the ritual, the translator onceand responds 0 thal.0n the other hand, our iteracion wih other expeienced something special in the TL society, then it depends onpeople or culture will never stop as life remains, thus our slyle of tasaor's choie, just borrow it to enich our mother tongue withconstrue is dynamic. It is carified that the origin or determinant of foreign thought foreigniztin) or to guarantee the purity of our na-text style is the style of constwhich is ilustrated above. Oncetive language (domestication). It is out of personal favorites, whichsome special event or phenomenon happens around us, functioningalso based on the translators own style of construe. Besides, someas a stimulus, and is recorded in sorme literary works, the style ofelements like the cotemporary trend of thought in SL or TL also de-construe will be embodied in the style of the ST, as well as the trans-serves our attention, because it is experienced by the author andlation strategy and the style of the TT.translator. Anyway, the experience of author and translator, whichFigure 1 The style of textdefined the style of construe, is of fundamental importance to thebodily experiencetranslation strategy.(memorized or inherited)Figure 2 Selection of translation strategystyle of construeBodilyfcommon bodily experience(individualized)experiencedomesticationsocial experiencestmulus(interaction)(specielattention)style of text(individuaized)SL society only一-- . foreignlzation(perfect equlvalent exist, it depends)3 The selection of translation strategyexperience|shared in TL scociey-___ . domesticationAs for how to choose the translation strategy, great importanceAt least in literary works, translation strategy is generated fromshould be attached to the individualized style of construe in the STindividualized style of construe, which is decided by a range of ex-as discussed above. Meanwhile, the relationship between styles ofperiences. This interpretation is of great advantage to the compre-ST and TT requires careful consideration. When the styleof ST ishension of translation and other related issues as well.parially determined by, our bodily experience, the strategy of do-References:mestication can be applied because if only based on the imaginedor witness bearing of the same bodily experience, the exact inten-[1]Tytler A FEssay on the Principle of Translaion[M].Amsterdam:tion and flling can be understood and equivalent effect can beJohn Benjamins, 1978.achieved. 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