1 Introduction
1.1 Research Background
Conceptual Blending Theory (CBT), also known as Conceptual Integration Theory, is thetheoretical framework which is to explore the meaning construction and the informationintegration(Fauconnier, Turner 1998). The conceptual blending network by Fauconnier notonly attaches importance to the role of context, but also reveals the dynamism of the processof meaning construction in terms of simple spatial structure. It illustrates the spacemechanism of the dynamic generating of language meaning. CBT is convincing and has astrong explanatory power to the dynamic, random, and vague motion of cognition and thought.It can be used to explain many language phenomena. Conceptual Blending Theory plays acentral role in the matter of how to study, how to think, and how to live. According to it, weunderstand meanings, and continually create a colorful conceptual world.SoConceptualBlending Theory is one of the important theories of Cognitive Semantics (Wang 2007).Underthe impulse of Cognitive Semantics, Conceptual Blending Theory is increasingly becoming aresearch highlight of interdisciplinary(Coulson2005). An international symposium with thetitle of The Way We Think was held in the University of Southern Denmark by cognitivelinguists coming from all over the world in August 2002. The scholars focused on ConceptualBlending Theoryand widely discussed the spatial dimension, mapping mechanism, blendingmechanism etc. of it. Meanwhile, foreign scholars have done much practical work with thistheory, such as Coulson(2001), Parrill and Sweetser (2004), Sweetser(2000),Zbikowski(1997). Chinese scholars have been publishing related articles and books from2000. However, these articles or books are mainly overview presentations or comparison withother theories.
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1.2Objectives and Significance of the Study
Based on the analysis of the background above, it is not too hard to see that ConceptualBlending Theory is an emerging theory in cognitive linguistics. Its great explanatory power ishighly focused. The application in the field of translation is still at the initial stage. So it hasmore developing room. Historically viewed as the essence of Chinese poetry, Tang poetry isan important part of Chinese culture, and it is much beloved. English translation of Tangpoetry is the tendency and need of the world situation. Meanwhile, we have found someshortcomings which were stated before.In the light of the insufficiency of the study of the transmission of images (especiallycolor terms) in poems, according to this emerging cognitive theory, the thesis combined theConceptual Blending Theory with English translation of color terms in Tang poetry andattempts to test the explanatory power of Conceptual Blending Theory. And then, the thesistries to reveal the dynamic translation process of English translation of color terms in Tangpoetry under Conceptual Blending Theory. What is more, we would like to further refineConceptual Blending Theory to strengthen its intelligibility and practicabilityby analyzingEnglishtranslations of color terms in different poems, which is to explore the blendingformation of English translation of color terms in Tang poetry. This thesis injects fresh bloodto the study of Conceptual Blending Theory, and provides experience for macroscopic studyof translation.
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2 Literature Review
2.1Researches on English translation of Tang Poetry
Robert Payne said at some time, “Chinese classical poetry is the most beautiful flower inChinese culture.”Translating Chinese poetry is to present this flower to the whole world. Aswe all know, it is hard to translate poetry, especially Chinese classical poetry. Althoughtranslating Chinese poems is time-consuming and laborious, even it could hardly translatethem as beautiful as the original poem is, there are more and more scholars devote themselvesto this work. The English translation of Chinese classical poetry is in the ascendant. ManyChinese and foreign scholars have proposed many theories, principles, and skills. They havedone plenty of translation work as well. Because everyone thinks in his way, in regard to theresearch status of English translation of Chinese classical poetry, Zhao Yan Chun said,“TheEnglish translation ofChinese poetry is chaos no matter in the theoretical aspect orpractice aspect. (Zhao 1996)”Reviewing the studies of English translation of Tang poetry since 20thcentury, there areseveral opinions. These opinions can be divided into four aspects: whether Tang poetry can betranslated or not; what kind of genres should we choose in translations, rhymed translation orQaqma;who are the best translators for English translation of Tang poetry,Chinesetranslatorsor western translators.To Tang poetry which is a more special literary genre, the debate on whether Tangpoetry can be translated or not is more vigorous. Tang poetry is an enrichment art which is aperfect combination of sense, form and sound. Due to the difference between differentlanguages, sense, form and sound can hardly remain after translating. This is the reason whymanyChinese and foreign scholars assert that Tang poetry cannot be translated for a long time.When the poet, Bian Zhilin, talked about poetry and translation with Gu Cangwu, Mr. Biansaid, “Poetry cannot be translated from one language to another. (Wu 1992)”Many masters,such as Lu Xun, Lin Yutang and Zhu Guangqian, also agree that.
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2.2Researches on CBT Abroad
Based on Mental Space Theory, Fauconnier presented Conceptual Blending Theory inMappings in thought and Language (Fauconnier 1997). Conceptual Blending Theory brokethe limitation of double-domain mapping of source domain and target domain. He believedthat the dynamics meaning of natural language can be understood through a series of thedynamic cognitive model in conceptual blending network.The Way We think written by Gills Fauconnier and Mark Turnerin 2002 is regarded as alandmark of Cognitive Linguistic. Fauconnier and Turner further stated in the book,Conceptual Blending Theory is a basic cognitive mechanism, and it can be applied in allactivities involving all human cognition. Meanwhile, they proposed some constructionprinciples of conceptual blending, such as cross-domain mapping, selective projection,generic space, blending space, and the production of emergent structure.
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3Conceptual Blending Theory and Translation .......... 16
3.1Introduction of Conceptual Blending Theory .......... 16
3.2Literature Translation and Blending .......... 23
4English Translation of Color Terms in Tang Poetry under CBT .......... 28
4.1English Translation of Color terms in Tang Poetry........ 28
4.2Blending Formation of EnglishTranslation of Color Terms........ 29
5Conclusion......... 38
5.1Major Findings ........... 38
5.2Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research .......... 38
4English Translation of Color Terms in Tang Poetry under CBT
4.1English Translation of Color terms in Tang Poetry
Color is the byproduct of the spectrum of light, as it is reflected or absorbed, as receivedbythe human eye and processed by the human brain. Scientific studies disclose the fact that color is a continuum existing in naturalphenomena. So color terms are a kind of words which summarizes this phenomenon.Every nation, even the same nation at various times, has different segmentation ofspectrum. What we research is the words which describe the impression on the segmentationof spectrum in Tang Dynasty.Apart from some single color words, what we research in this thesis also involves somecolor phrases. Researching single color words and color phrases, we can study the usage ofcolor terms more comprehensively, carefully, and deeply. What is more, a complete picture ofcolors terms in Tang poetry can be reflected more methodically and concretely. If we onlyfocus on one kind of color terms, what we can know is a part of the usage of color terms. Toavoid the confusion of them, color terms are identified as the research object in this thesis.Need of special note is, the research object of this thesis will not involves the proper nounswhich containcolor words, such as “黄鹂”.
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Conclusion
Tang poetry is very precious and complicated masterpieces. It is valuable treasureforChinese people even the world. It is necessary and urgent to promote Tang poetry to thewhole world and make more and more people from different countries understand andappreciate it. Because color terms are very important part of the charming of Tang Poems,theappropriate translation of them seems to be a significant step of the Englishtranslation. In thisthesis, the Conceptual Blending Theory is applied to study the blending formation of Englishtranslation of color terms in Tang poetry.Blendingformation of the translation process is proposed in this thesis. Theblendingformation of English translation of color terms in Tang poetry is not just only one kind. It canbe classified into four models: one-to-one correspondence connection blending, analogyconnection blending, general-specific connection blending, and emergent connection blending.The first blending modelis the most common formation. It can be presented with the literaltranslation. It displaysthe content of the original text simply and directlyso that it is easy tounderstand the content of the original text for target text readers.The second formation isanalogy connection blending ,namely, the commonality between Input SpaceⅠ(the originaltext) and emergent structure（the target text）are linked by analogical mapping.It is animportant formation of thinking. It is a guarantee of coherence thought. Analogy connectionblending which is from on concept to another forms all kinds of information network.Thethird formationis very helpful to readers to understand the poem though reading thetranslation.Translators materialize the color terms of the original poem in order to let targettext readers understand the original poembetter. The forth formation can be applied to aphenomenon, that is, there are color terms in some poems. However, there is nocounterpart inthe translation of these poems.It is mainly because that as for translators, they think it isunnecessary to translate color terms in the original poems, or it is better not to translate colorterms in the original poems.
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Reference (omitted)