Metaphor in Literary Prose and its Cross-Cultural Transfer: A Case Study of Jinpingmei and its Two English Versions

The classic novel Jinpingmei constitutes a rich source of metaphorical expressions, which poses challenge to interlingual translation. This paper conducts descriptive analysis the translation metaphor from Chinese English, taking and its two English versions as case study. It attempts examine how what extent language in is mediated rendered target language, look at effect translative strategies used on text readers, pinpoint factors that motivate translators’ choices. Following paradigm studies, resorts mixed method design combines qualitative quantitative data analysis. results show translators adopt wide variety transferring handle metaphors identified novel, ranging deletion paraphrasing completely retaining metaphors. While are all preserved Roy’s translation, there many suffer loss or displacement varying degrees Egerton’s Translators’ choice different exerts an images, figurative senses, metaphoricity, cultural implications individual text, exhibits their disparate considerations respecting literariness original work recipients’ needs tastes. Finally, present study demonstrates mainly influenced by translatorial skopos well weighing up prioritizing certain over others relation intention.