Construal Recreation in Song Lyrics Translation: Cognitive Operations and Motivations — A Case Study of Liu Yong’s Wanghaichao
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1605.09Keywords:
construal recreation, cognitive translation model, category transformations, motivations, Song lyricsAbstract
This study proposes a cognitive translation model integrating Langacker’s latest construal theory and category transformations. The model outlines a three-stage process from source text construal decoding, category transformations, to target text construal recreation. An analysis of Liu Yong’s Wanghaichao and its translations by Xu Yuanchong, and Yang Xianyi and Dai Naidie reveals that translators dynamically recreate five dimensions of construal. This process is motivated by embodied cognition, cultural cognition, and iconicity; constrained by the subjectivity and objectivity of construal; and guided by cognitive equivalence. The research offers a cognitive framework for balancing fidelity and adaptability in translation, thereby facilitating the global dissemination of Chinese traditional culture.
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