Mapping Image-Schemes and Translating Metaphors

In this paper we demonstrate that identifying the mappings between the source and target domains for a conceptual metaphor allows for both a greater understanding of the conceptual basis of metaphors, and more effective language translation. We first introduce and explain the Animal Metaphor to support our idea. We show that the Animal Metaphor exists in both English and Chinese, but that it maps different information from the source to the target domain. We then propose three principled steps to aid in the translation of metaphors from one language to another, using the animal metaphor as an example. Lastly, we summarize our findings and discuss future areas of research. 1