AN INVESTIGATION INTO METAPHOR USEDIN HARRY POTTER BY J. K. ROWLING AND ITS VIETNAMESE TRANSLATIONAL EQUIVALENCE

Abstract

Through an investigation into Metaphor used successfully by Joanne Kathleen Rowling in her famous novels of Harry Potter, we hope to bring about some certain benefits to the readers themselves. The major purpose of this research is to study the fundamentals of translation studies and different ways to translate metaphors through professional translation of metaphors in Harry Potter‟s books. Firstly, the results of the analysis of professional translation shows that metaphors could be translated in five different ways: reserving metaphors of the source language, translating as similes, using target language equivalent metaphors, reserving metaphors and giving explanations, and removing metaphorical imagery. Secondly, semantic and communicative translation methods are equally effective in translating metaphors, while literal translation is likely to lead to wrong metaphoric translation. Thirdly, to successfully convey the meaning of a metaphor, understanding its context and good knowledge of English grammar and semantics are of great importance. Moreover, the translator should acknowledge his readership to produce the finest, as natural as possible translation. Lastly, our research aims at giving some suggestions and implications for the studying and learning English literature from our findings and results. The research suggests some techniques in translating metaphors. Hopefully the research could be useful for students of translation and those who are interested in the topic of metaphor translation