Abstract

Rhetoric devices can date back to a long time ago. They are art of the language. Only people with skilled writing skills and comprehensive abilities can deal with rhetoric devices naturally. Although they bear some differences and similarities, they are indeed of the same function to polish up language.

Fortress Besieged is a collection of rhetoric devices. Qian Chung-shu is expert at the rhetoric and easily creates more than a hundred characters. Its English version is completed together by Jeanne Kelly and Nathan K. Mao in 1979. Since its publication, it has been well received by the public.

This thesis is intended to study the translation of rhetoric devices based on the character description in Fortress Besieged. First, rhetoric devices are classified, such as, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification,and irony. Then detailed analysis is conducted based on character description. Finally, translation strategies are analyzed respectively. There is no absolute equivalence between source language and target language. The translators prefer foreignization and literal translation to domestication and free translation to introduce Chinese culture to western world. Though translation process is full of options, mutual comprehension between two languages and cultures must be achieved.

Key words: translation     rhetoric devices     character description     Fortress Besieged

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Purpose of the Study-1

1.2 Research Methodology-1

1.3 Introduction to the Author and Fortress Besieged-2

Chapter Two Literature Review-4

2.1 Introduction to Rhetoric Devices-4

2.2 Research on the Translation of Fortress Besieged-4

Chapter Three Classification of Rhetoric Devices and Character Description-6

3.1 Classification of Rhetoric Devices-6

3.1.1 Simile-6

3.1.2 Metaphor-7

3.1.3 Hyperbole-8

3.1.4 Personification-9

3.1.5 Irony-9

3.1.6 Mixture of Rhetoric Devices-10

3.2 Classification of Character Description-10

3.2.1 Appearance Description-11

3.2.2 Speech Description-12

3.2.3 Action Description-12

3.2.4 Mental Description-12

3.2.5 Appellation Description-13

Chapter Four Translation of Rhetoric Devices in Character Description in Fortress Besieged-14

4.1 Basic Translation Strategies-14

4.1.1 Domestication-14

4.1.2 Foreignization-15

4.2 Translation of Rhetoric Devices-15

4.2.1 Simile-15

4.2.2 Metaphor-16

4.2.3 Hyperbole-18

4.2.4 Personification-19

4.2.5 Irony-19

Chapter Five Conclusions-20

References-21