3.1.1 Katharina Reiss and Functional Category of Translation Criticism 12

3.1.2 Hans.J.Vermeer and Skopos Theory 12

3.1.3 Justa Holz-Manttari and The theory of Translational Action 12

3.1.4 Christiane Nord and Function Plus Loyalty 13

3.2 Documentary Translation as an Important Translation Strategy in German Functionalist Translation Theory 14

3.3 German Functional Translation Account of Metaphor Translation 14

4. An Analysis of Metaphor Translation in Fortress Besieged 15

4.1 The Concept of Translation Strategy 15

4.2 The Strategy of Metaphor Translation in Fortress Besieged 16

4.2.1 Literal Translation 16

4.2.2 Philological Translation 17

4.2.3 Exoticizing Translation 19

4.3 Metaphor Reproduced in the English Version 20

5. Conclusions 20

References 21

1.Introduction

      The essay attempts to take Fortress Besieged as a case study to analyze translating strategy of metaphors based on functionalist translation. It starts with the definition of metaphor, and a historical review of study on metaphor at home and abroad. Then it briefs the background information about Ch’ien Chung-shu and hisFortress Besieged, and states both domestic and overseas critiques on the English version. At the end of the first chapter, it points out the role played by metaphor translation in literary texts. In the second Chapter, it elaborates the German functionalist translation theory by presenting four significant theorists. According to the Skopos, documentary translation is chosen as the strategy to deal with metaphor translation.

    The chapter three includes three concrete translation methods derived from documentary translation strategy, and an analysis of their effect. At last it can be concluded that according to the metaphor translated by Kelly and Mao, their Skopos of arousing target reader’s attention to the book and to the Chinese culture, achieves a success, while Skopos of reproducing the aesthetic effect is not assured, especially when exoticizing translation is employed, despite creating an exotic strangeness and cultural distance.