Figuration, Translation and Linguistic Processing: Metonymy as a Metaphor for Translation

Denroche, C. 2015. Figuration, Translation and Linguistic Processing: Metonymy as a Metaphor for Translation. 5th RaAM Specialized Seminar on Metaphors in/and/of Translation. University of Leiden, The Netherlands 11 Jun 2015

TitleFiguration, Translation and Linguistic Processing: Metonymy as a Metaphor for Translation
AuthorsDenroche, C.
TypeConference paper
Abstract

Over the years, many scholars have recognized the importance of figuration in translation. Early work presents checklists for dealing with ‘troublesome’ idioms (eg Dagut 1976, Broeck 1981), while more recent work applies Cognitive Metaphor Theory to investigate how metaphor patterns lexis across translated texts (Schäffner 2004, Schäffner & Shuttleworth 2013). In this paper, I suggest that figurative thinking plays an even more important role in translation than has heretofore been indicated, but that it is metonymic rather than metaphoric thinking which has this essential role. I propose that ‘metonymic processing’, “the recognition of relatedness between signs and parts of signs” (Denroche 2015), is at the very heart of translation and that it is on this which a translator’s mental effort is mostly expended. I characterize translation as: the sequential manipulation of partial matches between language fragments of different lengths, within and between languages, and the making of judgements regarding the relative appropriateness of these pairings. I revisit concepts from Translation Studies in terms of metonymy, namely ‘oblique translation’ (Vinay & Darbelnet 1958), ‘indeterminacy’ (Quine 1960), ‘shift’ (Catford 1965), ‘feature analysis’ (Nida 1964), ‘synecdoque’ (Lederer 1976) and ‘fuzziness’ (Bell 1991), though it is the theoretical work of cognitivists working in the area of Metonymy Studies, eg Barcelona (2002), Radden (2005) and Langacker (2009), which provides the foundation for the Metonymic Theory of Translation proposed here. The thesis is supported by case studies of trainee and professional translators working between Italian/English and German/English. I claim that a metonymic approach to translation, one which recognizes the partial nature of meaning making and our ability to manage part-whole correspondences, has positive implications for the training of translators by offering a more flexible, enabling and creative paradigm in which to work. Metaphor in this context no longer seems aberrant and translating metaphor no longer troublesome.

Keywordstranslation, metonymy, metaphor, figuration, figurative thinking, metonymic processing, cognitive linguistics, training
Year2015
Conference5th RaAM Specialized Seminar on Metaphors in/and/of Translation

Related outputs

Multimodal metonymy
Denroche, C. 2025. Forthcoming. Multimodal metonymy. in: Wen, X. and Sinha, C. (ed.) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Cognitive Linguistics Cambridge University Press.

Drawing as a tool in metaphor-led discourse analysis
Denroche, C. 2024. Drawing as a tool in metaphor-led discourse analysis. Metaphor and Symbol. 39 (2), pp. 132-148. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926488.2024.2307333

Translating Figurative Language
Denroche, C. 2024. Translating Figurative Language. Cognitive Linguistic Studies. 10 (1), pp. 173-198. https://doi.org/10.1075/cogls.22011.den

Translaboration in the literary translation community of practice
Denroche, C. 2023. Translaboration in the literary translation community of practice. Translab 4: Translation and Labour. University of Westminster, London, UK 06 - 07 Jul 2023

Using drawing as a research tool in metaphor-led discourse analysis
Denroche, C. 2023. Using drawing as a research tool in metaphor-led discourse analysis. WFLL Research Day. 12 Jun 2023

Introducing Meaning Studies
Denroche, C. 2022. Introducing Meaning Studies. WFLL Research Day. 01 Jun 2022

The Three Grammars and the Sign
Denroche, C. 2021. The Three Grammars and the Sign. Review of Cognitive Linguistics. 19 (1), pp. 207-232. https://doi.org/10.1075/rcl.00081.den

Translating Mann, Müller and mind-style
Denroche, C. 2019. Translating Mann, Müller and mind-style. WFLL Research Day. 12 Jun 2019

Employing cognitive metonymy theory in the analysis of semantic relations between source and target text in translation
Denroche, C. 2019. Employing cognitive metonymy theory in the analysis of semantic relations between source and target text in translation. Metaphor and the Social World. 9 (2), pp. 177-198. https://doi.org/10.1075/msw.18024.der

Applying generative, functional and cognitive grammar to naturally-occurring language and multimodal data
Denroche, C. 2018. Applying generative, functional and cognitive grammar to naturally-occurring language and multimodal data. International Association of Cognitive Semiotics conference: Multimodalities (IACS-3). Ryerson, Toronto, Canada 13 - 15 Jul 2019

Text Metaphtonymy: The interplay of metonymy and metaphor in discourse
Denroche, C. 2018. Text Metaphtonymy: The interplay of metonymy and metaphor in discourse. Metaphor and the Social World. 8 (1), pp. 1-24 MSW 16011 R2. https://doi.org/10.1075/msw.16011.den

The Visual Representation of a Systematic Metaphor in a UK Media Text
Denroche, C. 2016. The Visual Representation of a Systematic Metaphor in a UK Media Text. RaAM 11. Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany 01 - 04 Apr 2016

Metonym in Culture and Recreation
Denroche, C. 2015. Metonym in Culture and Recreation. in: Metonymy and Language: a new theory of linguistic processing Routledge. pp. 81-105

The Vital Role of Metonymy in Conceptualization and Communication
Denroche, C. 2015. The Vital Role of Metonymy in Conceptualization and Communication. in: Metonymy and Language: a new theory of linguistic processing Routledge. pp. 56-80

What Roman Jakobson tells us about metonymy and metaphor in his 1956 essay on aphasia and what we can say about the interplay of these phenomena across genres now nearly sixty years on
Denroche, C. 2015. What Roman Jakobson tells us about metonymy and metaphor in his 1956 essay on aphasia and what we can say about the interplay of these phenomena across genres now nearly sixty years on. Form and Poetry: an exploration of Russian formalism. School of Advanced Studies, Institute of English Studies, Senate House, London 23 Oct 2015

Metonymy and language: a new theory of linguistic processing
Denroche, C. 2015. Metonymy and language: a new theory of linguistic processing. Abingdon, Oxon Routledge.

A metonymic theory of translation
Denroche, C. 2014. A metonymic theory of translation. 5th UK Cognitive Linguistics Conference . Department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK 29 Jul 2014

Figurative text phenomena and text metaphtonymy
Denroche, C. 2014. Figurative text phenomena and text metaphtonymy. 1st Internatioonal Symposium on Figurative Thought and Language. Thessaloniki, Greece 26 Apr 2014

A Metonymic Theory of Translation
Denroche, C. 2013. A Metonymic Theory of Translation. 3rd International Conference on Meaning Construction - Meaning Interpretation: Applications and Implications (CRAL 13). University of La Rioja, Logroño, Spain 20 Jul 2013

Metaphor, metonymy, language learning and translation
Denroche, C. 2012. Metaphor, metonymy, language learning and translation. PhD thesis UCL-Institute of Education, University of London

Metonymic processing: a cognitive ability relevant to translators, editors and language teachers
Denroche, C. 2012. Metonymic processing: a cognitive ability relevant to translators, editors and language teachers. in: Mininni, G. and Manuti, A. (ed.) Applied psycholinguistics: positive effects and ethical perspectives (vol.1) Milano, Italy FrancoAngeli. pp. 69-74

The fundamental role of metonymy in conceptualization and communication
Denroche, C. 2011. The fundamental role of metonymy in conceptualization and communication. in: Hornsby, D. (ed.) Interfaces in Language 2 Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 191-206

Analysing Larkin: complementary approaches to teaching texts
Denroche, C. 2011. Analysing Larkin: complementary approaches to teaching texts. The interface between English literature and English language: innovation in curriculum development. LLAS Subject Centre for English, University of Sussex 24 May, 2011

Modelling the linguistic mind
Denroche, C. 2010. Modelling the linguistic mind. in: Partridge, J. (ed.) Interfaces in language Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 311-334

Metonymic processing: a cognitive ability relevant to translators, editors and language teachers
Denroche, C. 2010. Metonymic processing: a cognitive ability relevant to translators, editors and language teachers. IX International Conference of ISAPL. University of Bari, Italy

The ham sandwich in the corner wants more coffee: the relevance of metonymy to language learning
Denroche, C. 2009. The ham sandwich in the corner wants more coffee: the relevance of metonymy to language learning. Applied linguistics circle. University of Reading 10th February 2009

Pure learning and the discourse of knowledge
Denroche, C. 2009. Pure learning and the discourse of knowledge. Language and linguistics research cluster: interface with linguistics conference. University of Westminster, London

Metonymy: a vital resource in communication and conceptualization
Denroche, C. 2009. Metonymy: a vital resource in communication and conceptualization. Interfaces in language 2 conference. University of Kent

Enriching learning through pedagogic problem solving
Denroche, C. 2008. Enriching learning through pedagogic problem solving. 7th Annual Westminster Learning and Teaching Symposium: Enhancing Learning. University of Westminster, London

Modelling the linguistic mind
Denroche, C. 2007. Modelling the linguistic mind. Interfaces in Language. Canterbury, UK 23-25 Apr 2007

Modelling Metaphor
Denroche, C. 2006. Modelling Metaphor. in: Congresso Sobre a Metapfora na Linguaguem e no Pensamento.

The 'new rhetoric': metonymy and metaphor in everyday communication
Denroche, C. 2006. The 'new rhetoric': metonymy and metaphor in everyday communication. Interface with linguistics. London, UK 23 Jun 2006 University of Westminster.

Review of Randal Holme, 2004, 'Mind, metaphor and language teaching'.
Denroche, C. 2004. Review of Randal Holme, 2004, 'Mind, metaphor and language teaching'. Language Learning Journal. Winter (30), p. 75. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09571730485200271

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/v007x/figuration-translation-and-linguistic-processing-metonymy-as-a-metaphor-for-translation


Share this

Usage statistics

159 total views
0 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.