摘要

动物词中存在着大量的隐喻，在中英文中这些隐喻有着各自的形象意义, 体现了不同的文化内涵。理解动物隐喻里蕴含的中西方人认知世界的一些共性、差异，并探讨其中的原因，可以促进英语教学和跨文化交际。在翻译动物隐喻时，必须对它的喻体、喻义有足够的了解, 然后才能采用适当的方法将其准确地传译出来。关联理论中的最佳关联性的目的可以有效地促进我们深入研究中英文动物隐喻翻译中的文化内涵问题,从而传达原作中动物的形象意义, 实现作者的交际意图, 使译文最大程度地趋同原文。

关键词：动物隐喻；最佳关联性；文化内涵；翻译策略

Abstract

There are many metaphors in animal words. Animals have totally different images which embody different cultural connotations in Chinese and English metaphors. Finding out the similarities and individualities of the cognitional world between Oriental and Occidental and discussing some possible causes can improve English teaching and cross-cultural communication. When translating the animal metaphors, we should first know much about the vehicle and figurative meanings which can help us transfer cultural connotations with proper methods. The aim of optimal relevance in the relevance theory can effectively promote us to study the problems existing in the translation of different connotations of Chinese and English animal metaphors deeply.

Key words: Animal metaphor; optimal relevance; cultural connotation；translation strategies

1 Introduction
Animal metaphor is a common phenomenon in human language. It is not only a kind of figure of speech but also a tool of cognition and one way of thinking model. So it is very important to study and analyze the topic of animal metaphor.

1.1 The Interpretation of Animal Metaphor
Metaphor is a fundamental mechanism of mind, one that allows us to use what we know about our physical and social experience to provide understanding of countless other subjects. Metaphor is pervasive in everyday language and thought. Webster’s New World Dictionary regards metaphor as “a figure of speech containing an implied comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily and primarily used of one thing is applied to another.