Corpus－Based Study on the Translation Methods of the Figures of Speech in Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo
Siyu Duan
School of Languages and Cultures, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China.
Jinyan Li *
School of Languages and Cultures, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The figures of speech in Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo exhibit distinct cultural characteristics compared to mainstream Chinese folk songs or Western literary traditions, and their translation requires careful attention not only to the figures of speech but also to the effective transmission of Zhuang culture. Based on a self-built bilingual corpus, this paper examines the translation methods of figures of speech in the English translations of Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo. The study reveals that translators predominantly use literal translation to preserve the cultural features of figures of speech while also incorporating free translation and imitation to align with the target language and cultural norms. By analyzing the figures of speech in Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo, this study explores their unique cultural characteristics and the challenges in the translation, contributing to a better understanding of Zhuang culture among the target readers and fostering cultural exchange and dissemination.
Keywords: Corpus, Zhuang’s folk songs of Napo, figures of speech, translation methods