METAPHORS AND SOCIO-CULTURAL VALUES IN CHINA’S PRESS STATEMENT TRANSLATION

Abstract

In real practice, political text translations are in line with a country’s main foreign policies. Thus, an in-depth understanding on communicative strategies employed in translating political texts, e.g. press statements, is essential. The paper analyses the translation of press statements from the Source Text (Mandarin Chinese) into the Target Texts (English and Indonesian). To elaborate, this study uses van Dijk’s Political Discourse Analysis at the macro (contexts) and micro (texts) levels. By considering Newmark’s equivalent translation concept, as well as metaphor and annotated translations, the analysis reveals that the translation from China’s perspective uses metaphors and China’s socio-cultural values within the techniques of (i) equivalency of message and form, and (ii) active- passive. Overall, this study will be beneficial for analysts, translators, and the public who are curious about studies on the translation of press statements delivered by the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs.