Analyzing metaphors in the English translation of the Chinese novel <i>Sandalwood Death</i> from cognitive perspectives: A multi-level model

Abstract To underscore the shift from linguistic to cognitive approaches in metaphor translation within Translation Studies, this paper analyzes a specialized corpus of metaphor translations in Sandalwood Death, utilizing cognitive framework procedures. Cognitive theory is posited as capable of penetrating the core of metaphor, a cognitive device crucial for meaning-making, and translation, which is inherently a cognitive activity. According to the Discourse Dynamics Framework (DDF), metaphor is interconnected across various dimensions, enhancing the understanding of metaphor within discourse. This study, therefore, examines the English translation of metaphors in the modern Chinese novel Sandalwood Death through the lens of the DDF and Schmidt’s cognitive typology, with the aim of proposing a multi-level model for interpreting metaphors and addressing translation challenges in complex discourses.