He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
BLENDING NETWORKS IN TRANSLATION
WANG Bin
Uni e si y o Shanghai o Science and Technology
LANGUAGE: TRIGGER OF CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURE
The alsi ica ion o he gene al iew ha concep ual s uc u e is encoded by he speake in o a
linguis ic s uc u e, and he linguis ic s uc u e is decoded by he hea e back in o a concep ual
s uc u e in he p ocesses o meaning cons uc ion in language communica ion mu les cons uc ing
and econs uc ing o meaning in communica ion whe e he o mal linguis ic s uc u e p o ides
only spa se and e icien p omp s o cons uc ing a concep ual s uc u e. Language communica ion
is a p ocess o cons uc ing ela ion be ween o mally in eg a ed linguis ic s uc u es and
concep ually in eg a ed s uc u es buil by he speake o e ie ed by he hea e . The concep ual
in eg a ion is de ailed and in ica e while he o mal in eg a ion gi es only he b ie es indica ion o
a poin om which he hea e mus begin cons uc ing his concep ual in eg a ion, which means ha
language communica ion begins wi h he inding and cons uc ing ela ions be ween linguis ic
o mal s uc u es and concep ual s uc u es by he speake , and ends wi h he same p ocess by he
hea e . Ei he on speake ’s pa o on hea e ’s pa , he e is much oom in he p ocess o meaning
cons uc ion in which concep ual in eg a ion ne wo ks may be manipula ed.
Non-se ela ion be ween linguis ic o m and concep ual s uc u e makes language mo e
lexible in meaning cons uc ion in basically ou ways (Gille Fauconnie and Ma k Tu ne
2002:119-135): simplex ne wo ks, mi o ne wo ks, single scope ne wo ks and double scope
ne wo ks. The speake uses linguis ic o ms o build up concep ual s uc u es ha con ey
communica i e modes o a cul u e in which he in ended in o ma ion is embedded in schema a o a
communica ed e en , he gene ic space o concep ual in eg a ion ne wo k. I he hea e , h ough
eading he communica i e mode builde , he linguis ic o m o e ed by he speake , diagnoses he
in ended communica i e modes and builds up he ela ion be ween communica i e modes and
schema a o communica ed e en embedded in hem o ge he supposedly sha ed in o ma ion i
hey a e in he same cul u e o di e en cul u es bu wi h simila backg ounds, hen he
communica ion is accomplished.
Due o he lexibili y o ela ions be ween linguis ic o m and concep ual s uc u e in meaning
cons uc ion, a he beginning o communica ion, he speake uses some blending ne wo ks o apply
linguis ic o ms in building up communica i e modes in ending o con ey his schema a o
communica ed e en s, which may p obably be ead by he hea e wi h di e en kinds o blending
ne wo ks o build communica i e modes ha con ey qui e a di e en in ended schema a o
communica ed e en s no p oposed by he speake , e en hough he communica i e modes buil in
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
communica ion a e he same o bo h speake and hea e . Tha explains why he same speech can be
unde s ood in qui e di e en ways e en in he same con ex wi hin he same cul u e. See Fig. 1.
On he one hand, one g amma ical s uc u e can be ealized in language by di e en
concep ual s uc u es. Fo examples:
Noun ph ase [NP] + e b [V] +noun ph ase [NP] + P eposi ional ph ase [PP] can be ealized
by di e en concep ual s uc u es in language:
a). causal agen ’s ac ion (concep ual s uc u e: CS)
Gogol sneezed he napkin o he able.
[NP] [V] [NP] [PP]
b). objec ’s mo ion (CS)
Junio sped he oy ca a ound he Ch is mas ee.
[NP] [V] [NP] [PP]
c). causali y (CS)
Sa ge le he ank in o he compound.
[NP] [V] [NP] [PP]
...
Di e en ealiza ions show ha he ela ion be ween g amma ical s uc u es and concep ual
s uc u es a e e y lexible. The e is no one o one ela ion be ween he wo.
On he o he hand, one concep ual s uc u e can also be ealized by di e en cul u al
communica i e modes. Fo example:
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
The concep ual s uc u e en y, ep esen ed by he g ass is always g eene on he o he side o
he ence can also be ealized by di e en images, he unde lined pa s ep esen ing cul u al
communica i e modes:
G ass always seems g eene in o eign ields.
G ass is always g eene away o m home.
G ass is always g eene on he o he side o he s eam.
G ass is always g eene on you neighbo ’s lawn.
...
Di e en ep esen a ions show ha he ela ion be ween concep ual s uc u e and
communica i e mode o a cul u e is also e y lexible. No se co espondence is obse ed.
In eading ex , a eade ploughs h ough g amma ical s uc u es o dig ou concep ual
s uc u es, hen, o in eg a e communica i e modes o he ex language and a las o ge a comple e
schema a o communica ed e en s con eyed by he ex . Ye , one communica i e mode can also be
ealized by di e en schema a o communica ed e en s, o example:
G ass always seems g eene in o eign ields can indica e
a). Li ing condi ions in USA a e be e han hose in China.
b). Technologies in Spain a e mo e ad anced han hose in China.
c). John’s wi e is mo e beau i ul han Benjamin’s
d). Fo eign ideas a e mo e inno a i e han domes ic ones
...
Di e en indica ions show ha he ela ion be ween cul u al communica i e mode and
scheme o communica ed e en is ha d o pin down as well.
Language (wo ds and g amma ical s uc u es) unc ions only as a igge o igge concep ual
s uc u es ha may be in eg a ed in di e en ways by people o cons uc schema a o
communica ed e en s.
EVENT: PAY OFF OF CONCEPTUAL INTEGRATION (BLENDING)
In in eg a ing concep ual s uc u es, online meaning cons uc ions, he e a e ou basic ways
acco ding o Gilles Fauconnie and Ma k Tu ne (2002:119-135):
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
Simplex Ne wo ks
In a simplex ne wo k, he ele an pa o he ame in one inpu is p ojec ed wi h i s
oles, and elemen s a e p ojec ed om he o he inpu as alues o hose oles wi hin he
blend. The blend in eg a es he ame and he alues in he simples way. The ame in
one inpu is compa ible wi h he elemen s in he o he : The e is no clash be ween he
inpu s, such as compe ing ames o incompa ible coun e pa elemen s. As a esul , a
simplex ne wo k does no look in ui i ely like a blend a all. Bu i is a pe ec ly egula
in eg a ion ne wo k, p edic able in kind om he heo e ical p inciples o blending. A
sen ence in English ha will p omp he cons uc ion o his blend is “Paul is he a he
o Sally.”
The g amma ical cons uc ion X is he Y o Z shows ha he e a e wo inpu s: inpu o amily
ame ( oles o amily membe s: a he , mo he and kids) and inpu o elemen s (Paul and Sally).
The c oss-space mapping be ween he wo inpu s is a ame- o- alue connec ion, an o ganized
bundle o ole connec o s.
In language communica ion, i he e en is in eg a ed in his way, ha is i he communica i e
mode is dug ou om concep ual s uc u e and is cons uc ed in a one- o-one c oss-mapping in
in eg a ing communica ed e en , he ela ions among g amma ical s uc u e, concep ual s uc u e
and communica i e mode a e s able. The g amma ical s uc u e will no be ealized in al e na i e
ways un il he communica ed e en as illus a ed abo e. Only one e en is obse ed as a las
ealiza ion. Paul is he a he o Sally: only ela ion o he a he and daugh e . The e a e no o he
in e p e a ions.
Mi o ne wo ks
A mi o ne wo k is an in eg a ion ne wo k in which all spaces –inpu s, gene ic and
blend– sha e an o ganizing ame. The o ganizing ame p o ides a opology o he
space i o ganizes; ha is, i p o ides a se o o ganizing ela ions among he elemen s in
he space. When wo spaces sha e he same o ganizing ame, hey sha e he
co esponding opology and so can easily be pu in o co espondence. Es ablishing a
c oss-space mapping be ween inpu s becomes s aigh o wa d.
The Buddhis Monk, he Deba e wi h Kan and Rega a (Gilles Fauconnie and Ma k Tu ne ,
2002: 39-65) ep esen good examples o illus a e he Mi o Ne wo ks. As s a ed in las pa ag aph,
in mi o ne wo ks, he ela ions among g amma ical s uc u e, concep ual s uc u e and
communica i e mode a e s aigh o wa d, which means ha he e is no al e na i e in e p e a ion in
hie a chical gene a ion o meaning cons uc ion om g amma o e en as illus a ed in Fig. 1. “ A
his poin , G ea Ame ican II is 4.5 days ahead o No he n Ligh .” in Rega a can only be
unde s ood as a boa aces bu no hing else.
Single-Scope Ne wo ks
A single-scope ne wo k has wo inpu spaces wi h di e en o ganizing ames, one o
which is p ojec ed o o ganize he blend. I s de ining p ope y is ha he o ganizing
ame o he blend is an ex ension o he o ganizing ame o one o he inpu s bu no he
o he .
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
The scena io o wo men boxing gi es us a ib an , compac ame o use in comp essing ou
unde s anding o wo CEO’s in business compe i ion. We say ha one CEO landed a blow bu he
o he one eco e ed, one o hem ipped and he o he ook ad an age, one o hem knocked he
o he ou cold. This cons ual o he si ua ion builds up a concep ual in eg a ion ne wo k. The e is a
c oss-space mapping be ween he boxing inpu and he business inpu ha maps, o example, each
boxe o a CEO, a punch o an e o by one o he CEOs, a blow o an e ec i e ac ion, and s aying
in he igh o con inuing he business compe i ion. (Gille Fauconnie and Ma k Tu ne , 2002 : 126-
131)
The o ganizing ame comes om boxing; CEOs play by he boxing egula ions in hei
business compe i ion, a ypical example o concep ual me apho . Business compe i ion is
unde s ood in e ms o he boxing game. The poin is ha one concep ual s uc u e, like business
compe i ion, can be ep esen ed by di e en communica i e modes (image schema a). Business
compe i ion can be unde s ood in o compa ed o lo e a ai s and encing oo. I he o ganizing
ame is no sha ed by all spaces, al e na i e in e p e a ion occu s. No one - o - one ela ion is
obse ed in he chain gene a ing o he communica ed e en , o , in he p ocedu e om
g amma ical s uc u e o concep ual s uc u e o communica i e mode o schema o communica ed
e en , any consecu i e phase can be mapped o he nex and ice e sa. One communica i e mode
will yield di e en e en s, because di e en e en o ganizing ames can be mapped on o he
communica i e mode ( a ge domain). Tha is why misunde s anding (in en ional o no ) happens,
o , in single scope ne wo k, we can always map ano he way.
Double-Scope Ne wo ks
A double-scope ne wo k has inpu s wi h di e en (and o en clashing) o ganizing ames
as well as an o ganizing ame o he blend ha includes pa s o each hose ames and
has eme gen s uc u e o i s own. In such ne wo ks, bo h o ganizing ames make cen al
con ibu ions o he blend, and hei sha p di e ences o e he possibili y o ich clashes.
Fa om blocking he cons uc ion o he ne wo k, such clashes o e challenges o he
imagina ion; indeed, he esul ing blends can be highly c ea i e.
Conside he amilia idioma ic me apho “ You a e digging you own g a e.” I ypically
se es as a wa ning ha (1) you a e doing bad hings ha will cause you o ha e a e y bad
expe ience, and (2) you a e unawa e o his causal ela ion. In his blend, he o ganizing ame
comes om bo h inpu s. The ame s uc u e o agen s, pa ien s, and sequence o e en s, and he
in en ional s uc u e come om he “ unwi ing ailu e” Inpu ; he conc e e s uc u e o g a es,
digging, and bu ial, is om he “digging he g a e” inpu . In he cons uc ion o blend, a single shi
in causal s uc u e - The exis ence o a g a e causes dea h, ins ead o Dea h causes he exis ence o
a g a e- is enough o p oduce eme gen s uc u e, speci ic o he blend: undesi abili y o digging
one’s g a e, excep ional oolishness in being unawa e o such undesi abili y, and co ela ion o
dep h o g a e wi h p obabili y o dea h.
Double-scope ne wo k c ea es eme gen s uc u e, a b and new concep ual s uc u e eme ging
om bo h inpu s bu no ound in ei he o hem. This means in eading a ex he communica i e
mode (in Fig.1) may p oduce new meanings no in ended by he au ho ; like a poem, i can be
diges ed in a ious ways beyond he au ho ’s imagina ion.
The e o e, any e en om ex is he pay o o a pains aking men al p ocess.
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
TRANSLATION: TWO-WAY BLENDS
So is he case in ansla ion bu wi h mo e complica ed ea u es. T ansla ion, a c oss-cul u al
communica ion, con eys mo e sophis ica ed ela ions in connec ing linguis ic o ms and concep ual
s uc u es. T ansla ion akes wo-way blends in men al p ocesses. In eading sou ce ex , he
blending p ocess goes in a e e se way as illus a ed in Fig.1 abo e. A e ge ing he schema a o
communica ed e en om sou ce ex , he ansla o ies o ind, in he a ge cul u e, he p ope
communica i e mode ha can con ey he sou ce e en , hen ans e i in o concep ual s uc u e
ep esen ed by he a ge language ha is g amma ical in he a ge cul u e, ano he ound o
blending. Ye di e en cul u es use di e en communica i e modes ep esen ed by di e en
ela ions in linguis ic o ms and concep ual s uc u es in language communica ion causing cul u es
o clash wi h each o he . In eading sou ce ex , language communica ion happens be ween
ansla o and au ho ; he ansla o ies o ace wha he au ho did in building connec ions
be ween linguis ic o ms and concep ual s uc u es in he sou ce language o ecognize
communica i e modes used by he au ho o con ey he in ended schema a o communica ed e en s
i he ansla o is compe en in he sou ce language communica ion. By acqui ing schema a o
communica ed e en s, he ansla o ies o communica e wi h eade s in he a ge language in
which he is supposed o be compe en as well. The ansla o uses a ge linguis ic o ms o build
connec ions wi h a ge cul u al concep ual s uc u es ha con ey communica i e modes in which
he acqui ed schema a o communica ed e en s can be embedded. See Fig. 2.
The p oblem is ha sou ce language and a ge language do no always sha e he same kinds
o communica i e modes, hough some imes hey do ( he o e lapping pa o CMC1 and CMC2 in
Fig.2) in con eying he schema a o in ended communica i e e en s; mo e o en han no , hey
di e om ime o ime. Gi en he impac ing elemen s ou side he ex such as ideology, pa onage
e c. a e he same, he e is much o say abou he way ansla o builds up communica i e modes ha
can imbed he acqui ed schema a o communica ed e en s in he a ge language which may lead o
he wa e shed in ansla ing p inciples: domes ica ion o o eigniza ion.
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
When communica i e modes a e buil h ough simplex ne wo ks o mi o ne wo ks in he
sou ce language and he modes buil happen o be sha ed by he a ge language in con eying he
same schema a o he in ended communica ed e en s, nei he domes ica ion no o eigniza ion can
make any changes in he ans e ence o ex meaning, and ha is whe e “equi alence” comes om.
Ye , when communica i e modes a e buil in a sou ce ex h ough single scope ne wo ks o double
scope ne wo ks, ansla ing becomes mo e complica ed. Usually communica i e modes buil in
hese wo ways a e no sha ed by he a ge language cul u e because, in chain mappings as
illus a ed in Fig. 1, mappings in he wo ways a e mo e dynamic. Al e na i e esul s a e yielded.
Domes ica ion and Fo eigniza ion ha e a lo o do in he a ea and hey p oduce qui e di e en
ansla ed e sions. I he ansla o s icks o domes ica ion, he/she would apply he o ganizing
amewo k used in a single scope ne wo k bu he o ganizing s uc u e comes no om he sou ce
ex bu a he om he a ge language, which means he ansla o uses a ge language
communica i e modes in con eying he acqui ed schema a o in ended communica ed e en s; i
he/she s icks o o eigniza ion, he o ganizing amewo k comes om he sou ce ex ; sou ce
language communica i e modes a e applied h ough single scope ne wo k in ansla ion.
“Equi alence” is ponde ed in he ai .
Ye he ansla o may use double scope ne wo ks as well. When communica i e modes buil
in he sou ce ex a e an applica ion o double scope ne wo ks, and he communica i e modes buil
a e no sha ed by he a ge language cul u e (e en new in he sou ce language), o ganizing
amewo k in ansla ion u ns ou o be e en mo e complica ed; i comes no jus om any single
side bu om bo h sides o sou ce and a ge languages. Much c ea ion o de ia ion happens he e.
Maneu e ing a s pop up. You can say no hing abou equi alence. The communica i e modes buil
in hese kinds o ne wo ks a e blended ones om wo cul u es ha s ill embed he in ended
schema a o communica ed e en s, which may o may no be diagnosed by he eade s.
BLENDING NETWORKS IN TRANSLATION
In simplex and mi o ne wo ks, mapping ela ions a e con ined; chain gene a ing yields only
one esul . Paul is he a he o Sally can only be ansla ed as: Baoluo shi Shali de uqin (Chinese).
No o he e sion can be possible wi hin he amily ame. “A his poin , G ea Ame ican II is 4.5
days ahead o No he n Ligh ” can only be ansla ed as: Zai zhedian shang, dameizhou e hao bi
beijixinghao kuaile sidianwu ian (Chinese). No al e na i e e sion is possible in he boa acing
ame. The o ganizing ames o bo h ne wo ks a e sha ed by sou ce and a ge cul u es
(o e lapping pa in Fig.2). Equi alence inds i s home he e.
Ye , when CMC1 clashes wi h CMC2 (non-o e lapping pa s in Fig.2), he ansla o has wo
choices: adop ei he single-scope ne wo k o double-scope ne wo k.
The e a e wo ways o applya single-scope ne wo k. I he ansla o uses CMC1 (non-sha ed
pa ) as he o ganizing amewo k in ansla ed e sions, o eigniza ion happens:
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
Jie ze e yu (Chinese) will be ansla ed in o English as
a) o d ain a pond o ca ch all ish
ins ead o
b) o kill he goose ha lays he golden eggs. A mo e like coun e pa in English.
Mo e examples:
Da cao jing she (Chinese )
a) o s i up he g ass and ale he snake
b) wake a sleeping dog
Yi u an zhang (Chinese)
a) o be as easy as u ning o e one’s hand
b) as easy as alling o a log
Wan huo zi en (Chinese)
a) o ge bu n by he i e kindled by onesel
b) y in one’s own g ease
Hui jin u u (Chinese)
a) o spend money like di
b) o spend money like wa e
zhang shang ming zhu (Chinese)
a) a pea in he palm
b) he apple o one’s eye
Shou kou u ping (Chinese)
a) o keep one’s mou h closed like a bo le
b) o keep a s ill ongue in one’s head
xue zhong song an (Chinese)
a) o send cha coal in snowy wea he
b) o help a lame dog o e a s ile
Dui niou an qing (Chinese)
a) o play a lu e o a cow
b) o cas pea ls be o e swine
huan she ian zu ( Chinese)
a) o d aw a snake and add ee o i
b) o pain he lily
I he ansla o uses CMC2 ( non-sha ed pa ) as an o ganizing amewo k in ansla ion,
e sion b)s will be chosen in he abo e en examples. Domes ica ion is obse ed. Which CMC is
chosen depends on he ansla o , a ma e o choice only. Fo eigniza ion uses image schema a o
communica i e modes in he sou ce language o cons uc he o ganizing amewo k in he a ge
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He mēneus. Re is a de T aducción e In e p e ación Núm. 7 - Año 2005
e sion, gi en sou ce ex and a ge ex o m a c oss-mapping. On he con a y, domes ica ion
applies image schema a o communica i e modes in he a ge language o cons uc he o ganizing
amewo k in he a ge e sion. Image scheme plays he key ole.
Howe e , he ansla o may use a double-scope ne wo k in cons uc ing he a ge o ganizing
amewo k o he ansla ed e sion as well. The poin is, i ’s mo e ime consuming o illus a e he
p ocess. The ollowing shows wha happens in his ne wo k ansla ion.
Du ing he 1992 p esiden ial p ima y campaign, candida e Tom Ha kin c i icized he
incumben , P esiden Geo ge Bush, wi h he commen :
He’s a guy who was bo n on hi d base and hinks he hi a iple.
Mos Ame icans will easily unde s and Ha kin’s analogy as poin ing ou he con as be ween
he pe cei ed and he ac ual cause o Bush’s success as a poli ician. While Bush pe cei es his
success o be a unc ion o his in insic abili ies and ha d wo k, Ha kin poin s o Bush’s p i ileged
he i age and implies his success is undese ed. Ha kin hus uses concep s and e minology om he
domain o baseball o discuss Bush’s success. Mo eo e , he c oss-domain mapping be ween he
spo s domain and he social domain is no a single-scope mapping, bu a he combines
in o ma ion om bo h he sou ce domain and he a ge . Unde s anding Ha kin’s blend, howe e ,
equi es a ce ain amoun o Ame ican cul u al knowledge abou bo h inpu domains.
Fi s , Ha kin’s commen equi es unde s anding he e ms “ iple” and “ hi d base” in ela ion
o he ins i u ion o baseball. Baseball, o cou se, equi es he ba e o hi he ball and un a ound a
se ies o ou bags(bases) a anged in a diamond. Each base is labeled acco ding o he o de in
which base- unne s a e equi ed o ouch hem. The base whe e he ba e hi s he ball and begins
base- unning is called home pla e. The i s base he unne uns owa d a e hi ing he ball is
called i s base, he nex is second, and he nex is hi d base. Upon hi ing he ball he ba e will
un owa ds i s base while he de ensi e eam a emp s o ield he ball so as o ge he ba e ou ,
o , a leas o s op his p og ess a ound he bases. I he ba e is able o ge back o home pla e
wi hou being pu ou , his eam ecei es one un.
I is cus oma y in baseball o label a ba e ’s hi by he numbe o bases he was able o ag
be o e his ini ial p og ess was s opped. I he ge s o i s base, i is called a single; i he ge s o
second base i is called a double; i he ge s o hi d base, he hi is called a iple; and, i he ge s all
he way a ound he bases his hi is called a home un. Thus a playe who hi s a iple will end up on
hi d base. While he e a e many di e en ways o a i e a hi d base (e.g., a ba e hi s a single and
is ad anced o hi d by o he ba e s), hi ing a iple, by de ini ion, esul s in he ba e s anding on
hi d base. Mo eo e , a ba e who hi s a iple winds up on hi d base la gely as a esul o his own
e o s.
As men ioned abo e, comple e unde s anding o he meaning o Ha kin’s s a emen depends
no only on knowledge o baseball, bu also on knowledge o he Ame ican cul u al model o
success. As child en, Ame icans a e indoc ina ed wi h he no ion ha any dese ing Ame ican-bo n
ci izen can become p esiden . Ano he p oduc o Ame ican cul u al ansmission is he s o y o
Ab aham Lincoln who was bo n in o a poo amily bu managed h ough ha d wo k and ingenui y
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