Translating Taste and Thought: A Revised Framework for Metaphor Translation in Chinese Food Documentaries

Abstract

This study investigates the translation of metaphors in the Chinese culinary documentary A Bite of China (Season 1, Episodes 1 and 2), focusing on how culturally rich metaphors are rendered in English subtitles. Employing Peter Newmark’s (1988) well-established translation procedures framework, including literal translation, substitution, paraphrase, and omission, the study systematically analyzed 90 metaphorical expressions identified using the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije University (MIPVU) While Newmark’s procedures remain foundational in guiding subtitle translation, the analysis revealed the emergence of additional, context- sensitive strategies tailored for audiovisual and cross-cultural demands. These newly identified procedures i.e. cultural approximation, metaphor-to-sense translation, visual reinforcement, and explication address the challenges posed by the multimodal and culturally embedded nature of the source text. The findings highlight the dynamic interplay between traditional and innovative translation methods, emphasizing the translator’s role in balancing fidelity to source imagery with viewer accessibility. This study proposes a revised typology of metaphor translation procedures for audio visual translation, reaffirming the importance of cultural salience, audience cognition, and semiotic coherence. The results contribute both theoretically and practically to the field of audiovisual translation, offering subtitlers actionable strategies for handling metaphorically dense and culturally specific content in global media.