Translation of Dialect Metaphors from the Perspective of Conceptual Metaphor: A Case Study of Howard Goldblatt’s Translation of Red Sorghum Family

Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum Family vividly represents local culture through its extensive use of the Gaomi dialect. However, in cross-cultural translation, the rendering of dialectal expressions, particularly metaphorical ones, poses significant challenges, as linguistic and cultural disparities often hinder the preservation of their original connotations and cultural resonance. How to accurately convey these dialect metaphors has become a crucial step in promoting cross-cultural understanding and second language learning. Based on Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), this paper analyzes the translation strategies for dialect metaphors in Howard Goldblatt’s English version. Drawing upon the five metaphor translation mechanisms proposed by Zhou Hongmin, this paper examines the translator’s strategic choices and adaptive adjustments across different cultural contexts through detailed case analyses. The study finds that, although certain instances of cultural attenuation inevitably occur in the translation process, Howard Goldblatt, by virtue of his profound Sinological expertise, succeeds in preserving the local linguistic and cultural features of the source text to a considerable extent. These findings also offer valuable implications for bilingual learners and cross-cultural translation practice.