Abstract

CARLSEN DE ESCUDERO, Elena; SASTRE, María Silvia  and  LOUTAYF, María Soledad. Reading comprehension: Interpretation and translation of metaphors in academic English. Íkala [online]. 2011, vol.16, n.27, pp. 77-102. ISSN 0123-3432.

Translating is regarded here as interpreting a message and re-wording its meaning using linguistic as well as encyclopaedic knowledge, taking into account the elements in the text and its context. Within this frame, in this paper we try to show how culture and encyclopedic knowledge influence metaphor interpretation, on the basis of translation procedures involving an interactive view of reading. Metaphors found in the texts used in the reading comprehension courses at the university were analyzed. Different mapping conditions and meaning problems with metaphors in different cultures were also studied. The results provide teachers with strategies to guide novel readers in metaphor interpretation.

Keywords : metaphor; interpretation; interactive approach; reading comprehension in English; culture.