Abstract

The English translation of modern Chinese essays provides a platform for the world to showcase the Chinese spirit. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct in-depth research on the underlying discourse strategies of the English translation of modern Chinese essays. Based on the framing theory proposed by Lakoff, this study adopts a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze surface frames and deep frames of the English translation of modern Chinese essays. Analyses show that among a total of 1074 metaphorical words, there exist four main metaphorical surface frames: people frame, nature frame, journey frame and object frame. These surface frames activate four deep frames: the pursuit of personal qualities, nostalgia for hometown and family, criticism of social reality and the struggle for the country. This study provides a new application perspective and promotes future research on the English translation of modern Chinese essays, and could help readers to interpret the main values embodied in Selected Modern Chinese Essays 1, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of these literary works.

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