Fighting for the Podium : Translating metaphors and metonymies in Formula 1 Racing

Abstract: This essay researches metaphors and metonymy in motorsports language, mainly investigating strategies for translating the structural metaphors RACING is WAR and RACE POSITIONS are RESOURCES and analyzing the results through both a quantitative and qualitative approach. The material for the research was selected parts of former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber’s autobiography, Aussie Grit: My Formula One Journey (2016). For the translation, dictionaries and parallel texts were utilized, and several works on translation theory, such as Ingo (2007), Newmark (1988), and Lakoff & Johnson (2003) were consulted for both the translation and the following analysis. Research into similar metaphors in other sports (such as Shields & Bredemeier (2013) and Bergh & Ohlander (2012)) was analyzed for background on the phenomenon of structural metaphors in sports. The results show that metonyms are prevalent in motorsports language, and structural metaphors are also well established in both the SL and TL. Regarding metonyms, the parallel texts show that proper noun metonyms can be transferred directly. Most metonyms in the ST are of the PLACE for EVENT category (for example names of racetracks/countries used to reference whole races, and the podium being used to reference placing top three or winning). The metaphor structures are also found in the TL, meaning the intended images can largely be maintained without changing the author’s established structure of the source text. Most metaphors and metonyms can thus be translated literally, or with TL equivalents. Where expansions are necessary, the translator can safely fall back on the structures present in motorsports language to ensure a text a reader with previous knowledge of such language will understand.