The Paissii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv

The Department of Literature and Languages

MA Program in Linguistics and Translation

MASTER THESIS
The contemporary usage of sports and war metaphors in
political discourse of the Economist magazine and their
translation into Bulgarian publications

Advisor:

Maria Dimitrova NIkolova

Milena Katsarska?
#1003347001

2011
Plovdiv

Outline

How did sports/ war metaphor become part of political discourse?

When did this phenomenon find its beginning?

Where?- in the UK or in the USA?

From what kinds of sports do these metaphors evolve?

Are there any sports preferences in the different countries?

Examples of sports metaphors for winning/ losing.

In what cases are the sports/ war metaphors used?- for political debates, in elections,
in campaigning, etc.

Examples of the usage of war metaphors and the different moods they provoke in
society.

How do we translate sports/ war metaphors in Bulgarian?

What do we do with metaphors that cannot be translated without a change in their

meaning in the Target Language?

Are there any similar metaphors in our language or do we replace them with typically
Bulgarian expressions?

Examples of Bulgarian translations containing sports/ war metaphors.

Mistakes in translation of such metaphors that can provoke political misunderstanding

and disputes- examples.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction ...3

2. Discussion ..8

2.1 Origin and first uses of sports/war metaphors in political discourse....8

2.2 Sports metaphors used mostly in the UK15
2.3 Sports metaphors used mostly in the USA..22
2.4 War metaphors and their specific meanings.....39
2.5 Translation of sports/war metaphors in Bulgarian....46

3. Conclusion...53

4. Attachments..60

5. Bibliography..63

Timetable
Writing the thesis

01/2011 onwards

Deadline

01/09/2011

Going to the copy centre

06/09/2011

Submitting of the dissertation

10/09/2011

Reading a review

01/10/2011

Defence of the Masters Thesis

10/10/2011