硕士学位论文-张培基现代散文英译研究.doc

Introduction1. An overview of this thesis With the advent of globalization in both economy and culture, introducing Chinese culture to the outside world has been of increasing significance. There are two ways to introduce Chinese culture to the outside world: introducing it by foreigners who are interested in Chinese culture or who have business relationship with China and introducing it by us Chinese. In the past one and a half centuries, far more foreign literary works have been translated into Chinese than Chinese works translated into other languages. One of the reasons is that Chinese culture has its unique nature, which is strange to foreigners. This becomes an obstacle for foreign translators. Although there are some foreigners who have done the job, the number is small and their understanding of Chinese culture is not precise to some extent. Different ideologies may also affect the result. Therefore, we can only rely on our own translators to introduce Chinese culture to the outside world. And the study of theories of translation from Chinese is of great importance. In the past century, a few Chinese translators have translated Chinese literature into other languages. Zhang Peiji is one of them.Modern Chinese prose is a glittering diamond, embedded with various pieces of different styles. Style, as a factor through which the unique culture and artistic beauty of literary works of art are reflected, is a lasting and controversial topic in translation field. Based on appreciation of Zhang Peijis English Translation of Selected Modern Chinese Prose Writings (英译中国现代散文选), the author of this thesis is to discuss the style reproduction and culture transfer in prose translation.Style is the core in works of literature. Therefore transferring the style is inevitable when translating works of literature. To prose (in this thesis referring to the modem Chinese prose writing), style reproduction is of vital importance when it is being rendered into English. However, the transfer of prose style is really a delicate subject. It has been discussed continuously by plenty of translators but they failed to reach consensus. What is style? Is style translatable? If possible, how to translate it? It is these three questions that trouble the translation field. The author of this thesis faces these questions and analyzes them in order to clear the way for reproducing the prose style. According to the concept of cultural translation of the cultural school, translation is a cultural communication activity, either intra-culturally or inter-culturally. In this sense, translation should take culture as the translation unit. Different texts have their own functions. Only by taking culture as the translation unit can the source culture achieve the same function in the target language as it does in the source language. Directed by the concept of cultural translation, this thesis will discuss inter-lingual translation where cultural factors and their influence on translation are concerned, and the strategies and methods the translator may adopt to solve the problems that arise. The whole thesis is divided into five chapters, including introduction and conclusion. Chapter Two includes a brief introduction to Zhang Peijis life, achievements and his ideas on translation and translation teaching which are elaborated in his three books: A Course in English-Chinese Translation, On English Echoic and Colour Words in C-E Translation and How to Translate Chinese Idioms into English. Chapter Three makes detailed and thorough stylistic comparison between the source text and the target text of Selected Modern Chinese Prose Writings. At the levels of lexicon, syntax, text and figures of speech, the author of this thesis compares the style of the source text and the target text in an attempt to study the way of reproducing the original style. In Chapter Four, attention is focused on the translation strategies and methods adopted by the translator to deal with the various cultural interferences in the translation process. In this part, a fact is revealed that aside from all kinds of cultural interferences, the translators attitude and motivation may also affect the choices made when translating. Chapter Five is the conclusion of the whole study.2. A brief survey of Selected Modern Chinese Prose WritingsIn his preface to Selected Modern Chinese Prose Writings, Zhang Peiji expresses his love for prose. When still a pupil, he loved reading Chinese and western prose, and fostered a habit of writing. Thanks to his teacher Yao Zhiying(姚志英) during high school, he could recite altogether ninety-six English essays, including the works of Bacon, Addision, Gissing, Goldsmith, Lamb, Irving, Lincoln, etc. No doubt these essays helped him a lot in his later career. Selected Modern Chinese Prose Writings studied in this thesis includes two volumes, collecting 97 pieces of famous Chinese essays and their English renditionsAll these essays were published after May 4th movement, belonging to modern Chinese prose writings. Strictly speaking, the definition of prose in this collection is the same as that of western essay. All the works in this book are written by well-known Chinese writers, such as Li Dazhao(李大钊)，Lu Xun(鲁迅)，Zhu Ziqing(朱自清), Bingxin(冰心)，Guo Moruo(郭沫若)，Lao She (老舍)，Yu Dafu and so on. Their works in this collection are their masterpieces and enjoy great popularity among Chinese readers regardless of age and sex.Chapter 1 Prof. Zhang Peijis Life, Achievements and His Translation Ideas1.1 Prof. Zhang Peijis Life Zhang Peiji was born in 1921 in Fuzhou, Fujian, a place giving birth to many famous translators such as Yan Fu and Lin Shu, and he moved to Shanghai in his early childhood. In Shanghai, he received excellent education. He went to Shanghai High School, a prestigious high school in Shanghai, where he me his teacher of English Yao Zhiying, who influenced his career greatly. According to Zhang, the other two people who encouraged him when he was young are Qian Zhongshu, a famous scholar and writer, and Gui Zhongshu, chief editor of The China Critic (English version). He laid a good foundation at high school. After graduation from Shanghai High School, he was enrolled to study at English Literature Department of St. Johns University in Shanghai in 1942.Upon graduating from the university in 1945, he worked as a reporter of The Shanghai Herald (English language newspaper), contributing editor of The China Critic (English language journal) and concurrently deputy chief editor of China Year Book (1944-1945). From 1946 to 1948, he worked for two years and a half as translator and interpreter at the International Prosecution Section (IPS) under the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Tokyo, Japan. This may mark the beginning of his translating career. Coming back from Japan, he went to pursue the postgraduate studies in English Literature at Indiana University in the United States of America. In 1949, he returned to China and worked successively as editor and translator of the Foreign Language Press, Beijing, English professor of the PLA Foreign Languages Institute (currently The PLA University of Foreign Languages) and English professor of the Beijing Institute of Foreign Trade (currently The University of International Business and Economics) until he retired in 1992. He had been supervisor for graduate students, member of Beijing Appraisal Committee for Senior Professional Titles of teachers of English for institutions of higher learning, member of the first and third council of the Translators Association of China, English Translation Consultant to the English magazine The World of English. Due to his outstanding contribution, he won the special allowance granted by the State Council, starting from 1993, and he was awarded the title of Senior Translator in 2005 for his contribution in translation. Although he is retired, he never gives up translating.1.2 Zhang Peijis Main Works and AchievementsZhang Peiji boasts achievements in both translation practice and theory. His two masterpieces on translation are On English Echoic and Color Words in C-E Translation (1964) and How to Translate Chinese Idioms into English (1964). He took the lead in editing A Course in English-Chinese Translation (1980), which has been a popular translation course book for undergraduates. He also edited The Chinese-English Interpreters Handbook (1984) jointly with editors of Malaspina College in Canada. His translation touches upon a play, fictions, biographies, essays, etc., and are mainly form Chinese into English. They are: Rou Shis A Slave Mother (1955), Cao Yus play - Bright Skies (1960), Yang Zhilins Iron Bars but Not a CageWang Ruofeis Days in Prison (1962), Wang Shijings Lu Xun: A Biography (1984) and Liao Jingwens Xu Beihong: Life of a Master Painter (1987). He translates Chinese into English and publishes them in magazines like Chinese Translators Journal, The World of English, and Journal of Foreign Languages. Later he compiled them into two volumes and had them published in 1999 and 2003 respectively. Up to now, a third volume has been finished and published. He has also published many papers on language and translation in academic journals.Besides, many English translations like The Hurricane, Ashima, Spring Silkworms and Other Stories, Confucius as A Teacher, Chinese Painting, Whos Who in China-Current Leaders, etc., published by Foreign Languages Press had been examined and revised by him. He views on translation displayed in his works and translation are so valuable that they deserve our thorough study.Zhang Peijis ideas on translation and translation teaching are mainly reflected in his three books: A Course in English Chinese Translation, How to Translate Chinese Idioms into English, and On English Echoic words and Colour Words in C-E Translation. This chapter sorts out Zhang Peijis ideas on translation in the three books respectively.1.3 Prof. Zhang Peijis Ideas on Translation & Translation Teaching 1.3.1 A Course in English Chinese Translation The definition of translationAs a textbook, A Course in English Chinese Translation gives a definition to translation in its introduction to the book. “Translation is a linguistic activity that uses one language to express precisely and completely the ideas and contents expressed in another language.” (Zhang Peiji, 1980: VII) Translation is an incredibly broad notion which can be understood in many different ways. For example, “one may talk of translation as a process, an activity or a product, and identify such subtypes as literary translation, technical translation, subtitling and machine translation, etc.” (Shuttleworth & Cowie, 2004:181) Zhang Peijis definition refers to the translation process, rather than the product. The influence of theories of translation from former Soviet Union can be traced in the definition. The definition arouses much criticism, especially for the wording “precisely and completely.” Xu Yuanchong is one of the criticizers. Xu Yuanchong (2006:169) believes what is expressed in the translation is more or less than the original and precision and completeness is rare. Translation criteriaZhang Peiji (1980:7) believes that a translation criterion is a guide for translating and a scale that judges translated texts.Since Yan Fu expressed his famous three-word criteria-faithfulness, expressiveness and elegancein the translation of Evolution and Ethics and Other Essays in 1989, it has aroused heated discussion in Chinese translation circles. Even now translators and translation theorists cannot discuss translation criteria without mentioning Yan Fus three-character criteria. Although many theorists try to break away from the criteria and bring forward their own criteria, they cannot help being influenced.The criteria influence Zhang Peiji and his team as well. When Zhang discusses English echo words and literary translation in 1964, he concluded “In literary translation, an advantage will be added to translation and the criteria of faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance will be accessed if echoic words are well dealt with and applied.” (Zhang Peiji, 1964:51) Its self-evident that he completely adopted Yan Fus criteria at the time. However, when it comes to A Course Book of English-Chinese Translation, Zhangs criteria of translation are summed up in four Chinese characters-“忠实” (faithfulness) and “通顺” (smoothness). He believes that the old rules of faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance may cause misunderstanding over new contents. The object of “faithfulness”, above all, is the content of the source text. And then it comes to style of nationality, times and writings, and language style of the author. “Smoothness” refers to clearness, intelligibility and standardization of language used in translated texts. He holds the two criteria supplement each other and faithfulness prevails when the two contradict. He adds “in some situations, the degree of smoothness should be consistent with or equivalent to that of the source text.” (Zhang Peiji, 1980:7-8) Zhang Peijis elaboration is rigorous but this statement is often neglected by translation textbooks. The criteria won much critique due to their overt contradiction and critics own neglect. Even in 2005 Wang Dongfeng still criticizes the criteria of “通顺” from the poetic perspective and concludes “the degree of fluency should be different for different translation purposes and different styles of texts.”Zhang Peiji also stresses the importance of understanding of the source text and considers it the precondition for carrying out the criteria. Although it is not easy to understand completely and convey precisely, the two criteria should be “the ideal and object of our efforts” in translating. And he believes “the two criteria are accessible.”The criteria are very popular in China, especially in translation textbooks. Feng Qinghua (1997:4) who uses the same criteria but neglects Zhangs elaboration of degree of smoothness in his translation textbook he compiled claims that the criteria are basic requirements and suitable for learners of translation. Yang Xiaorong (2005: 132-133) also agree that the criteria are established for translation learners. Most translation teachers agree that the criteria are a baseline for translators. Yang Xiaorong (ibid.) believes that the advantage of the criteria is its brevity and the disadvantage is the difficulty to decide its connotation, especially for “faithfulness”.However, Zhang Peijis criteria refer to the content, style and degree of fluency of language of the original; its applicable for all styles of writings. Even an experienced translator may have difficulty in meeting the criteria. Literal translation vs. free (semantic) translation Literal translation has for many centuries been at the core of most translation controversies. It has been either staunchly defended or vigorously attacked in favor of its rival, free translation. Literal translation is sometimes understood as including the related notion of word-for-word translation, and free translation as sense-for-sense translation.The two notions are well discussed in A Course of English-Chinese Translation. To Zhang, “literal translation is to maintain both content and form of the source text when target language permits, especially metaphors, images, national and local color, etc., of the source text.” (Zhang Peiji, 1980:12-13) But he believes that “literal translation is not mechanical translation or servile translation”. (ibid.) Free translation is not uncontrolled translation or indiscriminate translation. Free translation requires that “the target text correctly conveys the content of the source text and does not stick fast to its form”. (ibid.)Literal translation prevails over free translation when it can precisely convey the content of the source text and does not violate the idiom of the target language. It helps to retain the original pattern and introduce neologies, new syntax structures and expressions into the target language. (ibid.) In this way, the target language is enriched. He gives the following examples to prove this:一石双鸟 (To kill two birds with one stone.)掉鳄鱼眼泪 (To shed crocodile tears.)连锁反应 (Chain reaction.)The above borrowings from English have become very popular in modern Chinese.“Both literal translation and free translation have their limits and can only be used under certain conditions.” (ibid.) The ultimate purpose of translation is to faithfully convey the content and style of the original text. Therefore the two ways do not contradict each other. So far we have not read any translation in which one of the two methods is used exclusively. Zhangs elaboration gives a perfect answer to the long-disputed issue. Translation Process Zhang Peiji also explains the translation process in the course book. He believes that “the process is to precisely analyze the original and to reproduces it in another language creatively.” (ibid.: 12) He divides the process into three phases: analyzing, conveying and proofreading. In translation practice, analyzing is the prediction of conveying and misunderstanding of the source text is to result in wrong conveyance.(i) Analyzing “Analyzing is mainly done through the context of the original. Translators must find correct ways of translating from the context.” (ibid.: 9) The context can be a sentence, a paragraph, a chapter, a section, the whole text or book. A translator should judge the context to get a correct way of translation. He points out three key objects for analyzing: language phenomenon; logic relation; and what are related to the original, such as historical background, allusions, idioms, and technical terms