Functional Equivalence in Outlaws of the Marsh.doc

毕业论文(设计) Functional Equivalence in Outlaws of the Marsh1. Introduction12.Functional equivalence in Outlaws of the Marsh22.1 Brief introduction of Shapiro and his translated work Outlaws of the Marsh22.2 Brief introduction of Eugene A. Nida and his functional equivalence theory32.3 Analysis of Outlaws of the Marsh with Functional Equivalence theory52.3.1. Translation of the titleTranslations of the antithesis sentences Translation of short version92.3.3.Analysis of language style with principle of functional equivalence Translations of the idiom Translation of the vulgar slang142.3.4.Analysis of rhetoric with principle of functional equivalence Translation of the metaphor Translation of the names20References241. IntroductionTranslation as the most prominent way of intercultural communication is a great challenge to both translators and translation theorists. Translation Studies are oriented towards the research on translation theory. According to Lefevere, it is a term used to describe the discipline which concerns itself with problems raised by the production and description of translations (Lefevere, 1993: 234). Questions about translation, such as its standard and criterion have been raising peoples extensive concern. People in this field now are trying to find a suitable theory that may guide their translation and can be a criterion for the quality of their translated works. Shui Hu Zhuan wrote by Shi Naian and Luo Guanzhong is one of the most important compositions in Chinese literature history. It not only makes a profound influence to Chinese but also to international republic of letters since it was introduced to overseas in an early time. Therefore, assuring the quality of this translated work can help target readers know more about Chinese language and culture.Under this circumstance, it is necessary to make an analysis and appreciation of Outlaws of the Marsh with Nidas Functional Equivalence theory for guidance and criterion. By doing this, the author aims at proving that Nidas functional equivalence theory can be a suitable and feasible guidance and criterion for the translation of Chinese classic literature. It is hoped that the thesis can do some help to the practice of Chinese classic literature translation and guarantee the quality of translated Chinese classic literary works. Hereafter, Shui Hu Zhuan indicates the Chinese version while Outlaws of the Marsh refers to the English version translated by Sidney Shapiro.2.Functional equivalence in Outlaws of the Marsh2.1 Brief introduction of Shapiro and his translated work Outlaws of the MarshSidney Shapiro, a great writer and translator, was born in New York in 1915. During the World War II, he gained the opportunity to learn Chinese and got interested in it. After the war, he entered the Columbia University and Yale University to learn Chinese history and culture. With adoration to this nation of five thousand years history, in the spring of 1947, he came to China and unexpected that he had spent the rest of his life here. He had made great contribution in both Chinese revolutions and literature. During his life in china, he had successively published his translated work “Daughters and Sons”, “The family”, “Spring Silkworms”, “Wall of Bronze” and “Outlaws of the Marsh”. With his profound Chinese cultural and historical knowledge, the English version Outlaws of the Marsh of Shui Hu Zhuan is considered more faithful and brought him great recognition. This one hundred-chapter novel is adored by people because it is simple and easy to understand. Compared with another version All Men Are Brothers, which was completed by Pearl. Buck, Outlaws of the Marsh is considered as the better version of Shui Hu Zhuan. 2.2 Brief introduction of Eugene A. Nida and his functional equivalence theoryEugene A. Nida, one of American famous translation theorists and linguists, is respected for his contribution on translation theory and practice. He has been engaging on the work of translation for 45 years and earns the honor as the “father of modern translation theory”. In all his life, he accomplishes a great many works and articles. In his book Toward a Science of Translating, he puts forward the conception of “formal equivalence” and “dynamic equivalence”. Between them he especially emphasizes the rear one. Due to the expression of “dynamic equivalence” can easily be mistaken for “absolute equivalence”; he subsequently adopts the parlance of “functional equivalence”. In his book, Language, Culture and Translating, Nida further states that “equivalence cannot be understood in its mathematical meaning of identity, but only in terms of proximity, i.e. on the basis of degrees of closeness of functional identity” (Nida, 2005: 117). In his point of view, it can hardly be seen the “formal equivalence” because there has been ubiquitously existing diversity on forms and contents due to the differences of language and culture. He realizes that it is impossible to get a perfect equivalence between an original and its translation. In his explanation of “functional equivalence”, for stressing the flexibility of equivalence, he has raised two levels of “equivalence”, that is, the maximal level and the minimal level. The maximal level requires the version should bring the readers who are in different culture and background have the same feeling while reading the target language version and can understand and appreciate it in the same way with the original readers. However, this is only a perfect realm because it can never be achieved due to the complication of language. For the minimal level, it only requires the target readers can understand and imagine that how the original readers understand and appreciate the original text through reading the version. As Nida says in one of his books, “the translator must strive for equivalence rather than identity. In a sense, this is just another way of emphasizing the reproducing of the message rather than the conservation of the form of the utterance”. (Nida and Taber, 1969:12). 2.3 Analysis of Outlaws of the Marsh with Functional Equivalence theoryEven if the book Outlaws of the Marsh is considered as the best English version of Shui Hu Zhuan, it has its deficiency due to different language and culture. As Shapiro himself mentions in translators note in Outlaws of the Marsh, “many official titles and departments, arms, costumes, household implements, ceremonies, religious matters, puns, jokes, literary allusionshave no direct equivalent in the English language. Only approximations were possible, at best.” (Shapiro, 1980: vii) 2.3.1. Translation of the titleShui Hu Zhuan is usually translated into Water Margin, Outlaws of the Marsh and All Men Are Brothers. Among the multitudinous versions, All Men Are Brothers, has met with warm reception by Americans since it was published in New York in 1933. The title All Men Are Brothers comes from The Analects, written by Chinese philosopher Confucius. This title exquisitely describes the relationship among the one hundred and eight heroes in the novel. However, it at the same time deviates from the original title. “Shui Hu indicates a place, situated beside a large area of water, where the heroes live and where their heroic deeds take place. From the title, it can be seen that Pearl. Buck translates the title based on the content of the novel with her own creation. She completely gives up the authors design of taking the place where the story happens as the title of English version.“A title should be changed only when it cannot be left unchanged. A title change may occur because of cultural, linguistical, or even geographical disparities between source language and target language.” (Larders, 2001:140) The version completed by Shapiro first gave the English name of Shui Hu Zhuan as Heroes of the Marsh. However, this name was involved in temporal political affairs and was forced to be changed to another name. Through discussion, the name Outlaws of the Marsh was finally given. “Outlaw” means an intractable hero. It indicates the background of the story. The meaning of “marsh” is corresponding to the original title “Shui Hu. With the method that combines literal translation with meaning translation, this title translation can bring the readers a general idea when they are reading it. From both form and meaning, it has achieved equivalence to the fullest extent. 2.3.2Analysis of literary form with principle of functional equivalenceTranslations of the antithesis sentencesAntithesis sentences are used in a large amount in Shui Hu Zhuan to create the artistic image and describe their typical personality. According to the specific conditions of different cultures and expressions, in Outlaws of the Marsh, the author adopts both literal translation and free translation to translate them. As to literal translation, people tend to be more concern about the disposal at the language level. Translators try to avoid the meaning being distorted while retaining the original language format. Meanwhile, the free translation is also adopted when the language format cannot be retained. In the book Outlaws of the Marsh, the author mainly uses literal translation from three aspects. Example 1Original: 水来土掩，兵到将迎。(126)General idea: Man can adopt flexible ways to deal with concrete situation.Translation: Earth can stop the flow of water; generals can cope with enemy troops. (303) The above sentence is translated entirely in terms of the language structure and meaning of Chinese antithesis sentences. It does not only retain the Chinese language style but also have expresses the meaning exactly. The verb “stop” and “cope with” correspond with “掩” and “迎”, which make the structure of both sentences completely equivalent. However, it is hard for the translators to preserve the original language structure when they translate this kind of sentence due to the diversity of expressions in both Chinese and English. Therefore, Doctor Sidney Shapiro pays more concern to the transferring of the original meaning and sometimes has to make some variation to the sentences. Example 2Original: 上合天心，下合地理，中合人和.General idea: It is in accord with Gods will and has geographical conditions and good relations with people.Translation: This is in accord with the will of Heaven above, the laws of Earth below, and the hearts of men between. Example 3Original: 好事不出门，恶事传千里。(342)General idea: Good news can hardly be known but bad news spread very fast.Translation: News of good behavior never gets past the door, but a scandal is heard of a thousand li away. (516)The sentence in Example 2 comprises three parallel verbs “合” when the translation is composed by a phrase “accord with” and three noun phrases. It is accord with English language style. Compared with the two ensamples, the sentence in Example 3 is changed greatly when it is translated. Example 4Original: 三魂荡荡，七魄悠悠。(5)General idea: People are frightened out of their wits.Translation: Three souls drifted and his seven spirits departed. (8) The third method that Doctor Shapiro uses to translate the antithesis sentences is to translate them word by word. However, it turns out that this translating method sometimes cannot express the original meaning exactly. In the original sentence in Example 4, “三” and “七” are not idiographic figures. They are both used to emphasize a high degree of scare. Therefore, “three souls” and “seven spirits” cannot be understood by most target readers. According to functional equivalence theory, if a formal, close translation makes no sense, it is necessary to change its form, and in order to reach a functional equivalence, it is necessary to deliver not only the designative meaning of a word but also its connotative meaning. Therefore, the author considers it unsuitable to translate this kind of sentences with literal translation. Translation of short versionOne of the most prominent features in Shui Hu Zhuan is that at the beginning of every chapter or following certain stories, there tends to be a short version wrote by the author for the purpose of delivering his own comments, summarizing circumstance or forecasting the following text. Through the combination of language style and meaning that are conveyed, it can bring the original readers an exquisite refinement of literature. English and Chinese as two different cultural carriers, they have their own distinction and features, which cannot be completely translated into anther language. For example, at the beginning of the book, Shi Naian summarizes the whole story with the version as follows:Original:纷纷五代乱离问，一旦云开复见天。草木百年新雨露，车书万里旧江山。寻常巷陌陈罗绮，几处楼台奏管弦。人乐太平无事日，莺花无限日高眠。General idea:After five dynasties warfare, people once again live a peace life. Peaceful circumstance and abundant products allow them to do what they want. Translation:After Five Dynasties turmoil and strife, The clouds dispersed and revealed the sky,Refreshing rain brought old trees new life, Culture and learning once again were high.Ordinary folk in the lanes wore silk, Music drifted from mansions and towers,Under the heavens all was serene, Men dozed off at noon midst gay birds and flowers.Shapiro translates the eight-sentence version into English in order to introduce the target readers the historical and social background of the original text. However, it turns out that the translation only conveys the contain meaning and totally loses its feet and literary tinge. In functional equivalence theory, “nicety” and “art” are considered as two factors to judge the quality of a piece of translation. The translation should be correct and natural enough for its target language readers to accept. Due to this point of view, the translation above cannot be considered as “satisfactory”.On the contrary, versions in most of other chapters have been leaved out dimply. In chapter thirty-seven, a paragraph describes a man called Li Jun, “家住浔阳江浦上，最称 豪杰英雄。眉浓眼大面皮红。髭须垂铁线，语话若铜钟。凛凛身躯长八尺，能挥利剑霜锋。冲波越浪立奇功。庐州生李俊，绰号混江龙”. In the above sentences, the author explains the characters ancestral home, appearance, feat, and nickname. However, in the book Outlaws of the Marsh, Shapiro gives up translating them; it causes the image of the character in his translated work not as vivid and visual as the original text. Such phenomenon can also be seen in many other translated works. It is not because those translators cannot find out suitable words and expressions to convey the original meaning; it is because they are afraid that their translation would cause the reduction or disappearance of the original meaning and aesthetic feelings. 2.3.3.Analysis of language style with principle of functional equivalence Translations of the idiom An idiom is a fixed group of words with a special meaning which is different from the meanings of the words that form it. (Ding Wangdao, 1994: 20) Idiom can be regarded as the pick of the basket in language. It tends to be concise and comprehensive, visual and vivid. Of these characters, it has the function of reflecting the distinct cultural features of a nation like a mirror. Most of the idioms originate from history authorities, common usage, convention, religion, or chef oeuvres. When translating the idioms, Shapiro fully considers their cultural meaning and to the full extent of possible to make the target readers gain the contain meaning and cultural connotation. For example:Original: 五谷丰登，万民乐业，路不拾遗，户不夜闭。General idea: Getting a bumper grain harvest, people are satisfied with their work. People do not covet articles lost by others and are never afraid to be stolen even leaving their doors unlocked at night.Translation: Grain harvests were large, the people are happy at their work; no one kept articles lost by others on the road, doors were left unlocked at night. Original: 乐极生悲，否极泰来。 General idea: Extreme joy begets sorrow. Out of the depth of misfortune comes bliss.Translation: Ecstasy begets tragedy; from misery good fortune springs. Original: 冤各有头，债各有主。 General idea: It is better to aim at the one who takes the responsibility when disposes business.Translation: The culprit must pay for his wrong, the debtor for his debt. “Language only exists in and through society, so that it is a shared set of verbal habits and can only be understood in terms of the specific culture of which it is integral part”. (Nida, 2005: 20). Idioms are bound up with culture. Therefore, as to some of them which contain certain cultural connotation, it is impossible for the translators to achieve absolute equivalence. For example:Example 1 赤口上天，白舌入地。 Red lips rise to the sky, while tongue enters the earth. Example 2 屁滚尿流 To fart with terror and piss in ones pantsExample 3 萧墙祸起 Here comes trouble.In Example 1, “赤口”, “白舌” means “dispute”, and “上天”, “入地” only take an effect of exaggeration. Through the English translation, it is difficult for the target readers to understand what the idiom means. In Example 2, “屁滚尿流” means “a man is extremely scared like a drowned mouse”. Reading the phrase, people who do not know much about Chinese culture may misunderstand the original meaning. Compared with Example 1 and 2, the latter one conveys the meaning however loses the cultural connotation. “萧墙祸起” originates from an ancient Chinese story and means “trouble arises within the family”. In Example 3, Shapiro only tells the readers that there comes the trouble. However, he does not realize that “萧墙” means “family”. Although there are some unsatisfactory translations