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From linguistic angle,Catford defines translation as the replacement of textual material in a language by equivalent textual material in another language. Jakobson proposed an inter-semiotic definition of translation.By means of signs of nonverbal sign systems,he talks over and defines translation from semiotic terms as an rendition of verbal signs.In his view, the translation process represents alternative messages in one language not for separate code-units but for entire messages in some other language. Translation is always based on meaning, i.e. it is the transfer of meaning instead of form from the source language to the target language. The main purpose of translation is to create a unique way of communication between an original text and its target text. The most concerned problem in translation is the way to eliminate all kinds of interferences in information transmission and ensure that the linguistic information and features of the original content to be represented authentically in the target language. It is also the key to facilitating cultural exchanges and information transmissions.
Translating from mother language and translating into mother language for the two different translating directions of Chinese literary works, what kind of translation principles will the translators adopt? How to use various translating strategies and ways to represent the familiar and unfamiliar language and cultural phenomena? And what elements influence the translator’s choice of translating strategies? On the side, translating from Chinese into English involves an essential problem, i.e., how to preserve the native cultural charteristics without errors to fulfill the object of cross-cultural communication as much as possible.what influences will the adoption of different translating strategies produce?
This article will explore the translating rules that can guide Chinese-English translating practices through a comparison and analysis of the two different English versions of a same novel.
2. Literature Review源]自=751-·论~文"网·www.751com.cn/
2.1China’s Literary Translation
From the late Qing Dynasty of 1870s,China’s literary translation began,and there has been a history of more than 100 years. When a foreign culture was first introduced into Chinese people, the domesticating strategy may be used in translation. At that time Chinese people knew very little about the foreign culture and domesticating translations were much more acceptable. By analyzing the translating strategies in the 1870s, we find China’s literary translation is probably based on domestication. Domesticating translating strategy has been mainstream and most writers and translators praise it highly. The reason why domesticating translation prevail over old China’s literary translation for 100 years before China carry out the policy of opening to the outside world ? The governance of domestication was decided by the old China’ circumstances.
2.2 Application of Domestication and Foreignization
In Literary Translation, domestication and foreignization are two perse methods,they are very considerable in literary translation.In translation circle, they have long been the focal point of the controversy as two major translation strategies.To translate a text from one culture to another culture, translators usually first need to choose among two major translating strategies. Domestication,which is to change nonunifornity factors from a culture into anotherkind of culture. In addition to the original sentences and images, domestication grasps their practical intentions and selects utterances which have the same meaning with the same utterance from the target language. However foreignization is to translate information through a method of keeping its most primitive images. Foreignization gives the target language new language compositions and new unique forms of expression. This translating way benefits mutual interations and penetrability of two kinds of cultures and languages, at the same time promotes their common fusion. Anyway, Domestication holds the opinion that the purpose of translation should be the target language and its readers, while foreignization considers it should put the source language and original writer as its target. There are masterpieces using domesticating strategy in artistic translation . For example, Gone with the Wind, a novel translated by Fu Donghua in the late of 1930s,he Used domesticating translation strategy, localised many names and places, and even added or deleted some descriptions at hazard to meet Chinese readers’ preference. The translation was successful in China,however it did not really reflect the real western culture and western life. There are many translated masterpieces using foreignizing translation strategy, the example is Lin Yutang’s translating version of an autobiography Six Chapters of a Floating Life written by scholar Shen Fu in Qing Dynasty. Lin Yutang, a great master of Chinese literature, was very proficient not only in eastern but also in western cultures. He used foreignizing strategy as a whole to spread Chinese traditional culture and let foreigners understand about the substance of Chinese life styles ,however his translation did not catch much more attention in the west as a result of difficulties in reading.