Abstract:In the light of the recent “cultural turn” in translation studies, translation studies are no longer limited within linguistic level without taking into consideration the socio-cultural context. The rewriting theory by André Lefevere is the important representative work of manipulation school. The manipulation theory concerns the translated works in the target language culture in which certain social cultural factors have some impact on translation. These control factors, according to André Lefevere, are ideology, poetics and patronage. Translation under the constraints of such factors is defined as a form of rewriting functioning at a given time in a given culture. This point of view undoubtedly enlarges the scope of translation studies and puts translation study into an open system, where the whole social, political and historical backgrounds act as a study platform.
Based on the hypothesis of ideology, poetics and patronage proposed by André Lefevere and taking Lu Xun’s translation thoughts and practice as a case, this paper attempts to adopt a descriptive-explanatory method to explore the impact and manipulation exerted by the three constraints of ideology, poetics and patronage upon Lu Xun’s translation thoughts and practice by resituating Lu Xun’ translation within the Chinese social and cultural backdrop of that particular time.
This paper is composed of five chapters:
The First Chapter introduces the aim of this study, methodology, significance of this study and the structure of the thesis.
Chapter Two discusses manipulation school and mainly about the rewriting theory, i.e. the three main factors impacting and manipulating translators and their translation strategies—ideology, poetics and patronage, which are advocated by André Lefevere, a key representative of manipulation school.
The Third Chapter deals with the analysis of Lu Xun’s status as a translator and explanation of present studies about Lu Xun’s literary translation. Then the different divisions of the stages of Lu Xun’s translation career will be sketched.
Based on André Lefevere’s theory of three main constraints of ideology, poetics and patronage, Chapter Four, the main part of this thesis, covers the three controlling factors that exert impact upon Lu Xun’s translation activities of his times from the aspects of choices of theme, of source culture, of genre. In addition, the issue of how the three constraints and Lu Xun’s translation activities interact will also be illustrated at length.
In Chapter Five a comprehensive conclusion will be made. Lu Xun’s translation thoughts and practice, no matter from the choice of themes, source cultures or from the selection of genres and literal translation, are undoubtedly under the manipulation or controlling of the ideology, poetics and patronage of that time. Finally, this paper points out the practical significance.
Keywords: Lu Xun’s translation practice, Manipulation School in Translation Studies, André Lefevere’s rewriting theory
摘要:近年受“文化转向”的影响,翻译研究的范围由原来的纯文本研究逐渐扩大到兼顾社会文化背景研究。操控学派的主要代表人物André Lefevere的改写理论便是“文化转向”的代表之一。操控理论所研究的核心问题是翻译过程中所受到的社会因素的操控,以及译文对目的语文化产生的影响。根据André Lefevere的理论,意识形态、诗学及赞助人这三种社会因素在翻译的过程中起着十分重要的操控作用。在这些因素的制约下,任何翻译从某种程度上讲都是一种改写,在特定的时间、地点受到目的语社会因素的操控而形成并发挥作用。这一观点毫无疑问地扩大了翻译研究所涵盖的范围,把翻译看作是一个开放的文学系统体系,并以广阔的社会文化背景作为翻译研究的平台。
本文基于André Lefevere提出的意识形态、诗学及赞助人的理论假说,以鲁迅的翻译理论实践为个案,采用描述和解释的研究方法,将鲁迅的翻译活动置于当时特殊时代背景之下的中国社会文化与社会历史语境中,探讨意识形态、诗学以及赞助人对鲁迅翻译活动的影响及操控。论文共分五章:
第一章为引言部分。引言部分提出了论文的目的、研究意义、研究方法及整篇文章的大致结构.
第二章主要介绍了操控学派及其代表人物André Lefevere提出的三大控制因素,即意识形态、诗学和赞助人,并以此作为本片论文的理论基础。
第三章概括分析了鲁迅翻译家的身份并阐述了鲁迅翻译文学研究现状,之后对不同学者对鲁迅翻译生涯的分期的各种方法做一概述。
第四章是论文的主体部分。 在André Lefevere提出的意识形态、诗学以及赞助人的理论基础之上,该章从题材、国别、翻译策略和体裁等四个方面的选择切入,详细介绍了鲁迅所处时代可能操控其翻译活动的各种因素,并分析鲁迅的翻译活动是如何与André Lefevere提出的三大操控因素相互作用。
第五章是对全文的全面总结,指出鲁迅的翻译实践从体裁、国别到题材以及直译策略的选择无一不受到当时的意识形态、诗学以及赞助人的操控。同时指出了本文研究的现实意义和André Lefevere理论的局限性。
关键词: 鲁迅的翻译实践,文化操纵派理论, André Lefevere改写理论