A Case Study Of The English Translations Of Chapter Thirty-Three In Tao Te Ching: A Prototype-Based Approach

Drawing on various disciplines, the question of "what is translating and what is translation" has been approached from different perspectives. In spite of its booming growth, this field of study also experiences fragmentation, which has weakened the position of translation studies as an independent discipline. As a tentative research, the thesis proposes a solution from Prototype-based Approach, with the aim to form a unified and balanced representation of translating and translation.According to the Prototype-based Approach, translation is defined as integration of attributes in exemplars. Translating is regarded as a prototype-integrating process and the translated version is only one exemplar of the prototype. The process of translating can be simplified and elucidated with mathematical formula as:AP=F(t)=at3+bt2+ct'+d; IP= AP1+AP2+AP3+.... Translations can then be analyzed from their common and supplementary attributes.In order to verify this theoretical framework, a case study of Tao Te Ching is adopted. Through the analysis of 49 English translations of chapter thirty-three in this great classic, the application and feasibility of Prototype-based Approach has been approved. The enquiry into these common and supplementary attributes of translations confirms the prototype and clarifies the co-existence of various translations. Moreover, through the exploration of Tao Te Ching's translations, this thesis attempts to arouse attention on the study of Tao Te Ching, offering some help to the comprehension and translation of this classic work.The thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter one offers a brief introduction to the whole thesis. Chapter two reviews the studies pertaining to prototype and its application in translation studies at home and abroad. Chapter three contributes to the theoretical foundations of this thesis wherein the Prototype-based Approach is presented. Chapter four is the focus of a case study, in which a detailed analysis of English translations of chapter thirty-three in Tao Te Ching is carried out. The last chapter, chapter five, serves as the conclusion of the thesis, major findings, limitations and prospects for further research.