| The normative approach to translation studies is an important one to start descriptive translation studies (DTS). By the application of and the description to translation norms, the approach intends to provide a way to construct the theoretical system of translation studies and to guide the whole process of translation as well as translation related activities, trying to bring together the study of translation theory and practice and making translation studies a systematic and empirical discipline.Most approaches to translation studies having prevailed so far tend to be prescriptive in nature. They managed to lay down rigid standards to govern translation practice and conduct translation criticism simply relying on these very standards. Consequently, the translator's creative potential is greatly restricted. Meanwhile, the translator's subjective status in translation process cannot be realized. Many scholars have realized this problem and have done a lot to better the situation. James Holmes outlined the scopes and branches of translation studies and pointed out the significance of DTS in the whole system of translation studies. Then DTS witnessed a period of rapid development due to the joint efforts made by scholars like Jiri Levy, Itamar Even-Zahar, Jose Lambert, Andre Lefevere, Gideon Toury, Theo Hermans and so on.In the course of DTS development, people achieved more scientific understanding to the nature of translation behavior. Translation is no longer viewed simply as a process of code switching from source text (ST) to target text (TT). Quite on the contrary, it is a social communicative behavior taking place in particular contexts and characterized by clear purposes. The ultimate goal of translation is to influence and change the target culture (TC) by providing it with the accepted translation products. It is based on this understanding thattranslation is further viewed as rewriting and manipulation to the ST. More or less, translation is efficacy motivated and is not infrequently employed by people of particular class to meet their particular needs. This new understanding deprives the ST of its absolute authority and makes prominent the translator's role. It is also based on this understanding that the thesis examines the translation process and proposes a model centered by the translator.Because translation is a social behavior, all the participants of translation activity such as initiators, organizers, translators and editors should conform to translation norms that embody social conventions. It is in this way that translation norms manage to determine directly or indirectly the selection of the ST and the final presentation of the ST. As a result, the study on translation norms can guide the behavior of each participant in translation. On the country, by analyzing the ST, it is also possible to find out the translation norms that the participants especially the translators have followed. If accumulated to a certain amount, these norms will help to picture the context of situation when the ST was translated. It is also easy to explain if there is a deviation from the dominant norms/main stream in the ST. This will of course provide translation criticism with a forceful tool.The thesis consists of six parts, including the introduction and conclusion.The introduction indicates that normative approach can be effectively applied to DTS, so is it in the study of E-C translation theory and practice.Chapter One reviews briefly the study made on translation norms and attempts to seek its application in translation theory construction. The chapter first states that the normative approach to translation is crucial to the development of DTS. Then it elaborates on the content of norm theory, including the concept and nature of norms and themotivation of norm deviation. Finally, the chapter explores the applicability of the theory to some disputed problems in translation studies such as the definition of translation, the translator function, the notion of equivalence in translati... |
PDF Full Text Request