On Inter-subjectivity In Translation From The Perspective Of Hermeneutics

The cultural turn of translation studies in the 1970s has gradually made translators free from the identity of "invisible man", "the author's servant", "mouthpiece", etc. Their subjectivity in the translation process has been universally acknowledged and valued, which has also become a hot research topic. However, with the turning of subjectivity to inter-subjectivity in western philosophy, the probe of inter-subjectivity has also caused concern among scholars in translation field. Xu Jun has once proposed that "it has been clearly realized that the establishment of translator's subjective status should not exclude the influence of the author and that of the reader:the subjectivity role of translators is not isolated, but is closely linked with the role of authors and readers". Subsequently, Chen Daliang has made a further exploration on the subjects in translation, and put forward that the author, the translator and the readers are different nature of subjects, which are creation subject, translation subject and reception subject respectively. And, the inter-subjectivity in translation activities mainly refers to the equal interactions among these three main subjects.However, inter-subjectivity is still on the way of self-development and has not yet formed an independent theoretical system. It has involved in different disciplines and thus endowed with different connotations. Accordingly, this thesis tries to study inter-subjectivity by two important concepts, namely, "fusion of horizons", and "horizon of expectation" in Hermeneutics, and applies it into the English version of Biancheng by Jeffrey C. Kinkley to analyze the inter-subjective relationship of the three main subjects in translation.Biancheng is one of the representative works of Shen Congwen's regional literature. Its unique language style, rich local color, and the author's pursuit of humanity have been reflected between the lines, which have also made the work possess eternal charm. Biancheng has four English versions by now:Border Town by Emily Hahn and Shao Xunmei in 1936, The Frontier City by Ching Ti and Robert Payne in 1947. The Border Town by Gladys Yang in 1981, and Border Town by Jeffrey C. Kinkley in 2009. Since Jeffrey C. Kinkley's version is the latest translation work of Biancheng. there are few researches on it. Therefore, this paper will apply the inter-subjectivity under the view of hermeneutics to analyze Biancheng's English version in 2009, in the hope of deepening the study of inter-subjectivity, extending its application field, and meanwhile enriching the study of the English versions of Biancheng.The thesis is composed of five chapters:The first chapter is the introduction of the whole thesis, in which the motivation and significance of the paper are involved. The second chapter is the theoretical basis. elaborating the two principles in Hermeneutics, which are "fusion of horizons" and "horizon of expectation". The meaning of inter-subjectivity in philosophical and translation areas will also be explained. And then. the inter-subjectivity in translation will be connected with Hermeneutical principles, pointing out that "fusion of horizons" is the reflection of the inter-subjective relationship between the author and the translator, while "horizon of expectation" has further explained the inter-subjective relationship between the translator and the readers. The Chapter Three begins with a brief introduction of Biancheng, its author and its translator, which has also emphasized the literature attitude of the author, the background of the translator and the way that the interaction between them functions on the translator. The fourth chapter is the main focus of the thesis, under which the influence of the inter-subjectivity on the translator will be explored based on actual analysis, involving how the author's intension of creation is fulfilled in the translated text and what kind of translation strategies is selected to meet the target text readers" horizon of expectation. The fifth part is the conclusion of the whole thesis, which has proposed that Jeffrey C. Kinkley's English version of Biancheng has well retained the characteristics of the original work: therefore, it is worth further research.