A Study Of Li Wenjun’s E-C Translation Of Runaway From The Perspective Of Bourdieu’s Sociological Theory

Runaway,a masterpiece by Alice Munro,the winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature,was translated into Chinese by the Chinese famous translator Li Wenjun and its Chinese version was published in 2009.As an actor of social activities,the translator’s translation behavior is influenced by social factors in the process of translating Runaway.In order to explore what social factors influence Li Wenjun’s translation of Runaway and how these factors influence the selection of the original work,the adoption of translation strategies,and the reception of the translation,this study employs a combination of documentary and qualitative research methods,taking Bourdieu’s sociological theory as a theoretical framework to analyze Li Wenjun’s translation of Runaway,and to discuss the influence and effect of field,habitus,and capital on the whole translation activity from text selection to translation reception.It is found that: first,the gradual elevation of the status of translated literature in the literary field and the relief of the power field over translation activities in the new era make Runaway as the translated text.Second,Li Wenju’s habitus built up by his early life trajectory,career as an editor and translator,influences the selection of the original work as well as the specific translation strategies which applies mostly domestication and annotations that are more conducive to readers’ understanding and acceptance.Thirdly,the social capital,cultural capital,and symbolic capital possessed by the original work Runaway,the original author Munro and the translator Li Wenjun,as well as their dominant position in the literary field and the translation field,contribute to the reception of the translated text in the target language country.It follows from that the field of translation is manipulated by several other fields,with the cultural and political fields influencing the translation of foreign work;the translator’s personal habitus has influence on the selection of original work and translation strategies;and the differences in capital held by the actors in the translation activities exert influence on the dissemination and reception of the translated texts.