On Secular Orientation Of Retranslation

This dissertation, based on the development of translation in its necessary tendency from the monopolistic prescription to dichotomy and multiplex description, and in its gradual turn from the periphery of academic discourse to its core, from the sub-disciplinary state subjective to linguistics and literature to interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary flourish, puts Retranslation, the finished products or the translated texts under examination, especially with regard to the various texts, the different versions or renderings of one source text from the same original. To verify the secular orientation of literary retranslation in the 20th century at the interface of translating activity and actualization of its values, this study probes into the forms and contents, history and current existence, norms, rules and regulations, makers and recipients, translators and readers of translated texts.The dissertation borrows the concept of secularization to discuss the value orientation in retranslation, under whose guide translational activity and retranslation are reflectively studied and clarified. It focuses on the secularity orientation of retranslation at the interface of translation activity and actualization, and furthers into the study of the features, reasons and results of this secular orientation. The detailed study elaborates on the idea that Popularity, Practicality (Adaptation) and Pragmatism in the production of target texts is out of the secular orientation of retranslation. In general, the dissertation, based on Textual theory, Skopos theory, Thick Translation and poetic pursuit of Defamiliarization, centers around the retranslated texts and investigates connotations and denotations, internal and external elements, forms and contents, about translators and textual evaluations from reader receptions, proving the tendency of secular orientation in retranslation.The purposes of this dissertation are mutifaceted to compare the similarities and differences between translated texts; to sum up the common features such as the retranslation text features in fiction translation from different levels of cultures and styles; to exemplify the translated texts in a certain quantity or amount and display the individual differences in styles of different translators'texts from the same source text; to forecast the secular process from editing renarration to rewriting; to conceive the motives of the complete target text in the co-work of translating individuals and groups; to conclude that translation activity is the outcome and endeavor of translation subjects. By displaying different techniques or translating skills and strategies of translators, the dissertation justifies the textual existence of retranslation. That is to say, all skills lead to renewed target text under the guide of purposeful principles of Skopo Theory.All the examples cited in the dissertation are used to show the shifting process of Translated Text in language, formation, the translator's method, the conditions of social cultural contexts. The process is marked from literal translation (word-for-word translation, transliteration) to liberal translation (free translation, paraphrase), from foreignization to domestication (naturalization) to the combination of the two as well as from serving for current politics and ideologies to catering to the readers'tastes. All of these reflect secular orientation under the compound powers and joint forces.Furthermore, nowadays translation develops rapidly with more fluent language expressions, thicker interpretation, wider capacity, and wiser flexible skills. Translation is a selection activity of the translators'adaptation to fit the translational eco-environment. The advocate of secular orientation is but that of attributes and requirements of textual modernity. On one hand, requirements of the readability of Translated Text and effects of explicitation in texts-making, ask for the Translated Text of popularity, universals and secularity. On the other hand, the literary natures demand the creative and aesthetic elements in literature translation, contributing to the pursuit of foreignization tendency in Translated Text. The general tendency of Translation Studies also demands the elite readers stress the functions of literary works, whereas the lay readers favor amusing, interesting and playful episodic readings in literature. The opposite requirements leave the translators squeezing between the cracks of tradition and modernity, between foreignization and domestication, between literal translation and liberal translation, between individual pursuit and adaptation to readers and recipients.The dissertation consists of three parts in seven chapters: Introduction in Chapter 1, the main body of Arguments from Chapter 2 to Chapter 6 and Conclusion in Chapter 7.Chapter One"Introduction"depicts and explains the title, the subject and the theme. Firstly, the revealing of the thematic meaning makes it necessary to define such terms as retranslation, secularity or secular orientation, a tentative redefinition of the translation terminologies. Secondly, this chapter describes the current situations in translation studies from the"turns", the nature and the trends of translation studies, which comes to the universal and empirical translation reality, the actualization of retranslation by mooring the research object, the retranslated textual versions. The writing structure of the dissertation, the research purpose, methods and directions are also defined in this part. Thirdly, a literary review is unveiled in chapter one. Fourthly, taking Explicitation Hypothesis, Skopos Theory, Narratology Poetics, and Polysystem Theory as its underlying rationale and argument support, the dissertation assumes that retranslation is a communicative action mediated by language and regulated by culture under the guidance of secular orientation.Chapter Two"Secular Orientation in Retranslation Contents"is an internal survey of retranslation and empirical study on retranslation contents of multiple retranslated versions. By three divisions of 20th century literary retranslation ---- the early, middle and late periods, retranslation is manifested in secular orientation from literary ideologies and thematic choices of translation. The ideology-driven translation and retranslation have the secular options in textual content transmission such as"thick translation". Ideological intervention plays a primary role in different translated versions. The review of the translation policy of the 20th century highlights translation more as an offer of cultural information than a mere process of interlingual communication. The approach of Thick Translation probes into the deep structural understanding and interpretation of source text and translated versions in lingual dictions and the cultural elements hidden behind. Chapter Three addresses Secular Orientation in Retranslation Norms, or methodology. It probes into retranslation strategies and methods under the translation norms and principles. By unfolding the secular presentation of retranslation norms on lexical, syntactical, stylistic and cultural levels, the author generalizes the fact that the updated translation versions should be under the control of the worldly fitness with the passage of time, and should be in an aesthetic pursuit of defamiliarization perception.Chapter Four expounds Secular Orientation in Retranslation Formation. It aims at the study of retranslated textual structures. So the so-called Complete Version of translated text including main texts and paratexts and Full Retranslation concerning"Thick Translation"are introduced. This chapter also discusses the production process of Retranslation texts: the renarration of first version of translated text, the reformation of revival and return of retranslated text, and the re-creation of retranslated text. The historical evolution supplies the retranslated text afterlife, while constructing the complementary makings and integration of multiple translated texts from secular orientations. Chapter Four also includes the study of Formation mechanism of Retranslation, which is classified into two research dimensions: Diachronic Generation and Synchronic Derivation on Retranslation formations. For different phases different approaches to the textual formation are established: Sense Translation during Cultural Enlightenment period, Rewriting Translation during Cultural Revolution period, and Interpreting Translation during Cultural Revival period. So the multi-translated texts form and frame both modern literature reality in general and the complete translated textual world in specific, from the perspective of descriptive and cultural studies. It draws to the conclusion that retranslation is the carrier of individual experiences, historical changes and current multiple realities as well as the result of secular orientation.Chapter Five is about Secular Orientation in Retranslation Subjects. Firstly, retranslation subjects are classified into three groups, and the"other"groups are included in the categories as well. The native translators and overseas sinologists, the writer translators (man of letters) and the scholar translators, the female translators and the male translators, all groups produce different translations of the same source text respectively, and all have characteristic strategies and styles and hence different understandings and versions. The classification of subjects as translators in retranslation not only clarifies the characteristics of different renderings, but also presents a more encompassing and realistic view on versions. All versions are marked by subjective translators with various approaches. Their secular orientation is their survival of free will and their continuing vitality of the literary translation. It constitutes the reasons and results of retranslation.Chapter Six clarifies Secular Orientation in Retranslation Actualization. It deals with the four genres of literary translation: prose, drama, fiction and poetry. Prose retranslation propounds leisure style; Drama retranslation emphasizes amusement style; Fiction retranslation accentuates the experimental style; Poetry retranslation stresses iconicity style in form, image and empathy or feeling transference. By case studies of the four types, the current chapter analyzes the transmission methods and styles in Retranslation from receptor's viewpoints, and reconstructs the aesthetic effects in retranslation by means of images reappearing, characterization and appealing conveyance. Secularity is specialized and actualized in leisurely, amusing, experimental, and iconic styles. Chapter Seven summarizes the main ideas and findings of the research, points out the limitations of the dissertation and proposes research questions for further studies. In the end the chapter proposes the retranslation construction models by tentative hypotheses of imitating the product and coexisting mechanism, providing common structures and textual frames as well as strategies to avoid repetition and methods to create new versions in contents of retranslation. The theme of the dissertation is promoted again: retranslation marks the complete and integrated textual world map; retranslation is the result of secular orientation in language and cultural translating strategies of translators, and it is an indispensable component in canonical transmission history and full textual life span.The main innovations of this study lie in the exploration of common principles in different translated versions, the classifications of translators and translatologists, the translated textual analysis, the Universality of translator groups and the Individuality (idiosyncrasy) of translation subjects. Apart from the judgments of good or poor translated texts, the dissertation stresses the substantial rules and regularities behind the different versions of a translated text, and affirms respective translation approaches and secular orientation.This research puts forward the argument of secular orientation in retranslation, providing a supplement for the hypothesis of EXPLICITATION or the translation universals as Explicitation, Simplification, Normalization, and drawing a conclusion on the general features of retranslation normalization, or the Secular Orientation as Popularity, Practicality, and Pragmatism. Therefore, the findings may help verify and enrich an integrated translation theory.The research has sorted out the translators of plural translated versions of retranslation from one source text, presenting clear differences between writer translators and scholar translators as well as possible unity of the two.This dissertation makes a comprehensive adoption of translation theory, cultural theory and literary narratology theory. And it tries to give a multi-disciplinary, cross-disciplinary and integrated study on a wider horizon.