Hybridity In Literary Translation

Originally a biological term, "hybrid" was later widely used in many academic disciplines such as linguistics, literary criticism and cultural studies. In all these disciplines, the term is given roughly the same meaning, referring to something that grows out of two closely interacting things. This hybrid partakes of features of both these two things, but also shows unique characteristics of its own. According to many scholars, hybrids are not only unavoidable, but also advantageous in most cases. Pidgins and Creoles, the two commonly condemned linguistic hybrids, for instance, are increasingly recognized by many linguists as legitimate communication tools. Hybrids in literature and cultures are also considered to be positive and helpful by more and more critics and researchers.Such an understanding of hybrids is extremely inspiring to translation studies, since hybridity, a phenomenon long ignored in literary translation, has now become so obvious that translators and translation scholars can hardly afford to continue ignoring it. On the one hand, the number of hybrid originals, the most typical of which are multilingual texts, is growing at an astonishing speed as a result of the increase of hybrids in languages, literature and cultures. On the other hand, translation, literary translation in particular, is also bound to produce hybrids. Unlike creative writing, literary translation involves two languages, two cultures and two literary traditions, all of which will leave some traces in the translated text, which is then destined to be a hybrid of these languages, cultures and literary traditions. Therefore, it is quite proper to introduce the concept of "hybridity" into the study of literary translations. From this new perspective, we will have a much clearer picture of what literary translation is like today. We will be more aware of the challenges for translators in translating English literature into Chinese, and will be in a better position to determine the appropriate translation strategies and standards.As for hybrid originals, numerous multilingual texts in English literature present great challenges to their Chinese translators. The special functions of the non-English elements in such texts are almost impossible to be conveyed into Chinese translations. The translators, therefore, often have to make a hard choice between the functions and meanings of such elements, while trying their best to preserve the multilingual features of the original. Despite the immense difficulties, however, many hybrid English originals have been translated into Chinese. Although none of the translating methods are free from limitations, they have all well served the translators' needs. Moreover, the commonly chosen methods are different from one historical period to another. The translators are generally paying more and more respect to the multilingual features of the original. Translators in the past might render all the non-English words and sentences into Chinese, whereas translators today usually strive to leave them intact while taking some compensatory measures such as notation and explication. Such a trend reveals not only the translators' better understanding of hybrid texts, but also the great changes taking place in China over the years.As for hybrid translated texts, in all the Chinese translations of English literature there are some heterogeneous elements. Words or sentences incompatible with the conventions and rules of the Chinese language, images and allusions unfamiliar to Chinese readers, and genres and techniques not to be found in Chinese literature are all examples of such elements, indicating that the translations are without exception hybrids. Such elements can be found in translations ever produced by various schools of translators. The universal hybridity of translated texts is also shown in the linguistic, cultural and literary differences between many writers' writings and translations, and in the contrast between most translations and their prefaces. What calls for close attention is...