Functions Of A Translator In Rendering Culturally Sensitive Text

AbstractThe present thesis attempts to investigate the functions of a translator in rendering culturally sensitive text. In the traditional translation studies, the translator has invited both favorable and unfavorable comments. On the favorable side, the translator is designated a creative representative of the source text author, and an educator of the readership. On the unfavorable side, the translator is viewed as a traitor who can not faithfully convey the thought of the source text author onward to the readership. S/he has even been nicknamed a tyrant because s/he has the power to manipulate the source text in the translation process. These diverse opinions incur puzzlement on the functions of a translator. The main concern of the thesis is to clarify the puzzlement and define the functions of a translator.The academic endeavor is a defense against the traditional paradigm built between the authors and translators, original and translatum, composition and translation. The fantasy of viewing the author, original and composition as stable, primary and authentic source has been deconstructed, while the marginality and invisibility imposed on a translator have been substituted by centrality and visibility. The tradition to associate a translator with secondariness and failure has been criticized and the multifunctional position is established.The departure point of the investigation is the ontological reflection on translation. What is translation? Is translation a science? A serious doubt is cast upon the philosophy of modern science. The controlled laboratory experiment is the salient feature of modern science. But in the real-life world, too many elements are out of control.The results derived from the controlled laboratory experiments may be perfect in laboratory but may have serious flaws in the real-life world. If one result can not serve human beings better, it may either mislead human activities or cause harm upon our species. Therefore, the purpose of thesis is to bring the real-life dimension into the philosophy of modern science. In this way, translation can make a step further to be acknowledged as a branch of science because translation occurs in a translator's use of language in the real-life world. Only in such a world, its value can be evaluated.With the adjustment of the position of translation in the scientific world, the thesis suggests a definition of translation under the framework of semiotics. It defines that translation is a continuous process in which the interlingual communication occurs through the operation of linguistic signs in the surface structure and cultural elements in the deep structure by a translator. On the basis of this definition, the thesis hereby conducts an anatomy of the translation process. Eight parameters and three systems are identified and a polysystemic model of parameters in translation process is established.A Polysystemic Model of Parameters in Translation ProcessThe position of a translator in the polysystemic model lies at the point of convergence as the figure shows. A translator immerses in both the source and target text cultures as well as the translation process system. Hence a translator occupies a functional position. To illustrate the importance of a translator in a translation process, four links in the translation process are under examination: the IC-IT Link, the ST-Tor-Tum Link, the ST-Tor-Tum-Rer Link, and the Tor-Tum-Rer Link. Then, what are the functions of a translator, specifically in rendering culturally sensitive text? Firstly, the author pinpoints the concept of culture through a series of statements. The core statements among them are: * Culture is not only a term to cover material phenomena, but also more importantly, to serve as an invisible institution in organizing all human activities.* Culture is the presentation of history in a certain reality.* Culture inhabits individual mind.* Culture is stable with only slight fluctuation...