Discourse Deviation And Literary Translation

This thesis purports to apply Cook's theory of discourse deviation to literary translation to improve the quality of literary translation, to be specific, to enhance the literariness of translated works. According to Cook, the primary function of literariness is to refresh and change the ways in which people think and feel about the world. This function is realized through 'discourse deviation', namely, the dynamic interaction between linguistic and text structural deviation and schematic representation of the world, with the overall result of bringing about schematic refreshment: the existing schemata are disrupted, new ones are constructed or new connections between existing ones are established. Literariness is embodied in the discourse deviation.Undoubtedly, Cook's theory will shed some light on literary translation. In the first place, literary theories have an intrinsic connection with literary translation. In literary translation, literary theories directly influence translators' understanding of the source text. Literary theories are almost the prerequisite for literary translation. On the surface, though, literary theories seem to have no direct connection with literary translation. In fact, they decide the success or failure of literary translation. Literary translation itself is one type of literary study. It is one type of reading and reception and representation of the source text from a certain literary perspective. Every literary theory provides translators with a perspective in reading and understanding the source text. The proper literary perspective can make the translator gain a whole picture of the world depicted in the source text, and make his understanding border on the intention of the writer. In the second place, Cook's theory of discourse deviation is so far comparatively holistic. In proposing this theory to characterize 'literariness', Cook brings together insights from schema theory, cognitive psychology, formalism, structuralism and reception theory etc. In the third place, examining the existing translated literary works in Chinese critically, we may find out some common problems in some translation. They are westernized language, perfect transparency of text and ambiguity. All these problems demonstrate that the translated works lack literariness. This may partly explain the reasons why many readers don't feel like reading translated works. Therefore, Cook's theory will contribute to solving these problems and enhancing the literariness of translated works.The theory of discourse deviation has the following significance to literary translation: since literariness is embodied in discourse deviation, which is brought about through the interaction between formal deviation and readers' schemata, then in literary translation, the translator should analyze in detail the linguistic and textual deviation in the source text and study its literary effect on the readers, and in rendition he must try to retain the linguistic and textural deviation in a proper way so as to evoke in the heart of target readers' similar literary effect.In order to fulfill the above aim, the author of the present thesis puts forward the requirements for literary translators, literary translation criterion and process and methods of translating formal deviation. First, the literary translator should enrich his schematic knowledge of language (both the source and target languages), texts (intertextuality of the text) and the world (culture, society, and history etc. mirrored by both source and target languages). Only equipped with rich schematic knowledge can the translator successfully communicate with the writer and comprehend the intention behind the formal deviation. Then, in the translation process, the translator should try to recognize the formal deviation in the source text (linguistic, textural and intertextural deviation) and study the literary effect. He then should follow the criterion "similarity in literary effect" and render the formal deviation in a proper way in the target language. The tr...