On The Loss Of Meaning In Translation

The problem of translatability has been disputable in the history of translation studies. Western linguists proposed different opinions about it by analyzing the nature of language. With their personal experience Chinese translators showed us the difficulties in translation and the limits of translatability. Meanwhile, both of them drew some interesting analogies between translation and some other actions, for example: "give others food after chewing it", "mixing water into wine thus some flavor has been lost", "a woman who is beautiful but not faithful", "translators are traitors", and so on. From their vivid similes we can get that absolute faithfulness is impossible. During the process of translation, there must be some loss of meaning.Translation is a transfer of meaning between two languages. The study of translation is closely linked to the study of language and meaning. In order to find out the causes of loss of meaning and to make the loss as less as possible, this thesis makes a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon by applying semiotic meaning theory.The introduction reviews the thinking over translatability and the loss of meaning in translation in China and in the West, pointing out that languages have both commonness and individualities. On the one hand, the commonness of languages is the foundation of translation, on the other hand, the individualities of languages are the main cause of loss of meaning in translation.The main body consists of five chapters:Chapter One introduces the philosophical, linguistic and semiotic explanation of meaning, revealing that the nature of meaning is the various dimensions of relation between signs and the outside world, hence meaning is a complex entirety with incompactness, indeterminacy and fluidity. The peculiarities of meaning lead to some difficulties in understanding, and therefore, in translation.By comparing the vocabulary of English and Chinese, Chapter Two analyzes the causes of loss of referential meaning thoroughly.Chapter Three seeks to illustrate the loss of linguistic meaning due to the phonological, orthographic, grammatical and rhetorical barriers between the two languages. One of the features of literary works is to pursue the beauty of language form. Therefore, a translator should not ignore the meaningful language form endowed by the writer. Loss of linguistic meaning caused by the great differences of language systems brings some regrets to translators and readers.Chapter Four discusses the loss of the several pragmatic meanings with users' subjective consciousness in them. These pragmatic meanings are included in the complex entirety of meaning. It's impossible for translators to attend to every aspect. To guarantee the transfer of the most important or prominent meaning in context, some other aspects of meaning have to be sacrificed. Moreover, the loss of these dimensions of meaning may result in the divergence of style to a certain degree.Chapter Five specifically analyzes the influence made by the translator's limitation on the transfer of meaning. His knowledge and understanding are restricted by the time. He has his own style and tendency. All these factors drag his translation away from "perfect equivalence".In Conclusion, the thesis states that translation is an activity with many paradoxes. It is fascinating as well as difficult. There is never a perfect translation completely equivalent to the SLT (source language text). However, the translatability that bases on the commonness of languages, human's creativity and the necessity of translation inspires more and more translators to dedicate their lives to translation and to work hard to make better translations.