On The Status Of Translation In Western Contemporary Translation Theories

In this paper the status of translation in Western contemporary translation theories is investigated. The proper placing of translation contributes to the complete and profound translation research. According to the different research focuses, the author divides Western contemporary translation theories into four periods.The period from the 1960s to the 1970s is called the linguistic period of translation theories. Translation theorists borrow the then prevailing linguistic models attempting to build a systematic and scientific translation theory. Translation is studied in isolation, merely as a linguistic transfer. The principles of translation are prescribed ideally to find the equivalent components in the target language. These translation theories all tend to be source-oriented. Translation is considered to be derivative, second-order in status, and subject to the source text.In the 1970s another dominant modes of translation research co-existing with those focusing on linguistic matters are those focusing on literary concerns. Dissatisfied with the prescribed principles of equivalence, the literary translation scholars begin to study the actual translations in the target language, attempting to describe the socio-literary factors in the target system governing the selection and production of translation. Thus, the orientation of translation studies is changed into the target. Subject to the target socio-cultural systems, translation is no longer fixed and a reproduction of the original. As an independent entity in the target system, translation acquires the equal status to the original.In the mid-1980s the booming cultural studies brings about the cultural turn in translation studies. Translation scholars then emphasize the importance of culture in translation and the significance of translation to culture. They regard culture as the operational unit of translation and attempt to make translation function in the target culture the way the source text functioned in the source culture. In their views, the status of translation is even higher than the original. Translation becomes the shaping force towards the target culture.In the 1990s deconstruction has increasingly influenced translationtheories and shattered the traditional notions of translation theories. In the perspective of deconstruction, there is no unified and identified meaning in texts. Meaning is always deferred and differed. Thus, translation as well as the original is derivative. The purpose of translation is to present and protect the differences in languages and cultures. According to the thoughts of deconstruction, Venuti proposes a foreignizing translation strategy to resist the fluent and domesticating translation methods prevalent in Anglo-American cultures. Translation is no longer a reproduction of the origianl and derivative from it. Instead, the original depends upon and survives through its translations.Through the analysis of Western translation theories, it is concluded that the status of translation is gradually promoted. Theories inform practice. Thus, we should attach great importance to translations in our research.