Intertextuality And News English Text Translation

The theory of Intertcxtuality, which can be traced back to modern linguistics in the early 20th century, is a textual theory derived from the cultural trend of post-modernism in the west. However, the term was first proposed by Julia Kristeva in 1969. Since then it has become a popular topic broached by many scholars. In China, people instigated the research into it in the 1990s. Based on the achievements thus far made in the study of intertextuality, both in the west and China, the thesis makes a tentative endeavor to discuss the skills and strategies of News English Text (NET) translation from the perspective of the theory of Intertextuality.To start with, this thesis introduces the term "Intertextuality" as well as Intertextuality theory. Because Western scholars interpreted Intertextuality not entirely in the same way, a variety of definitions have resulted: such as narrow and broad Intertextuality, active and passive Intertextuality, diachronical and synchronical Intertextuality, horizontal and vertical Intertextuality, strong and weak Intertextuality, manifest and constitutive Intertextuality. Furthermore, the major academic schools in the west had different focuses and interests in the study of Intertextuality. Though different from each other to a certain degree, all definitions and interpretations have one thing in common: Intertextuality covers the relationship between the given text and all other texts and contexts related with it. Of it there are three aspects: 1) the transformation of texts; 2) the completion of the given text; 3) the interpretation of the given text. In light of the definitions of Intertextuality and its theory, we can safely say translation itself is a kind of intertextual activity.After the exposition of Intertextuality and its theory, this thesis analyzes some general characteristics of NET, including lexical features, syntacticfeatures, register features, rhetorical features and textual features. Owing to these characteristics, NET translation should follow some basic translation criterions quite different from the translation of other types of text. For example, to try to employ domestication instead of foreignization.A large portion of this thesis is devoted to discussing how to recognize and deal with various intertextual factors implied in NET translation from three layers: text layer, language layer and cultural layer. In the text layer, intertextual factors in NET translation are largely embodied in genre, style, content and configuration of both the source text and the target text. Among them, style Intertextuality is the most complex and subtle. In the language layer, Intertextuality is characterized by varied citations such as direct speech, indirect speech, set phrases, and proverbs. In the cultural layer, various cultural factors have a powerful influence on translators. In addition, two extra intertextual factors have been addressed:1) Translators of NET should more or less cater to readers' interest and purpose;2) Translators' sub-conscious affects translators' creative activity anytime;At the end of this thesis, the paper makes a study of such problems as the limitations of the application of Intertextuality theory to NET translation and the solutions. As a new theory introduced into the study of English Chinese translation, it has its limitations which can't be neglected. However, we can't deny the great impact of this theory and its enormous contribution to translation studies because it can provide us with a new and more proper perspective from which we can examine translation. It can help us solve translation problems which can't be solved with the help of traditional translation theories. It is believed, in this paper, that we can build a more perfect translation theoretical system in the near future only if we combine Intertextuality theory withtraditional translation theories, and more people are, involved in translation studies.