A Remark On The Subjectivity Of The Translator

For long, critics evaluate the quality of translations and the knowledge of the translators by centering upon extreme faithfulness or equivalence to the original work. In their points of view, the meaning of the text is definite, can be completely understood and then reproduced intact b y the t ranslators i n another 1 anguage. J ust u nder t he i nfluence, translators arc crowned with different titles: copiers, servants, translating machines, etc. In order to translate well, they must lose their characteristics and be completely faithful to the author and the original work. All this results from people's treating of translation as a static product. But actually, translation is a dynamic and complex process, with many factors involved. In this process, the translator, acting as a reader of the source text and also a writer of the target text, will unavoidably add something subjective in his translation.In the 1970s, the "cultural turn" in Translation Studies in the west brought about new dimensions and approaches. The research on the translator's subjectivity develops from being neglected to the confirmation of "translator' s choices" , till the emphasis of his manipulation of the text. Theories such as Skopos, hermeneutics and reception supply theoretical basis for the research. Chinese critics also began to carry out the research in the 1990s. The main representatives are Yuan Li, Xie Tianzhen, Xu Jun, etc. From different angles, they justified the creative treason of literary translation and the existence of the translator's subjectivity. But what factors cause the translator's subjectivity? Can they be avoided and how much is the subjectivity of the translator? And what is the significance of the topic? These questions are not answered in details.So the dissertation attempts to investigate the subjective and objective factors that influence the translator's subjectivity and somefactors are pointed out to be avoidable. But at the same time, the operation of the translator's subjectivity is limited and it doesn't mean translating arbitrarily.The Introduction begins with a general idea of subjectivity of translation, together with its research results. The significance of studying this topic and basic structure of this thesis are also presented.Chapter One firstly analyzes the characteristics of traditional translation theories, which lead to the obscurity of the translator's subjectivity and the low status of the translator. Then the development of translation study since 1970s as well as their guidance to the research of the translator's subjectivity is also pointed out. The third part emphasizes that translation is a dynamic process instead of the simple and static transfer of "original text-source text" . It can be divided into two steps. The first one is the translator's understanding and interpretation of the text as a reader and an interpreter. And the second one is about the translator's representation of the original text in another language as a writer.Chapter Two analyzes the subjective factors that lie in the subjectivity of the translator in details: previous experience and background, aesthetic attitudes and beliefs, motivation and purposes, and personal competence.Chapter Three emphasizes that the translator doesn't have absolute freedom although we admit his/her subjectivity, which is still subject to the limitation of objective factors.The conclusion restates that the subjectivity of the translator exists objectively. In practice, once the subjectivity of the translator is reaffirmed, it has a great significance in improving the status of translators, pushing forward the flourishment of translating practice.