Relevance Theory And Drama Translation

When it comes to literary translation, drama has lamentably been the most neglected area among the three major types of literature. Bulk of genre-focused translation study books involving the specific problems of poetry and fiction translation can be easily found in the library while materials related to drama translation are scarce. By applying the theory of relevance into drama translation, this thesis attempts to make some contribution to this less explored area.It is usually held that the lack of theory and the difficulties in translating drama arise from the dualistic nature of drama as both a literary art and a theatrical art. This complex nature of drama presents the translator with a central problem: whether to translate the text within the literary system for a reading public, or to try to translate it in its function as one element in the theatre discourse as a whole? To put the problem in another way: should drama translation be reader-oriented or performance-oriented. The present study is initially inspired by the controversy over this problem.Relevance theory, which was first presented by Sperber and Wilson in theirco-authored work: Relevance: Communication and Cognition, is a pragmaticapproach for a pragmatic theory on communication from the cognitive perspective. Itsnuclear notion is relevance. The theory holds that optimal relevance is the principlepeople unconsciously comply with in communication. Though not meant fortranslation, relevance theory is powerful in accounting for "the most complex thing inthe cosmos." (Richards, 1953) (Zhao Yanchun, 1999) In this thesis, the writerventures to apply the theory of relevance into drama translation and sets optimalrelevance as the ultimate goal of translating drama. With relevance theory backing upas theoretical basis and also in accordance with the dialectical relationship betweenthe playtext and the theatrical performance, this thesis arrives at the conclusion thateither reader-oriented translation or performance-oriented tends to be one-sided. Inother words, a well-translated play should be readable and performable as well.However, since the principle of "readable and performable" is a little abstract fortranslating drama, the author of this thesis prefers to specify it as intelligibility, speakability, actability, terseness, musicality and individuality. Under the guidance of relevance theory, this thesis probes into the six principles through the extensively practical analysis of the examples taken from such plays as Teahouse, Thunderstorm, Death of a Salesman, Pygmalion, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Ideal Husband, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and etc. In the light of relevance theory, various translation methods employed in dealing with those principles are also suggested in this paper. Thus, the validity and usefulness of this theory to the study of drama translation become evident. It should be pointed out that in view of its close relationship with characterization the sixth principle of individuality is approached from the perspective of consistency in characterization in drama translation, which, in the author's opinion, accounts a great deal in drama translation if the ultimate goal of optimal relevance is to be achieved.This thesis consists of four chapters. Chapter one is composed of two parts. To clear up the ground, the first part gives a general introduction to this comprehensive art of drama, including its elements and structure and its dualistic nature. In the second part, the predominant views on drama translation both at home and abroad are briefly reviewed and the dialectical relationship between dramatic text and theoretical performance is clarified. At the end of this chapter, the author tentatively concludes that a good translation of the play should be both readable and performable.In chapter two, a brief survey of relevance theory is first made which includes its nature and its basic ideas and concepts. And then an exploration of the influence of this theory on translatio...