Annotation In Literary Translation

Annotation is a historic practice that exists both in China and Western world. It is the act or process of furnishing critical commentary or explanatory notes. The practice of annotation dates back to the ancient time. Before 19th century, traditional Chinese annotation focused on intralingual translation, reaching its peak when Zhu Xi finished his variorums of The Four books (《四书》) . After 19th century, annotation, as an urgent issue, became widely connected to translation.The earlier translators tended to ignore annotation or use it casually, whose attitude exercised a considerable impact upon the translators and critics as well after them. Annotation is considered as the last resort of the translators who were at their wit's end, an indication of an abstruse translation, or even an announcement of the translator's own idea.This thesis not only tries to point out the necessity of annotation, but also tends to prove its deserved role in literary translation. Annotation, not only a tool or some dispensable or rather annoying attachments, should be included in translation. As a part of translation long ignored, annotation is lack of its own regulation, except in the academic writing, which requires detailed and strict regulations for each kind of annotation. Mostly annotation in translation is performed by the translators and editors and is easy to be cut off by anybody in power. To show the various applications of annotation, this thesis makes a comparative study between the two Chinese versions of Ulysses: the differences in the annotated versions caused by the diverse annotating strategies and their way of annotation are revealed clearly.This thesis also finds it enlightening to research the current situation of annotation, and the complicated reasons behind. It is true that many major phenomena in the field of literary translation are reflected from this minor aspect of annotation. Considering the frequent arguments against annotation,a survey of Annotation in Literary Translation to this thesis is attached, to show the well acceptance of annotation by the potential readers.It is to be admitted there is still much room for the further discussion for the topic that I've been trying to approve, because it's less touched upon by critics and translators as well. However, I sincerely hope my endeavor can be something suggestive and beneficial for promoting the research in the day to come.