Power And Translation: A Translation Study From The Postcolonial Perspective

Power is ubiquitous; there exists no discourse, which is not influenced by power. Ignoring the relationship between power and translation, we cannot exactly find out the essence of translation activities, nor can we make convincing explanations for some translation phenomena. Translation and power coexist, and where there is translation, there is the operation of power. The choice of source texts and translation strategies reflects the relationship between discourse and power to a great extent, and constructs power as well. Translators' value judgements are not always neutral. Sometimes they are succumbed to some powers, and their translations serve the construction of powers involved. Translators are entangled in a web of powers all the time, which restricts the exertion of their subjectivity.Based on Michel Foucault's theory of discourse and power, the thesis explores translators' choice of different texts in the source culture, their attitudes towards differentials in the source text and their motives of disposal in translation activities from theoretical perspective of "nationalism," "hybridization" in postcolonial criticism, exposing the difference in positions and powers among various cultures as well as the influence of difference in positions between the target culture, which translator belongs to, and the source culture on translation activities. The thesis raises a query for the western languages, cultures and thoughts, which are spread worldwide, criticizes the exclusive attitudes towards differentials in other cultures for the sake of cultural "purity" and various forms of culturalcentrism (ethnocentrism, cultural hegemony and narrow nationalism).Taking historical facts concerning the relationship among translators, translation activities and powers in Chinese and foreign translation history as the data for the case study, the thesis rounds off with the...