On The Choice Of Translation Strategies From The Postcolonial Perspective

Traditional translation theory is generally based on a supposition that translation is undertaken between two equal cultures, that is, the premise of translation activities is that the two cultures should be treated equally. As a matter of fact, political inequality and economic imbalance which exist in different countries bring about the power differences between the dominant culture and the subculture. Therefore, translation is not produced as it is supposed to be. That's why the traditional translation theory needs improving and postcolonial theory provides a practical perspective for its improvement.Postcolonial theory observes translation activities which have been undertaken in different historical contexts from the colonial perspective, and it also pays attention to the distortion and replacement of translated texts which conceal power struggle and operation between two cultures. From the postcolonial perspective, translation becomes as an effective channel of imposing cultural hegemony on the Third World by the First World, i.e., translation is a channel of colonization. Besides, it is the outcome of unequal dialogue between dominant culture and subculture. With the help of postcolonial theory, Homi Bhabha, one of the "Holy Trinity" of postcolonial theorists, raised an effective translation strategy named hybridity which is different from the traditional binary choices of translation strategies. The thesis is for the hybridity translation strategy by adopting methods of contrast, analysis and illustration, etc., and further proves its practicality. With postcolonial theory as its research background, the thesis intends to study the choice of translation strategies and tries to support hybridity as the third path of traditional translation strategies, namely domesticating and foreignizing methods. Translators are supposed to adopt hybridity translation strategy while they involve in translation activities. In this case, translation would become a relatively equal way of communication instead of being theoutcome of cultural colonization.Firstly, the thesis introduces the definition and scope of the postcolonial theory, intending to prove its advantages over the traditional research angles of translation studies. Secondly, the thesis analyzes domesticating and foreignizing methods with an intention of the illustration of their advantages respectively, but then points out that unilateral adoption of the two translation strategies may obliterate or exaggerate the differences of the world cultures, drifting off the track of equal translation. The translation strategy, existing in the third path which is called hybridity, could overcome the weaknesses by acquiring the strong points of the two traditional translation strategies, and can avoid some problems caused by the two strategies. Thirdly, it proceeds from the internal and external factors that may influence translator's choice of translation strategies. The thesis aims to prove that hybridity is the first choice to produce a relatively equal translation from the postcolonial perspective. Finally, case studies of some translators, e.g., Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi, are provided to further explain the practicality and charm of the adoption of hybridity. In the conclusion, the thesis points out that contemporary translators should focus on the influences caused by the internal and external factors, and they are supposed to adopt hybridity as their ideal translation strategy, at the same time to produce a satisfactory translated text from the postcolonial perspective. Furthermore, it also points out that translators should try to balance the advantages and disadvantages of two unequal cultures while they are translating and try to avoid nationalism. In other words, translators should be a fair emissary for cultural communication worldwide, not a tool for cultural colonization.