An Approach To Translation As Topological Transformation

In topology, the invariability preserved through deformations of geometric figures and multidimensional spaces is referred to as topological property. George Steiner assumes that the fabric of culture is topological, for there are invariants and constants underlying the manifold shapes of expression in culture. Translation, being an important form of cultural succession, can therefore be regarded as a topological transformation process. The invariants and partial variables existing in this process reflect the "invariability within variability", the essential topological property of translation.Based on Steiner's topologically macro study of the relationship between translation and culture, this thesis shifts the perspective of translation studies to micro aspects and finally establishes a complete topological transformation methodology of translation, which includes a transformation model, its appraisal criteria, dominant principles and typical strategies. This methodology provides strong interpretations for the properties and the operating mechanism of translation from both macro and micro perspectives without self-contradiction.The thesis consists of six chapters.Chapter One is an introduction to the background, purpose, significance and research methods concerning the present study. This thesis focuses on establishing an approach to translation as topological transformation to clarify the essence of translation and to manipulate the process of translation effectively. The research methods of deductive reasoning and paradigmatic analysis are adopted in the thesis.Chapter Two illustrates the primary topological concepts and the application of topology in academic researches. In addition, Steiner's theory of the topologies of culture is reviewed. It states that culture is a sequence of translations and transformations of constants;cultural continuity is the result of the variation of the precursors' works, and the relations of "invariance within cultural transformations" are those of translation.Chapter Three articulates the topological property of translation. Many theories like isomorphism, pure language, common core, determinacy and indeterminacy of language, game theory, etc. are cited to clarify the topological property of translation, its invariability, variability, invariants, variables and their existing foundations. It summarizes that translation process can be studied in terms of topological transformation.Chapter Four analyzes the topological structure of translation. The focus of the thesis is shifted step by step from the macro perspective to a micro one. It advocates that translation is a switch of meaning from SL to TL texts. Meaning has its own topological structure. Accordingly, a complete meaning of a SL or TL text can be represented by its topological structure, in which the abstract meaning of a text is the set in the first hierarchy;three semiotic meanings are its subsets in the second hierarchy;and their subsets (the elements contained in each semiotic meaning) in the third. Various shaped topological structures (or topologies) are formed between the sets. The topological structure of a SL text is not necessarily constituted of all the subset meanings, but the constants always occupy a prominent place in it.Chapter Five is the most important part of the thesis. In this chapter, a complete theoretical system of topological translation is established. The topological transformation model of translation starts operating with analyzing the topological structure of SL textual meaning, identifying its invariants and variables, putting forward cognitively the translations that have similar topological structures to the SL text, and ends with selecting the translations that has the most similar topological structure (MSTS) to the SL text. In translation, topological equivalence should be regarded as a dominant principle that runs through the whole process, and the MSTS principle as a yardstick and appraisal criterion of the translation outcome. In addition, the typical topological translation strategies, intertextual strategy and analogical strategy, are discussed. This chapter has also covered the argumentation on translators' creativity and its control mechanism in topological transformation of translation.Chapter Six is the conclusion of the thesis. On the one hand, it points out that translation studies from a holistic and macro view of topology is effective to clarify the essence of interlingual transfer: invariability within variability. Also, via micro mechanism, it makes the methodology accessible to practice. On the other, it brings forward the problems in the approach and provides suggestions for further studies. Since the transformation model of translation involves subjectivity in analyzing, further studies require achieving mastery in applying this methodology. Every step in the transformation model should be furnished with sufficient illustrations to reduce the subjectivity in translating to the minimum degree.