On The Translator's Subjectivity In Feminist Translation

Since the advent of the "cultural turn" in translation studies in the 1980s, the translation research has begun to take into account various factors that affect translation, such as the patronage system, literary norm, feminism, postcolonial theory, etc. Feminism as one of these factors has far-reaching influence on translation studies. It is natural that feminism and translation studies should combine with each other because of their common interest and similarity. The birth of feminist translation theory provides a unique perspective for translation studies—a feminist perspective. This paper intends to probe into the issue of the translator's subjectivity from a feminist perspective. It seeks to explore the translator's subjectivity in feminist translation, in consideration of both its theory and its practice.Feminist translators' subjectivity is brought into full play through their manipulation of and intervention into the original. Feminist translators view translation as a rewriting—rewriting in a feminine way. They do their utmost to overturn the patriarchal oppression imposed on women and to construct their female identity in the target text by employing a new language—a feminine language in translation. In translation practice, they adopt bold and interventionist translation strategies to make their voice heard and their female identity visible in the target text. In feminist translation, translators become the manipulator of the original and they are given much more room to exert their subjectivity and creativity. This dissertation consists of four chapters in addition to an introduction and a conclusion.The introduction gives an account of the background of feminist translation theory and the present situation of researches on this theory, explains the uniqueinterpretation of the translator's subjectivity by feminist translation theory, and points out the purpose and significance of the studies on the translator's subjectivity in feminist translation.Chapter One introduces the content of the translator's subjectivity and the history as well as the present situation of the studies on the translator's subjectivity.Chapter Two analyzes the factors that cause the birth of feminist translation theory and gives an interpretation of the connotation of this theory.Chapter Three discusses the feminist emphasis on the translator's subjectivity and the translator's subjectivity in feminist translation practice.Chapter Four offers some reflections on feminist translation. The significance and limitations of feminist translation theory and practice are, discussed and some suggestions are put forward for further study of this issue.In Conclusion, the paper points out that feminist translation theory tends to go extreme in deconstructing traditional translation studies. To avoid the over-emphasis on the translator's subjectivity in feminist translation, the concept of "androgyny" is suggested as a guideline in feminist translation theory. However, it is undeniable that feminist translators' manipulation of and intervention into the original helps to enhance the status of women translators and win equality between men and women.