Studies On The Process Of Condensed Translation

The mainstream of translation, down through history, is translation pure and simple, which is called full or complete translation. It aims at preserving the integrity of the original to its greatest degree without any supplement or deletion of the original. However, there are cases of adaptations of the original, such as supplement, deletion or remodeling. For long translation studies have been focusing on the former while the latter remains unstudied. Huang Zhonglian has proposed a new definition of translation based on his own translation practice and the study of the definitions by his predecessors, and further argues that translation has its narrow sense and broad sense. Translation in its narrow sense equals traditional translation, which is complete translation while translation in its broad sense equals translation variation in question, which is non-complete translation. Complete translation and translation variation form a pair of new categories and the combination of them constitutes the whole picture of translation studies. Huang Zhonglian has conducted a profound study on the phenomenon of translation variation and propounded his Translation Variation Theory, which is undoubtedly complementary to the existing traditional translation theory. Variation is the core concept and foundation of this theory. There are seven adaptive ways which are supplement, deletion, edition, summarization, reduction, combination and remodeling. From the seven adaptations eleven varieties are derived: selective translation, translation and editing, translated narration, condensed translation, translated summarization, translated commentary, summarized translation commentary, explanatory translation, translation rearrangement, translation and writing, reference translation.This thesis is an attempt to explore the process of condensed translation, one of the eleven varieties, based on Huang Zhonglian's translation variation theory. The process of translation variation can be macroscopic and microcosmic. This thesis focuses on the microcosmic process of condensed translation. The microcosmic process of condensed translation can take on three forms. It is our belief that only the form of condensation preceding translation can be applied to the microcosmic process of condensed translation. This process includes condensation and translation. The former will be studied in detail in that the latter is actually complete translation. After condensation of the original, the semantic relations will inevitably be destroyed.