An Analysis Of The "Unfaithfulness" In Tian Yan Lun From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

Yan Fu (1854-1921) is one of the most influential translators, translation theorists and enlightening thinkers in China. The principles "Faithfulness, Expressiveness, and Elegance" put forward by Yan Fu have been held up as criterion by the majority of Chinese translators in translation practice and studies ever since. His translation, Tian Yan Lun (hereafter abbreviated as TYL), aroused the nationalism and democratism among the Chinese people, for which he was known as "the first one to introduce Western learning" (Hu Shi). The comments on Yan Fu's translation, TYL, however, have been controversial in the translation field, including compliments as well as criticisms since its publication in 1898. The focus of the controversy is mainly on the "Unfaithfulness" and "Elegance" of Yan Fu's translation works.In the situation where translation theory has developed to a new stage, how should we evaluate Yan Fu's translation ideology and practice? With a view to an in-depth recognition and re-evaluation of Yan Fu's approach to translation, this thesis intends to make a tentative analysis from the perspective of German Skopos Theory, arguing that despite the imperfection of his translations, there're rationality and acceptability in his manipulation of contents and linguistic forms, and the conclusion is that as it has fulfilled Yan Fu's purposes of translation, TYL, is an adequate translation.According to the Skopos Theory, before translating, the initiator who starts off the translation process will usually prescribe the time, place, receptor, medium of the intended communication and the intended function of the text, which constitute an explicit translation brief specifying what kind of translation is needed. The translator follows the Skopos of the translation brief. In the translating process the Skopos determines the translational action. To assess a translation is to judge whether or not it is adequate to its translation brief and whether or not it has delivered the initiator's Skopos of the translation.