C-E Tourism Introduction Text Translation-Under The Guidance Of Translation Variation Theory

Translation variation has long been common device in the translation practice, such as the adaptation in advertisement, transedit in news publications or the translation and writing in literature. Unfortunately they are only admitted as devices in each field, and viewed as a challenge to the translation theories or worse. They are considered a kind of betrayal to the source writers and texts. After abundant study of translation variation works, Huang Zhonglian proposes his Translation Variation Theory (shortened as TVT in this thesis), aiming to provide a complete theoretical framework and foundation for translation variation. This theory has expanded the scope and the pattern of Chinese translation theories, and the multi-dimensioned theoretic system pioneers a way for Chinese scholars. However, as a theory in its beginning, it needs further test and development.The author of this paper tries to apply the theory to the CE tourism introduction translation (shortened as TT), with an aim to test the theory and verify her assumptions. The texts used as source texts in this thesis refer to the Chinese written texts printed in tourism guide publications circulated among the society or within certain circles, or those published on the websites, by publishing houses, tourist agents or the government offices, introducing scenery spots, resources, tourism facilities and so on, with the aim to give overseas tourists detailed and appealing descriptions about those tourism items and arouse their desire to come for a visit. These texts carry much Chinese historical or cultural information, and most of them are written down in the way of typical Chinese thinking and with the Chinese language features. The common complete translation of TT always proves to be a failure in the cross-cultural communication, since the cultural images and information are always lost in translation process or missed by the foreign readers even though they are properly translated, not to mention the vocative effect intendedby the initiators. The translators need to make modifications of the text and try to realize their text function. Translation Variation Theory provides here a series of strategies as well as theoretic backup.In this thesis, the author gives detailed introduction and argumentation for Translation Variation Theory, and analysis and classification for the Chinese tourism introduction texts. Combined with illustrations on a group of tourism introduction texts, the author further argues for the necessity and benefits of the utilization of translation variation, and provides the proper strategies and assistant rules for it.In addition, the author discusses some questions involved in the controversies arising in translation study, including the scope of translation (whether Translation variation can be grouped into the scope of translation), translation variation vs. faithfulness and translation Variation vs. complete translation.Then the author goes on with the criticism of the theory. Since Prof. Huang's basic study lies on Yan Fu's translation and his own experience, he mainly concentrates on the information importation, which has great impact on the formation of this theory. Much cultural information in the Chinese tourism introduction text makes translation variation a must. But introducing cultural items doesn't seem as simple as bringing in latest foreign knowledge. After her study of this theory and her real practice, the author finds that, due to cultural difference, translation of Chinese traditional message, much deletion and combination (condensation of information) and rearrangement of the message sequence are not the most favorable methods, and efficiency is not the only aim. Cultural issues should be understood and learned with not only readability but persuasive power in target text, which can win the recognition and interest of the readers. For CE translation,"creativeness"instead of"condensation"should be given prominence to for translation variation to achieve better cross-cultural communication.