A Study On The Indeterminacy Of Translation Thesis And Translation Criteria

Willard Van Orman Quine (1908-2000) brings forward in his Word and Object a famous theory, the indeterminacy of translation (IT), which introduces a new explanation about language and meaning and has aroused an extensive and fierce argument in the last century. This thesis firstly offers a literature review by making a study on most of the translation criteria in existence as well as their deficiencies: they are the highest criteria which are too perfect to reach in translation practice. Then it studies the core of IT, the indeterminacy of meaning (IM) and the inscrutability of reference (IR), based on which there is no absolutely right translation in the world. Quine's thesis reveals the dialectical thinking manner in translation study and practice.Translation criterion is a topic frequently discussed, yet without reaching a consensus. There exist lots of translation criteria, but few of which could meet the actual requirements of present-day translation practice and translation criticism. Therefore, it goes without saying that translation criteria have to be viewed in a new sense and accordingly need to be re-orientated. As diverse translation theories keep emerging, we need to insist on a materialistic dialectics and research into translation activities with multi-perspectives so as to maintain a deep and comprehensive understanding. Therefore, translation criteria tend to be multiple. However, to oppose the extreme argument that "multi- means limitless or multi- equals no criterion", the thesis suggests from the constructive perspective that a minimum criterion be established to guide translation practice. The criterion should be a scientific and basic criterion that can distinguish a qualified translation from an unqualified one, and can guide the translators in the translation process. We hold that there is a maxim criterion for the translator to pursue, for which we claim translation criteria are of different levels. A translation should at least achieve the lowest level in order to be a qualified one first, and then, with the minimum requirements fulfilled, the more equivalents to the source text, the better the translation could turn out to be.