Philosophical Hermeneutics In Translation Studies

During the past thirty years, especially since 1980s, approaches to translation in all countries almost have seen much rapid progress, ushering in an unprecedented boom, thus there appears on the scene that "20th century is the century of translation". Translation study frees itself from linguistic mode and comparative literary studies, becoming an independent role on the stage of history. More and more subjects have been involved in, and meanwhile translation studies lend techniques and methods to other disciplines. And since 1960s, hermeneutics, as the theory searching for understanding and interpretation of meaning, has prevailed in the West. The theoretical ideas and methods of this philosophical school have penetrated into nearly all the human sciences, even the natural sciences. In the current thesis, we are to deal with hermeneutics, especially Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics and its three principles (prejudice, fusion of horizon and effective history) in close connection with translation, by reference to which we may achieve a better understanding toward translation. As a matter of fact, the claims in this thesis have implications different from the common sense of the daily use and thus cannot simply be understood in terms of the contemporary criteria. That is, we are striving to understand them in a hermeneutic sense, translated works in translation are not merely the repeat of the original works. From views of Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics, they are the outcome of collaboration between translator and the original works. Far beyond being a merely repeat, the translated works should be regarded as inventions in the tradition of target nations. Therefore, the investigation of present work can be approached from the following:Chapter one serves as an introduction, previous classification made by western and Chinese researchers are described as its translational background, and the changes in mainstreams and linguistic turn in western philosophy are introduced as philosophical background. Then the latter part explains the purpose and organization of this thesis. In Chapter two, we will examine the development of hermeneutics and some related concepts of Gadamer's hermeneutics, from which we may notice the character of traditional hermeneutics. Chapter three is an attempt to put translation studies within the scope of hermeneutics, we intent to combine them together and wish to provide the translator with insight into the translation phenomenon with reference to hermeneutics, so as to provide a new perspective to translation studies. We are to deal with them in five parts: A. Philosophical Hermeneutics and Translation; B. Historicity of Understanding; C. Prejudice, Misunderstanding and Creative Treason; D. Fusion of Horizon and Cultural Filtering; E. Effective History and Retranslation. And then we come to the last chapter, which is a conclusion of the whole thesis. This chapter not only reviews the important points put forward, but also indicates that this thesis is an effort to make new approach to translation studies which is different from traditional one.