On Translation Criterion Based On "Faithfulness" With "Rank Shift" Approach

Faithfulness in translation has so far been one of the focuses intranslation studies since the origin of translation theory. Most traditionaltranslation theories are source oriented, and the translation criterion oftenemphasizes the faithfulness to the source-text, which is an idealitypursued by lots of translators. However, since post-modem thoughtsspread out and penetrated into translation theory, the traditional conceptof faithfulness has been subverted and negated, leaving no bettertranslation criterion to substitute it. Therefore both the traditional theoriesand post-modem theories are just confined to their own perspectives indealing with translation criteria, bringing about a confused or nihilisticstate in translation studies. In this case, to bring our translation studiesand development in a sound orbit, it is necessary for us to establish acomprehensive and scientific translation criterion to meet therequirements of our contemporary translation practice and studies.By analyzing the traditional translation theories and somepost-modem theories, the author finds out that, to compensate for thedeficiencies of the traditional concept of faithfulness, we should breakthrough the boundary of traditional translation criterion oriented in thesource-text to widen our perspectives and absorb the positive elements incontemporary translation theories. Therefore, the importance of different elements concerned is dealt with on different levels and their dialecticalrelations are analyzed in this thesis. According to their differentimportance, all the elements have been ranked in hierarchy with the "rankshift" approach from linguistic theory of translation based onsystemic-functional linguistics. In this way, the traditional concept offaithfulness has been redefined as not only being faithful to the original,but also being faithful to the target readership, the target culturalenvironment and translation purpose which have been the focus of thepost-modern translation studies. And therefore, it has been developed intoa dynamic, multi-dimensional, hierarchical and scientific system ofcriterion which integrates source-oriented perspective withreaders-oriented perspective and purpose-oriented perspective.To enhance the maneuverability of our hierarchical system oftranslation criterion, the translation purpose is regarded as thecompulsory rank and placed in the position of the highest rank of thehierarchical system, and with the translation purpose as a regulator,faithfulness can further shift up and down the rank scale of thehierarchical system of translation criterion. The different extents of atranslation's faithfulness depend on different translation purposes,different target cultural environments, different target readership anddifferent text-types of the original. According to this new concept offaithfulness, a translator should first and foremost be faithful to the translation purpose, and then with the regulation of the translationpurpose, he can get the optimal balance between faithfulness to theoriginal and that to the target readership as well as to the target culturalenvironment.Finally, by applying the hierarchical criterion system of faithfulnessto evaluate two different translation cases in this thesis, the author pointsout that, to evaluate whether a translation is faithful or not, we should,with translation purpose as the regulator based on rank-shift approach,make an objective and overall analysis of the relevant elements such asthe translation purpose, the target readership, the target culturalenvironment and the text-type of the original to come to an objective andscientific conclusion. Only in this way can the translation criterion beauthentically feasible in translation practice.