Multi-Complementary Translation Criticism With Special Reference To The Study On Three Chinese Versions Of The Scarlet Letter

In this thesis, the author attempts to propose six evaluation models—Hermeneutic and Reception Aesthetics which provide a basic theory support for other translation theories;Antonie Berman and Gideon Toury's theories of translation criticism which put forward a more scientific method of translation criticism from the language perspective;functionlism which presents a major priciple ,i.e. Skopostheorie for translation criticism and cultural translation criticism which makes translation criticism shift from the isolated text to the related elements concerning the production of the translated text, especially the social-cultural conditions of the receiving system so as to further explore the relations between different cultures as well as people's attitudes toward cultural exchanges. The author synthesizes the advisabilities of the six evaluation models to consolidate a multi-complementary model for translation criticism. It makes a critical analysis of the three Chinese versions of The Scarlet Letter in chapter four based on the multi-complementary translation criticism system especilly concerning"problematic textual zones"by Antonie Berman, functionalism and cultural criticism.The six evaluation models that have been mentioned above mainly focus one aspect of translation respectively and cut the linkage between the elements in the chain of author-text-translator-reader. While translation is a complex activity, with many factors influencing the production of the translation product and its reception. Consequently, translation criticism should not focus on just one or two aspects but be comprehensive and multi-complementary. Thus, to keep the pace of the development of translation theory, and to guide the practice of translation effectively, it is imperative to establish a comprehensive model of translation criticism, which is one of the two aims of the thesis. Another aim of the thesis is to check the feasibility of the multi-comlementary translation criticism system based on the analysis and evaluation of the three Chinese versions of The Scarlet Letter. This multi-complementary model is made possible by merging the common conceptual elements of the various models and accounting for areas of difference. It clarifies the various stages of translation criticism, and identifies what factors the critic should take into consideration at each stage.The literary work The Scarlet Letter brings this model into exersize and this model has begun to stood feasible.