A Criticism Of Translation Studies From An Ethical Perspective

This thesis is to present an ethical criticism about translation studies in different stages. It also posits that there is a tendency towards translation ethics in the globalization context.In the prescriptive paradigm of translation studies, influenced by scientism and instrumental rationality, translation theorists regard the source text as an objective thing whose value lies in its usefulness for human beings. In order to meet the purposes of translators or their clients, additions or deletions in translation seem to be axiomatically acceptable. Translation is only considered as one way to achieve pragmatic purposes required by human beings. Moreover, translation theorists believe that, in translation process, the original meaning is rooted in the source text and gets constant regardless of time and place. It can be abstracted from the source text by translators in different periods and places. Then it seems that translators can approach the original meaning by grasping the transferring rules between two languages. The task of translators seems to explore the original meaning and represent it in the target text. Therefore, translators needn't make efforts to think about the ethical issues such as how to deal with the foreign culture, how to consider"self"and"other"and so on. In sum, in the prescriptive paradigm of translation studies, ethical consideration is out of the concern of translation theorists. This situation remains unchanged until translation studies develops into the stage of culture translation studies and especially deconstruction translation studies.In the deconstruction translation studies, influenced by humanism and value rationality, language is not considered as a representative of the reality as traditionally assumed but as a way by which people care about their mind. Deconstruction theorists argue that language has been continually applied to construct ideology and value concepts for people by means of institutions such as government, schools, mass media and so on. Therefore, by analyzing and understanding their languages, people can evaluate their living situation and try to make it a better place. They also think that the source text isn't a mediator to carry the author's intention as assumed in the previous translation studies, but possesses its own independent value."There is nothing outside a text, a text expresses itself"as Derrida's famous saying goes. Then translators shouldn't deal with the source text intentionally for purposes of an individual or institution. The translation process is a process of decision-making, in which any retaining and rejecting of the original information reflect translators'attitude to foreign cultures. Since translators aren't in a value-free place, they should consider what and how to translate. Therefore, the issues of what kind of ethical attitude translators should have and how to regulate translator's responsibility become the focus of translation studies. Then the ethical perspective has presented a new approach to translation studies.In the ethical paradigm of translation studies, translators'responsibility is shifted from transferring between two languages to promoting the successful cross-cultural communication. They should obtain two sets of cultural standards to evaluate the value of different cultures and then transfer ethically between them. They should take humanism as their guidance and serve for purposes of the whole world. In the globalization context, the cultures of the Third-world Countries should be particularly emphasized.