The Role Of Andre Lefevere's Theory Of Rewriting In Explaining Translation

This thesis aims to probe deeper into Andre Lefevere's Theory of Rewriting from the cultural and political perspective, illustrate the reasonableness and limitations of previous research on the basis of dialectical analysis , indicate its contribution to translation studies in comparison with other relevant translation theories (polysystem theory, descriptive translation approach) and probe into the historical and practical significance of accurately understanding the Theory of Rewriting for translation studies in current context of economic and cultural globalization.Firstly, with the application of the historical-descriptive and dialectical approach the thesis analyses the previous research on Andre Lefevere's theory of rewriting, pointing out its reasonableness and limitations. Lefevere's theory of rewriting approaches translation phenomena in a systemic, dynamic, descriptive, functional, target-oriented way and contrasts sharply with the traditional translation studies. He put translation into the political, ideological, economic and cultural background and conceived that translation should be contextualized and translation should be examined in social and cultural milieu. It widens the scope of translation studies and starts a new perspective for further translation research. Moreover, Lefevere's theory of rewriting provides us with a theoretical framework to study the unusual translation phenomenon. However, constant achievements on Translation Studies exposed limitations of the previous research on Andre Lefevere's theory of rewriting in explaining literary translation: less attention to the influence of translation on the target culture; poetics remains underestimated; the subjective participation role of the translators remains neglected.Secondly, the dialectical analysis and comparison of the theory with other relevant translation theories show its criticism and development of other relevant theories (polysystem theory, descriptive translation approach), pointing out their similarities: A "translation studies shift" has been taken; Attention has been paid to extraliterary factors and the influence of the translated text on the target culture has been emphasized. Moreover, translation, undertaken in the service of power, takes place under the constraints of literary and political power structure and has to reckon with those constraints. Power can be argued to be its essence.Lastly, Andre Lefevere's theory of rewriting exerts great impact on the translation circles. The relationship between literary translation studies and the target culture has drawn more and more academic attention and efforts. Though the theory also has its limitations, the research on it is of historical and practical significance for translation studies in the current context of economic and cultural globalization. Literary translation is a cross-cultural communication manipulated by such power factors as ideology, poetics, patronage, universe of discourse and language. In the current context of economic and cultural globalization there are dual roles of the translator: as a restrained rewriter who must work under the constraints of poetics and socio-cultural conventions of the target system and as an active cultural constructor who has always participated in the formation and evolution of the target culture. Translation is dialogic and interdisciplinary in its very nature. The study of translation also needs a plurality of voices. It should be more open to other disciplines such as history, sociology, politics, psychology and philosophy to add both diversity and depth to its development.