A Contextual Approach To Image Inharmony In Literary Translation

Imagery is very common in both Chinese and Western literatures. Since it plays such an important role in literary works, translators should strive to transfer harmonious images in literary translation. Image transference, therefore, deserves a close examination.The thesis studies image inharmony from the perspective of both linguistic and cultural contexts. It is divided into four chapters. Chapter One discusses the definition, features and the category of imagery, followed by a survey of literature on image transference. The definition of imagery here refers to reflections of an object when an aesthetic subject perceives it. According to the definition, we know that imagery has two features. The first is that it always involves feelings; the second is that it is metaphoric. Imagery may be divided into cultural images and common images. Since cultural images are always the most difficult in translation, the thesis will focus its analysis on cultural images.Chapter Two is the most important part of the thesis. It analyzes three cases of image inharmony in literary translation: 1.TT images inharmonious with ST culture; 2.TT images inharmonious within TT linguistic context; 3. demetaphorized images in ST context inappropriately remetaphorized in TT context. In the first case, since historical culture, religious culture and social customs are the factors that are closely related to image inharmony in translation, the author discusses the translation of images inharmonious with historical culture, religious culture and social customs. In the second case, the author points out that as the translator does not pay much attention to the other images in the TT linguistic context, images may be in conflict with each other in the linguistic context. Hence the phenomenon of image inharmony arises. In the third case, transference of dead images is discussed. If an image is demetaphorized in the ST context, directly transferring it into the TT context would remetaphorize the dead image. Although it is good for cultural exchanges, it violates the criterion of faithfulness in translation. Hence, the phenomenon of image inharmony pops up.In Chapter Three, the author discusses some strategies that can avoid image inharmony in translation practice, such as direct duplication of images, duplication of images combined with paraphrase or with annotations, substitution with nonculturally loaded images, omission of images, etc.Finally, the author concludes that the translator must improve the competence of contextual analysis in literary translation so that he can achieve harmony of imagery in literary translation.