Rethinking Translation Strategy From A Postcolonial Perspective

With the prevalence of postcolonial theories in cultural studies, the research has been applied in translation studies. The thesis intends to study the translation strategies from postcolonial perspective, trying to prove that besides domestication and foreignization, hybridization is a better choice for translators. The thesis begins with an introduction to postcolonial theory in aspects of background, representative figures and their respective theories. Then the thesis proceeds to focus on translation strategies in postcolonial context. It discusses the dichotomy of domestication and foreignization through surveying the origins of the two strategies. Then it goes on viewing the two strategies from postcolonial perspective with an intention of illustrating their advantages respectively. It also points out that unilateral adoption of the two strategies has their limitations. Finally, the thesis analyzes hybridity, a third choice of translation strategy. By exploring on the hybrid nature of translated text, the thesis argues that all translations are characterized by hybridity, resulting from a compromise between domestication and foreignization. Hybridity can be viewed as a better choice in that two cultures involved are able to converse with each other on a relatively equal basis and thus promote exchange of the two cultures.