Transform Of The Paradigm In Translation Studies: From Deconstruction To Reconstruction

As any other areas of Humanities, Translation Studies will always "be in the state of discussion forever" (Karl Popper). In each phase of it, lots of venerable theorists have done hard work. Originally, Translation is brought into the field of linguistics, which helps us to get rid of the subjectivity and mystery of the Philological Paradigm and to see that Translation Studies have become more intuitionistic and more scientific in the Structural Paradigm. However, an inevitable limitation of the Structural Paradigm lies in the fact that it only focuses on the effect of language rules and neglects subjective factors of human beings. As a matter of fact, translation here is nothing but a transform between language symbols.To the 1990s, the rise of Deconstruction thought in the translation field makes a tremendous impact on the leading position of the Structural Paradigm. Getting rid of language logocentrism and denying the decisive role of language laws, the Deconstruction Paradigm stresses that language is different, blurred and discrete. During this period, the Cultural Turn has greatly put forward Translation Studies, which thus shakes off the yoke of texts and puts Translation Studies into a greater cultural context. At this stage, two famous scholars named Susan Bassnett and Andre Lefevere play an important role of mainstay—they closely link translation to culture, clearly pointing out a series of external factors which influence translation. There is no doubt that people's perspective has changed a lot while facing translation because of the Cultural Turn.However, it should be pointed out that Translation Studies are inclining to Cultural Studies under the influence of the Deconstruction thought. In fact, the Structural Paradigm and Deconstruction Paradigm respectively stand for extremeness. The consequence of Deconstruction's giving full play to individual wills is confusion.Reflecting on the previous translation paradigms, Lv Jun, a domestic scholar in the field of Translation Studies, puts forward the Constructivist Translatology based on the Knowledge Sociology and the Communicative Action Theory advanced by the famous German philosopher and ideologist Jurgen Habermas (1929- ). If it can be said that the Deconstruction Paradigm has left perplexity after enthusiasm in our mind, the Constructivist Translatology could be representative of lucidity. For a series of basic issues of Translation Studies such as rational basis, epistemological basis, linguistic basis and so on, Lv Jun has given his comprehensive consideration and analysis.Besides, reflecting on the previous paradigms, the Constructivist Paradigm could make further discussion in the translation field. With its practical and methodological functions as well as theoretical ones, the Constructivist Paradigm could carve out a new road in Translation Studies, but it does not mean the crux confronted in those previous paradigms could be readily solved, and the reason can be found in the Constructivist Theory which insists on relativism. According to the theory, there is no ultimate result for human knowledge, which is constructed in the continuous falsification and modification. Therefore, the Constructivist Translatology only stands for a new perspective. Because of its clear and reasonable direction, we could have a more complete and objective understanding on Translation Studies.