On Feminism's Interpretation Of Traditional Binary Opposition In Translation

Under the binary opposition mode, the author-oriented and original text centered thoughts play important role in traditional translation theories. It happens to coincide that the Chinese and Western translation theories all emphasize on the authority of the original text and the author. Translator is servant of the author; the more transparent the better."Fidelity"is the everlasting yardstick for evaluating translated texts, and linguistic comparisons are always highlighted between two versions.The twentieth century saw the culture turn in translation and linguistic turn in philosophy. And translation study has taken on a new look under the multi-cultural background. Post colonialism, feminism and deconstructionism have all brought out new perspectives and inspirations from their diverse theories to translation study. This thesis is intended to discuss on feminist translation theory.In the beginning the core of feminism is to revolt patriarchy. Influenced by post-colonialism and deconstructionism, it then develops a thought system which resists all culture hegemony, and rearranges unequal status of women in politic, culture and language. In 1980s, it met with translation study and then combined with it closely on the ground of their mutual inferior conditions. Feminist translation theory argues that equal status must be placed upon the original text and the translated text. Translation is not mechanical transformation between languages but a creative activity involved with cultural intervention and harmonization.The discrimination of translated text originates from the binary opposition mode. The original text is authoritative, dominant and male; the translated text is inferior, subordinate and female. Translation and translators are supposed to be faithful to the original texts and authors, just as wives' faithfulness to their husbands and women's absolute submission to male-controlled power. The unequal struggle for authority over the text is to translation and translators what patriarchy over every field in the society is to women. Feminist translation theory denies the absoluteness of meaning and its authority. It emphasizes on the"difference"between the original and the translated. The translated text is extension and complement of the original, which constitutes a continuum with it. Besides, it also insists on the subjectivity of translators.Based on the above, this thesis will firstly neaten the development of feminism and its philosophical rebellions from traditional dualism philosophy. And then it will also make a review of binary opposition in translation study macroscopically: linguistic and literary schools, prescriptive and descriptive schools, structuralism and deconstructionism schools, which will be discussed in details. What's more, it will redefine and reinterpret the binary oppositions in translation: author-translator, original text-translated text, fidelity-infidelity, visibility-invisibility microscopically in perspective of feminist translation theory. By doing this, feminist translation theory and practice will be clear and its influences will attract more attention in academic research. Nevertheless, the feminist translation theory mainly deconstructs traditional translation theories, but has made little contribution to theoretical construction of the core issue of translation study. One basic issue, the criteria of translation, is not proposed clearly in perspective of feminist translation theory. After the deconstruction of dualism and center, the traditional power of original text was dismantled, but is translation a random manipulating process controlled by the translator? And if so, does it mean that the traditional author-centered theories are altered to translator-centered? What shall we do to find another balance in this new polarity? Those questions are not only essential for feminist translation theory, but also an indispensable question needed to be explored by other theories. For the limited length of this thesis the author may only pose these questions and suggest some ways for further research.