On Translation Strategies Adopted In Lin Yutang's Translated Works-From The Perspective Of Cultural Translation Theory

In this thesis, the author would like to carry a study on Lin's translation strategies in dealing with cultural messages.The cultural turn put forward by the Translation Studies scholars, including James Holmes, Anton Popovic, Evan-Zohar and especially Susan Bessnett and Andre Lefevere, shifted the focus from"literal translation"and"free translation"to culture, suggesting incorporating culture into the translation studies. Since the cultural turn, translation's function in influencing and re-constructing cultures has drawn more and more attention.During his whole life, Lin Yutang has produced a large quantity of translated works, which brought plenty of new elements into the world. With his translated works, Lin introduced China to the West, picturing a Chinese culture according to his own understanding and conveying the Chinese philosophies that he has absorbed from Chinese culture. Lin's translated works, to some extent, have constructed a third culture for the western readers. It is true that Chinese culture is more than what is contained in Lin's translated works. However, Lin Yutang has made great contribution in introducing Chinese culture to the world. Lin Yutang dedicated all his life to introducing Chinese and Western cultures to his readers. The popularity he got among the western readers is closely related to his choice in texts and in translation strategies.The thesis begins with a short discussion on the values existing in the research on Lin Yutang's translation as well as the current research on Lin Yutang and his translated works. Emerged in two cultures all his life, Lin Yutang was quite familiar with both of them. However, Lin Yutang preferred Chinese culture to Western culture, which will be fully explained in the body part of the thesis. Lin's preference in Chinese culture and the fact that he was familiar with Western culture have a great effect on his choices of texts and translation strategies, which turns out to be exactly correspondent with what is put forward by the Translation Studies. The author introduces the core theory of Translation Studies, and, with the cultural translation theory as the theoretical basis, analyzes the strategies adopted in Lin Yutang's C-E translation. Lin Yutang chose translation strategies under the influence of culture while the choices he made also exerted influence on, or even re-constructed the culture.