An Intertextuality-based Model Of Translation Quality Evaluation

Translation criticism has long been an important yet difficult issue in translation studies. Researches have made a great many attempts on models of translation quality assessment, such as Julian House who applies functional linguistics to translation quality assessment and Katharina Reiss who conducts the relevant studies from the pragmatic and functional perspectives. The concept of intertextuality which was introduced by the French critic, semiotician, psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva in the 1960s is a buzzword in modern literary theory in the wake of structuralism and post-structuralism. Intertextuality theory, which deconstructs the fixed meaning of a text and emphasizes the dependence of a text upon previous texts for its understanding, provides a new perspective to translation studies and to translation quality evaluation.Based on a detailed analysis and classification of the intertextuality of a translation text, this thesis proposes that translation criterion based on intertextuality is that a translation text should achieve intertextual adequacy both with the source text and with the target language environment. Thus the translation quality evaluation based on intertextuality can be carried out from the source-oriented perspective and the target-oriented perspective. The source-oriented evaluation of intertextuality includes the evaluation of the source-oriented micro-intertextuality and the source-oriented macro-intertextuality, and the target-oriented evaluation of intertextuality incorporates the evaluation of target-oriented micro-intertextuality and target-oriented macro-intertextuality. However, the values of these four aspects of intertextuality are not the same. Two principles should be followed for the whole evaluation:the adequacy of source-oriented micro-intertextuality is the most essential and important requirement for a translation; and the inadequacy of source-oriented intertextuality can be justified on condition that it aims to achieve adequacy of target-oriented intertextuality.To prove the effectiveness of this translation quality evaluation model, it is used to evaluate Wang Jiaxiang's translation of David Lodge's Small World. After a detailed evaluation of each aspect of intertextuality of the translation text, the merits and demerits of Wang's translation are summarized. The main merit of his translation is the adequacy of its source-oriented micro-intertextuality which greatly determines the whole quality of translation. The demerits of Wang's translation are mainly about the inadequacy of source-oriented macro-intertextuality which can not seek proper justification in its target-oriented intertextuality. And possible suggestions are proposed to improve his translation.From the case study of Wang Jiaxiang's translation, we can conclude that this model is effective because the source and target driving forces during the translation process are taken into consideration within the category of intertextuality, and the applicability and objectivity can be guaranteed by the principle that the priority of the four aspects of intertextuality is determined by the translation purpose. Also a clear classification of intertextuality of a translation text makes the evaluation feasible. Besides, this model is also constructive in that it enables the evaluator to propose possible suggestions for further improvement.