The Androgynous Translation Theory As Reflected In The Chinese Version Of Gitanjali Translated By Bingxin

Feminists strive hard to protest against the patriarchal rules that keep women in the lower strata, and they henceforth greatly promoted women's social status. However, some feminists are too radical and in the process of contending for the right to speak they are devoting their efforts towards"overcorrection". They oppose dualism in the patriarchal society, but at the same time, they fall into another kind of dualism. Besides, the revolution they advocate is far away from what common women need in their daily life. If feminist translators over emphasize the translators'subjectivity, using"hijacking"to freely rewrite the source text, their efforts may deviate from the basic principles of translation, and their translation may cause confusion; therefore their translation cannot be regarded as qualified works. To solve the problem the concept of"androgyny"is proposed.Biologically, androgyny refers to the co-existence of the characteristics of both sexes in the same individual animal or plant. As for the androgynous translation theory, it is an immature one at present. As concerned with the present author's study, it contains three layers of meaning. The first layer is about the relationship between the translator and author. According to androgynous translation theory, both are creators. The translator can translate the other gender's works excellently. They may not have the same physical or biological experience, but they can have the identical psychological experiences. What follows is that, the translator should choose the suitable texts to translate. The texts should fit the personal interests, temperament, characteristics, styles, and the horizon of knowledge, just as Bingxin put,"to choose the preferable one to translate"(林佩璇2005, 67). The second layer is about the translated version and the original one. The translated version is a kind of collaboration or fusion with the original text. The experiences are shared. The gender awareness is transposed. One may take multifarious devices, but the thoughts and tones of the translation should be harmonious with the original one although the languages are different. Hans-Georg Gadamer's hermeneutics believes that the text is the fusion of the author's original horizon and the reader's present horizon, i.e. fusion of horizon (27). Androgynous translation theory also involves this understanding. The fusion of horizon of both genders produces new horizon and achieves higher and newer levels of meaning. The third layer is about the influence of androgynous translation theory. Basically, androgyny means two sexes getting together to have reproduction or produce the offspring or life force. Harmonious relationship and collaboration of the translator and author provide the original text with that life force. If we compare the original author to the father, the translator to the mother, they can produce many children. The children cannot be judged by the resemblances and merits of either the father (author) or the mother (translator), but by the fusion of both. The children (translated version) of this kind are full of vitality and hence have a longer life.