A Comparative Study Of Self-translation And Conventional Translation In Literature

Self-translation is a particular phenomenon of translation. Compared with the flourishing of translation studies, self-translation begins to gain attention from scholars recent years. However, the studies about self-translation at home are especially rare. In this thesis a study on self-translation will be made and confined to literature self-translation. The author of this thesis will conduct a comparison between self-translation and conventional translation, and explore the superiority of self-translation in literature, hoping to make significant contribution to translation studies, translation practice and translation criticism.In this thesis, firstly the definition of self-translation will be given and some issues and dissension concerning self-translation will be expatiated arid clarified. Secondly, Lefevere's theory of rewriting will be employed and a comparison between self-translation and conventional translation will be conducted with the focus on their difference which lies in three stages of pre-translation, mid-translation and post-translation. Thirdly, a case study of Lin Yutang will be conducted.Through the study of this thesis, it is presented that self-translation is in possession of particularity as a particular form of translation and universality of conventional translation. The particularity endows self-translation with superiorities: first, regarded as the ideal interpreter of the original text, the self-translator is the right person for whom it is much easier to convey the intended meaning and reach the spirit of the original. Second, with the freedom conferred on the self-translator as the writer of the original text, he or she will make bold changes and adjustments to the original in order to better rebuild literary image and fictional universe, taking the linguistic and cultural currents of the target readers, and the ideological and poetical factors into consideration. Third, the self-translator considers more about the horizon of expectations of the reader, so there are great possibilities of breakthrough for translation in aesthetic effect and literariness. Then, the case study of Lin Yutang reveals that:(a) the self-translator acts as a translator in respect that during the process of self-translation he is still challenged by the linguistic and cultural obstructions. (b) The author/translator is allowed more freedom in self-translation and he or she would frequently make use of such additional approaches which ordinary translators seldom employ. (c) The self-translator introduces bold changes to the original with the aim of considering the horizon of expectations of the reader and seeking aesthetic effect and literariness.The significance of this thesis lies in two points:the first is to cast a light on the ordinary translation. The second is to encourage literature self-translation. For the former, the conventional translator could borrow from the self-translator the target-reader and target-text oriented strategy to manipulate the original to achieve the literariness, readability and acceptability. The purpose of translation is communication. Therefore the target-reader oriented strategy could be one of the effective ways in coping with cultural clash. The great achievements self-translation has made could help to re-examine and reconfirm the nature of literature translation, as well as the concept of "loyalty" to the author, "equivalence" and "faithfulness" to the original. For example, to what extent the translation should be faithful to the original? What's more, it should also be realized that translation studies should break out of established standard norms so as to seek further development. For the latter, with the development of globalization, more and more people with bilingual and bicultural competence will emerge, which will bring great possibilities of the flourishing of self-translation activities, thus to promote the communication among the republic of letters.