Translation As Deconstruction: With Special Reference To Treaties Signed By The Qing Government

Deconstruction came to shed its light on translation since the late 1980s and early 1990s as it attacks traditional translation concepts while bringing a multi-dimensional research methodology to translation studies. However, there is a lack of systematic and thorough investigation into deconstructive translation strategies, especially when it comes to application in translation practice. Misunderstandings of deconstructive translation ideas prevail as some people even go further to believe that the employment of deconstruction in translation practice lies in its negation and dismantling features.This thesis aims to explore deconstructive translation strategies in a new and systematic manner with special reference to treaties signed by the Qing Government under the particular historical background. Those treaties provide valuable data in English-Chinese translation studies due to its special features like signing parties, process of formulation and translation.This thesis endeavors to highlight the essence of deconstruction through the analysis of Qing treaties, in order to grasp the deconstruction translation strategies employed through the treaty-formulating process against the historical background.Based on the exploration of how the deconstruction translation theory and its strategies can be set out and employed in translation practice, the thesis arrives at the conclusion that (1) translation as deconstruction is a contextual event that should be carried out and evaluated against a particular context; (2) translation as deconstruction confirms the subjectivity of translators during the translation process; and (3) deconstructive translation strategies could be adopted as a theoretical guidance for translation practices in the such fields as diplomatic and legal texts.