A Study On Howard Goldblatt’s Translation Of Mi From The Perspective Of Translator’Subjectivity

With the emerging of "culture turn" in the1980s, translator’s subjectivity has been heatedly discussed in translation studies. Translator’s "invisible" status has been changed. Translation process is no longer considered as a simple conversion process from the original language to the target language, but a process full of creativity. Many contemporary translation theories such as functionalist school, descriptive school, hermeneutics, deconstructionism, aesthetics of reception etc are starting to question the authority of the original. They push translators into a more authoritative and subjective position. However many studies stress too much on the importance of the subjectivity of translator, researches on the influential factors on the translator’s subjectivity are not thorough enough. Therefore, how to exercise the translator’s subjectivity properly in the process of translation is still a controversial topic.Howard Goldblatt devotes himself to the translation of modern and contemporary Chinese novels into English. He is in the top position in the pyramid of the introduction of Chinese literature into English. He also enjoys the highest position in Chinese literature translators in the world of English. Chinese translation scholars concentrate their study on several typical novels translated by Howard Goldblatt, including Wolf Totem, Red Sorghum, Big Breasts and Wide Hips etc, in which Wolf Totem is the most representative one. Chinese translation scholars have made analysis and interpretations of this work from various angles, including Skopos theory, theory of translation norms, the motive of rewriting in translation, theory of intertextuality, translation of culture-loaded words, translation of animal metaphors, translator’s subjectivity, variation of the English version from cultural perspective and so on. Rice is rarely mentioned, hence the current studies.Research methods such as exemplification and induction were adopted in this thesis. Different interpretations of translator’s subjectivity were reviewed at the beginning of the thesis according to Professor Lv Jun’s division of three paradigms in Chinese translation studies. The connotation of translator’s subjectivity and the influential factors on translator’s subjectivity were analyzed on the theoretical basis of manipulation school and functionalist school. The manifestation of Howard Goldblatt’s subjectivity in the translation of Rice was analyzed, followed by reflections on the exercise of translator’s subjectivity.The author hopes that this thesis can serve as a supplement to the study of Howard Goldblatt, his translated works and translation thoughts. I also hope that it can deepen our understanding about translator’s subjectivity. From the study on Goldblatt’s case, we might get inspiration and enlightment on the exercise of translator’s subjectivity in the process of introducing and translating Chinese literature to the world.