An Analysis Of C-E Political Translation From Adaptation And Selection Perspective

Since the implementation of Reform and Opening up Policy, China has achieved tremendous development and attracted much attention from other countries in the world. In recent thirty years, China’s international status has been enhancing in both politics and economy. Better understanding of political, economic and social information helps different countries harmoniously communicate with each other. Report on the Work of the Government is a kind of political documents which is annually delivered in National People’s Congress. It summarizes major information about China’s politics, economy, society, etc., therefore, provides a way for other countries to learn and know China. Under these backgrounds, translation of political texts is necessary and important.Many researches on political translation have been done by scholars, but most of them are from micro-perspective. The appearance of approach to Translation as Adaptation and Selection provides a macro-perspective translation theory. Holding the awareness that political translation needs further development and a new perspective can be used in study of political translation, the author chooses a typical political text, Report on the Work of the Government (2011), and analyzes its translation from adaptation and selection perspective, aiming at giving suggestions to political translation through analysis.In approach to Translation as Adaptation and Selection, translation is defined as translator’s adaptation and selection activities in translational eco-environment. Translator’s status is put in the central position. Thus, he/she plays a leading role during the translating process. Under the guidance of approach to Translation as Adaptation and Selection, the thesis analyzes translation of Report on the Work of the Government from linguistic dimension, cultural dimension and communicative dimension. Through analysis, the thesis also tries to find that how translator makes adaptation and adaptive selection to produce translation with high degree of holistic adaptation and selection.Political text possesses much solemnity in language, thus meaning of the source text cannot be changed freely in translation, otherwise, serious international communicative issue may be caused. It seems that translator has to follow the translation, but not leading it. Through analysis, however, the author finds that translator can appropriately select translation strategies in accordance with necessity of translational eco-environment, such as further explaining or restructuring the source language, to produce more effective communication. Therefore, translator’s centeredness and leading role are also shown in political translation.Due to the fact that political translation needs further development, the thesis finally provides suggestions to translator so that they can play their leading role in making better political translation, and contribute to China’s international communication.