On Hybridity In The Translation Strategy Of The Two English Versions Of Hong Lou Meng

A new angle of translation studies appears since hybridity has been studied in translation in1980s. The word "hybrid’", first applied in natural science, extends to linguistics, literary criticism, cultural research and other social science fields1. Traditional translation study supposes that different linguistic systems are theoretically equivalent and that translation activities appear when different nations could freely exchange messages. Since the emergence of the post-colonialism in the second half of the20th century, the focus of translation studies begins to transfer from linguistics into power of culture2. The discussion on literal translation and free translation extends from language into culture and shifts from the transference of word-to-word into the influence of culture on translation.Wang Dongfeng proposes that the conflict between domestication and foreignization is the extension of that of free translation and literal translation.(Wang Dongfeng,2002) In order to explore the translation strategy in translation, the author in this thesis discusses domestication and foreignization instead of literal translation or free translation. Through the study on the conflict between domestication and foreignizaion, the author finds that domestication may help the target language readers (TL readers) accept the translated texts in order to assist different nations to communicate. However, domestication may cause invisibility of the source culture. On the contrary, foreignization could keep the exotic source culture and bring new ideas into the target language. In fact, foreignization may cause unnaturalness or obscurity in the target language text (TL text). Domestication and foreignziation is inseparable in translation since there is no absolute domestication or radical foreignization in translation. Translation leads to the emergence of the phenomenon of hybridity inevitably. The characteristic of hybridity in translation is that the features of both the source language culture and the target language culture are kept in the translated texts.In this thesis, the author will first elaborate the choice of translation strategy in two English versions of Hong Lou Meng. By the comparative analysis of examples, the author finds that Yang Xian-yi inclines to choose the foreignizing strategy whereas Hawkes tends to use the domesticating strategy due to different translation focuses. Yang intends to convey Chinese culture in this novel in the target language through translation whereas Hawkes aims at introducing a Chinese novel to the target language readers. Then the author in this thesis will explore the phenomenon of hybridity in two versions of Hong Lou Meng from the aspects of language and culture. Through the analysis of examples from this novel, the author finds that Yang and Hawkes use both domestication and foreignization to translate this novel. Though the two translators have different translation focuses, both of their versions are hybridized and reader-oriented. TL readers could comprehend and accept the source language in these two versions.In a word, in order to realize the enrichment and co-prosperity of the source language culture and the target language culture, the translators should hybridize domestication and foreignziation in the course of translation to make the emergence of the phenomenon of hybridity in the translated text.