The Translator’s Identity And The Translator Behavior

As the key component of translation studies, the study on translation historyfunctions as a summarizing, introspecting and propelling force for the development oftranslation theories, of which studies on the translator is the core. Translators are acultural bridge and the achievements of distinguished translators are the fundamentalmaterials and evaluation basis for writing the translation history. In the translationhistory of China, there is an important and special group called “foreigner translators”,who come to China from other countries, specializing in translation between Chineseand other foreign languages as well as promoting cultural exchanges between Chinaand the foreign countries. They have made irreplaceable contributions to thetranslation cause and external cultural exchanges in a certain decade of China due totheir proficiency in their native languages and the Chinese language and culture. Thetranslation history of contemporary China sees Sidney Shapiro as a “foreignertranslator” that should be least ignored.Sidney Shapiro, a son of Jewish blood, was brought up in the United States butlater became a Chinese in nationality as a result of his love for China and its culture.With10million translated English words in his translator career of over50years, hehas made an irreplaceable contribution to the translation cause of contemporary Chinaand later played an active part as a member in the Chinese People’s PoliticalConsultative Conference. A translator of a special identity and status as Shapiro is,little attention has been paid to him in the circle of translation studies in China. Thereis neither specific monograph nor project on Sidney Shapiro’s translation, not tomention the thorough analysis of his translation ideas and strategies, or theexploration of the characteristics of his translatorial behavior. The thesis examinesSidney Shapiro’s translation practice and ideas, investigates the relationship betweenhis identities and translatorial behavior and finally attempts to raise the “ShapiroModel”.The thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter One is a basic introduction of thebackground, purpose, significance and methodology of the research. Chapter Two is the literature review in which researches on the translator and on Sidney Shapiro inChina are summarized and achievements and deficiencies of the researches aredemonstrated. Chapter Three introduces the characteristics of Shapiro’s three stagesof translation, explores the influence of his complex identities on his translatorialbehavior and summarizes and testifies his translation ideas and strategies. ChapterFour is an attempt to introduce the Shapiro Model, with an analysis of its three aspectsof characteristics, and indicate its theoretical significances for the transmission ofChinese culture. Chapter Five is the conclusion which summarizes the findings andlimitations of the research and also puts forward some issues open to further studies.Sidney Shapiro has made remarkable contributions to the translation cause ofcontemporary China and the cultural exchanges between China and the West. TheShapiro Model, giving an overall attention to the author, the translator and the reader,reflects the uniqueness of the translator behavior of “foreigner translators” anddeserves further exploration to offer inspirations for the outward introduction ofChinese works and the outgoing of Chinese culture.