Studies On Dialect Translation In The Story Of The Stone

Translation study related to Hong Lou Meng plays a significant role intranslation field since every year relevant thesis published are on the rise andcontents are increasingly extensive: the specific linguistic study, name translationand its history, translation criterion and methods, cultural study, discourse analysis,etc. With the study contents extended, research findings are increasinglyextraordinary. Besides, limitations also exist in the fields of translation methods,procedures, and guiding principles. Based on current studies and researches, thethesis attempts to adopt theory-examples and induction-deduction analytical methodsto discuss dialectal phenomena under the guidance of Functional Equivalence, putforward by Eugene Nida, expecting to acquire systematical understanding oftranslation strategies.The use of dialect has been a recurrent phenomenon in literature both inEnglish and Chinese. As a non-standard language, dialect exhibits regional, socialand personal variation. Since it is heavily loaded with cultural elements andlinguistic features, various issues involved are in relation to linguistics, literature andtranslation studies, which for translators are tough to handle. Hong Lou Meng, aclassic in Chinese literature, is well known for its multi-faceted cultural phenomenon,dietetics, rituals, folk-customs, architecture, costumes, languages, the latter includesco-existence of varied dialects，Beijing Mandarin and Xiajiang Mandarin. Theapplication of dialects, for one thing, lays a solid foundation for figure-modeling,characterization and other character description. For example, humor effect ofGranny Liu is achieved by some homophones in Beijing dialect; Wang Xifeng’shot-temper and capability can be sensed from her dialect; Lin Daiyu’s sensation hassomething to do with softness and melodiousness of southern dialect. For another,dialect, a product of culture, has its uniqueness and specialty within certain areasthroughout the history, and thus can provide a new perspective for cultural studies.The study of culture is a big category, thus has many sub-categories. Only those unique and widespread ones which are accepted by the most can be adopted andinvolved in to study circle. Dialect, one phenomenon of culture, belongs to culturefield and also draws attention of many people. In addition of Hong Lou Meng, thisworld-shocking masterpiece’s influence, dialect constitutes original landscape ofenormous background and provides a proper entry point for culture study. Incomparing The Dream of Red Mansions and its English versions in terms of dialecttranslation, the paper is merely a tentative probe in possible principles and methodsappropriate for dialect translation based on previous theoretical contributions in thisfield and analytical study of examples in the English versions. Some questions willbe emerged after translational modification: does this specialty of dialect still exist?How to make a correct judgment? And what is the satisfied criterion? Throughfunctional equivalence expounded by Eugene Nida and equivalent effect held by JinDi, this paper exemplifies the dialect translation, which will make a reference for theabove questions. Though absolute equivalence is difficult to achieve, the translatorscan make a relatively satisfied work in virtue of some strategic translation methods.The result of this study may be helpful to enhance the translator’s awarenessand ability to flexibly select translation strategies in accordance with variedreadership or effects intended to achieve, and may thus improve the practice ofliterary or cultural translation in particular and translation in general. It may beexpected to compensate for the weaknesses of the relevant theoretical studies. Thepresent research is therefore of both practical and theoretical significance.