Deconstruction In Translation Studies

Since the elaboration on the idea deconstruction in the works Speech and Phenomena, OfGrammatology and Writing and Différance published in the mid1960s by Jacques Derrida,the French philosopher’s pioneering viewpoint has drawn broad academic attention with itsunique or, sometimes, even rebellious nature that shapes astard contrast to the traditionalWestern philosophy.Deconstruction has also cast a significant influence on translation studies. Itsunconventional ideas challenge the traditional values of translation and had a huge impact onconcepts such as the principle of faithfulness, authority of the author as well as the binaryopposition of the author vs. translator and the original work vs. its translated version. Sincethe mid1990s, deconstruction has played an important role in translation studies in Chinawith a mixed reaction. Yet, what really is deconstruction? And what good or bad does it bringto translation studies? This thesis tries to make an elaborated discussion on these questions.The thesis consists of five parts, among which the first and the last part are theintroduction and the conclusion, and the rest are divided into three chapters: Chapter Oneillustrates the origin of deconstruction, Derrida’s thought and its core values and fundamentalconcepts. Chapter Two makes a comparison between deconstruction and Hegel’s dialectics,structuralism and phonocentrism to reinforce the understanding of the given topic. ChapterThree, based on the nature of translation, its problems and the translator’s work, relatesdeconstruction to translation by discussing Kathleen Davis’ Deconstruction and Translation aswell as can deconstruction justify poor translation, which is an effort to show the merits anddemerits of deconstructionist translation.