A Probe Into Lin Yutang As A Translator

Lin Yutang, a world-renowned writer, translator and linguist, was once literally ataboo name on the Chinese literary arena due to political reasons. Nevertheless, alongwith China’s reform and opening up, Lin studies gradually embraced its renaissance.Many scholars began to behold and study Lin Yutang from a more objectiveperspective. However, these scholars mainly approach Lin Yutang from his literarycreation or his cultural views, with relatively few concentrating on his translationwork. Even those who do touch upon Lin’s translation confine themselves either tothe analysis of a single translated text by Lin Yutang, such as Six Chapters of aFloating Life, or to his theories of translation. That is to say, a systematic study ofLin’s role as a translator is at a shortage.In view of this, the thesis attempts a comprehensive study of Lin’s identity as atranslator, outlining both macro-and micro-features of his C-E translation practice aswell as giving an objective evaluation of his role as a translator. Through detailedanalysis, it is discovered that on the macro-level, Lin’s translation can be divided intopure translation, adapted translation and translation in dictionary compilation, and onthe micro-level, with his superb translation skills, Lin’s English version vividlyechoes the original in diction, style as well as culture-loaded words and expressions.What’s more, by insisting upon translating from Chinese to English against abackground of importation of Western ideas and technology and through the bold useof alienation in the process of translation, Lin proves that he never limits his duties toa mere translator, but consciously makes his translation serve his cultural agenda, thatis, promoting as much as possible to the West the splendid Chinese culture. Of his roleas a devoted cultural messenger at a time of asymmetrical cultural communication weshould extend our due recognition.