On Science Fiction Translation From The Perspective Of Reception Theory

With the development of science and technology, science fiction attracts more and more attention with its special prediction. It originated from the Western countries and had a large group of readers. However, Chinese have prejudice against science fiction and it develops slowly in China. What’s more, there are only a few people devoting themselves to science fiction writing. Foreign science fiction has been translated to meet Chinese science fiction readers’needs. Combined by literature and science, science fiction is a special type of writing so that it is not an easy job to do the translation. What’s worse, fewer people are engaged in the science fiction translation research even with few achievements now. Recently, science fiction research in China focuses on the development history and the reasons why it develops hard. Science fiction translation research of the late Qing and early Min Republic attracts much attention.This thesis analyses current condition, problems in this field and discusses it from the perspective of Reception Theory. In this thesis, readers are the key points instead of the whole science fiction translation history or the translation of fictitious words or the details. The combination between science and imagination distinguishes science fiction from other kind of novels. What’s more, description of the unknown world is a flash point as well as a strait to readers. However, science fiction has its special meaning socially which can be shown only when readers can understand it. Therefore, translators must consider how to help readers understand and receive it. This thesis holds that translators, as readers, must distinguish the original vacancy and indeterminacy which should be concretized selectively. Before translating, translators are required to analyze the horizon of expectation of readers group and wrestle for appealing for the existed horizon and building the new one. In addition, general principles have to be obeyed instead of falsifying the original meaning.Three aspects are discussed mainly in this thesis, including reader-centered stage, horizon of expectation and appealing structure. Arthur C. Clarke’s Space Odyssey is treated as the case study. Principles, methods and requirements in the translation of science fiction are put forward.This thesis reaches the following conclusions. One, Reception Theory with distinctiveness can direct science fiction translation because of the following three reasons. First, it stresses on reader-centered stage. Readers’understanding and reception are premises for a text existing. Second, it provides a way to make sure readers’ stage:horizon of expectation. Since science fiction goes beyond life and readers’ understanding, translators have to think about readers’existed horizon and build a new one when it is needed. Last, appealing structure attracts readers to take part in the text. Two, translators have to analyze characters of readers group and take advantages of their existed life experience so as to arouse existed horizon to understand it or build a new one. At last, compensation can be used within the limits so as not to destroy original features.Something is still worth exploring in the future, for example, factors influencing the dealing of vacancy and indeterminacy and how to deal with them since science and technology change greatly.