A Study Of Yang Bi’s Translation Of Vanity Fair

Yang Bi, one of the most talented female literary translators in the Chinese literary translation history, has made an outstanding contribution to E-C translation practice. Of the two literary works she has translated, Vanity Fair is more noteworthy and is still thought of the most classic version of Thackeray’s original work. Meanwhile, it is considered as one of the best translated works in Chinese translation history. Though decades went by, her translation has been believed to be in full flush of youth. Many researchers write articles from linguistic and cultural perspectives. However, as far as Yang Bi and her version of Vanity Fair are concerned, there is much room to be filled up for her translation characteristics and translation thoughts. Therefore, a detailed study on Yang Bi’s translation characteristics and translation thoughts in Vanity Fair will be conducted in the thesis.The thesis is consisted of five parts. Chapter one is an overall introduction to the thesis. In this chapter, research background, the significance of the research and thesis framework will be introduced. In introducing the research background, Yang Bi’s life, an introduction to Vanity Fair and its Chinese versions will be included. Chapter two reviews previous studies of Yang Bi and her translated version of Vanity Fair. Studies of Yang Bi’s translation characteristics and thoughts are still needed to be done although researchers have studied Yang Bi’s translated version of Vanity Fair from different perspectives. Chapter three is a study of Yang Bi’s translation characteristics viewed from Vanity Fair. In this chapter, Yang Bi’s translation characteristics in Vanity Fair are analyzed from language using, translation methods and strategies. Her version of Vanity Fair has its unique style and characteristics which make her translated version very different from others. Yang Bi’s translation is characterized by simple, vivid, flexible and loyal diction, free sentence-rearrangement, coherence in text translation. In translation strategy and methods, her frequent use of free translation in translating long sentences, wise use of transliteration and foreinization strategy in translating proper names and irreplaceable expressions of the source culture formed her flexible and free style even though this causes some mistakes and little confusion. In a word, comparing to Rong Rude’s version, Yang Bi’s version is a Vanity Fair written in Chinese instead of a translated work. Based on her translation characteristics, a discussion of Yang Bi’s translation thoughts in terms of translation nature, translator’s subjectivity, qualification, reproduction of the original style in translation, and consideration of readers are conducted in chapter four with Qian Zhongshu’s translation thoughts as references. Yang Bi’s translation thoughts is to be as flexible and free as possible to reserve the original work’s meaning and style which is just alike in Qian Zhongshu’s "sublimated" concept. Chapter five is the conclusion.