Cultural Default And Translation Compensation In The Garlic Ballads From The Perspective Of Relevance Theory

This thesis attempts to get a systematic study of cultural default from the perspective of relevance theory and to explore some methods to compensate cultural default in translation in accordance with the optimal relevance.In the relevance-theoretic framework, translation is not considered as a static process. It is an act of communication carried out between two cultures through the medium of language. Inevitably, it is a dynamic process which involves dual processes of ostension-inference of three parts: the original writer, the translator and the target readers. Cultural default is defined as the absence of relevant cultural background knowledge shared by the author and his intended readers. It is the natural result of the cognitive process of communication. While the cognitive environment of the original writer and that of the target readers are different, cultural default often results in misreading or incoherent understanding in cross-cultural communication. Therefore, the translator needs to employ necessary coherent methods or strategies to help target readers? reasonable understanding of the text. In the light of the relevance theory, cultural default translation is based on the principles of optimal relevance and holds the translator?s responsibility for the removal of obstacles incomprehension caused by the difference in cultural background. The translator should endeavor to make his translation attain the goal that target readers achieve adequate contextual effects without any unnecessary processing effort, and match the expectation of the target readers with the intention of the source language writer.Proficient in Chinese and English and versed in Eastern culture and Western culture, Goldblatt not only is versatile and productive in literary and translation works but also enjoys a high reputation and popularity at home and abroad. This thesis is an example study of Mo Yan?s Tian Tang Suan Tai Zhi Ge from the perspective of the relevance theory and tries to summarize effective compensation methods for cultural default.There are six chapters in this thesis. The first chapter is a brief introduction to research background, research significance and research framework. Chapter two is literature review. The paper introduces recent research on Tian Tang Suan Tai Zhi Ge and also reviews cultural default compensation and relevance translation theory abroad and at home. Chapter three is theoretic framework. Firstly, it introduces relative definitions and relevance principle, and then brings it into cultural default and translation compensation. The author holds that since the nature of cultural default is cognitive problems in communication and the relevance theory is cognition-centered theory, it is certainly full of explanatory power for cultural default and translation compensation. Chapter four is the research design which includes research questions and relative analysis process. Chapter five is the body part of the thesis. The author explores the cultural default translation compensation methods of Goldblatt in The Garlic Ballads from the perspective of the relevance theory. Chapter six is the conclusion of the thesis. The author concludes these compensation methods, expecting to make some supplements for the further studies of The Garlic Ballads and cultural default translation and making contribution to cross-cultural communication.