A Study Of The Translation Of Foregrounded Language In Red Sorghum

Writers often like to use literature to express their inner world. During the process of writing, writers apply unconventional language and writing skills to their works in order to produce unique aesthetic effects- foregrounding. Then, the foregrounding theory comes into being. Actually, this concept originated from Russian formalism. Geoffrey N. Leech, a British linguist, further developed this theory and divided it into two types, namely, syntagmatic foregrounding and paradigmatic foregrounding. Chinese-American Professor Ye Zinan was the first scholar who tried to put foregrounding theory into translation practice and study. According to the two types of foregrounding theory proposed by Geoffrey N. Leech and the concept of combining foregrounding theory with translation put forward by Ye Zinan, this thesis analyzed the foregrounded language in the English version of Red Sorghum.Through the quantitative research, this article analyzed the application of syntagmatic foregrounding and paradigmatic foregrounding by comparing the original novel with its translation and found out that the translator picked four kinds of translating methods: Firstly, restoring the foregrounded language; secondly, partially reversing the foregrounded language; thirdly, sacrificing the foregrounded language and finally, omitting the foregrounded language. In addition, this thesis also analyzed the reasons why the translator adopted theses different translating methods and believed that the translator laid much emphasis on the subjectivity of translators and the reception of the target language readers. Last but not least, the author summarized three kinds of strategies of translating foregrounded language, which could make contributions to literary translation in the future: to begin with, translators should try their best to take the convey of foregrounded language into a prior consideration; then, in the light of cultural difference between two nations, translators should slightly adjust their skills in the translation which could both pass on original contents and convey the effect of foregrounded language; thirdly, if translated texts were too obscure to convey original texts, translators could give up the effect of foregrounded language to satisfy the expression of basic information.