Translating Art History In Light Of The Theory Of Hybridity

The thesis takes Achille Bonito Oliva’s Art Until the Year Two Thousand (the first chapter) as a case study to explore how to position the target text and how to choose translation strategies in light of the theory of hybridity. The aim is to absorb the essence of Western art history studies while making appropriate adaptations based on needs of the local culture, thereby making it possible for China’s and Western research on contemporary art history to interpenetrate.Studies of Western contemporary art history are experiencing the transition from traditional art history studies to new ones, increasingly focusing on the relationship between art and its external environment. Due to problematic text introduction and translation, in China, research on contemporary art history is developing relatively slowly. Art Until the Year Two Thousand examines the complex factors behind European and American contemporary art, which may inspire China’s art history scholars to a large extent.Oliva’s style of writing is complex with uncommon words, sloppy grammar, multiple clauses, and tricky paragraph structures, which makes it hard to translate. I adopted the theory of hybridity to convey the original meaning as accurate as possible while changing some heterogeneous elements of Oliva’s writing style so that his insights can shine through with clear expressions.Specifically, regarding the translation of terms and cultural phenomena, I used foreignization and domestication strategies such as addition and literal translation with annotation to enrich disciplinary discourse; as for the translation of non-technical words and phrases as well as long sentences and paragraphs, I used domestication and foreignization strategies such as free translation, division, synthesization, and literal translation with annotation to make expressions clear and easy to understand.