On Translators’ Subjectivity Of Shanghanlun’s English Translations From The Perspective Of Intertextuality Theory

Shanghanlun, well supplied with academic and clinical value, is seen as a milestone in the history of Chinese medicine. It has set a benchmark for generations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) learners that have followed, inspired millions of practitioners and benefited countless people.Deeply rooted in the soil of Chinese traditional culture, TCM combines attributes of both natural science and human science. "Knowing the astronomy in heaven above, the geography on earth below and human affairs in the middle" advocated by ancient people for those who hold dreams for becoming excellent practitioners greatly intermingles with culture-soiled TCM, which then greatly reflect in countless medical books, especially those classics. Intertextuality theory holds that these pioneering classics and their translations are intertextual. The former is called pre-text, and the latter is called post-text. And translators’precise interpretations of the pretext have great influence upon target readers’understanding about the post-text and future clinical practice. The thesis is in an attempt to interpret two translators’subjectivity based on both Luo Xiwen’s and Wiseman’s English translations of Shanghanlun within the framework of intertextuality, reveal their features and analyze the pros and cons as well. Intertextuality-loaded words, as carriers of the study, are classified into four categories based on the text characteristics of Shanghanlun.Results show that Luo Xiwen employs combined translation methods while translating the intertextuality-loaded words. While Wiseman’s translation methods are simple, which is helpful in facilitating target readers’understanding but may give rise to connotations discount of the pre-text. In addition, the two translations carry different missions, which more or less affects the translators’subjectivity. All in all, in terms of subjectivity, Luo Xiwen is much more flexible despite the fact that he is constrained by the translation itself; Wiseman brings his autonomy and initiative into full play, but lack of flexibility and creativity. It’s also noteworthy that the lines of Shanghanlun are ambiguous, which poses great challenge to two translators’subjectivity. So translators are supposed to exert their subjectivity appropriately by selecting correct translation methods to avoid the phenomenon of "definitions by translations" in TCM translation.As a complex practice, the effectiveness of translation activity is closely related to translators’subjectivity. Additionally, translation, as an important means to facilitate cultural exchange and transmission in today’s world, can also be seen as " invisible diplomacy ", while translators are " silent diplomats " with pens in their hands. So translators are supposed to be both meticulous and flexible.