The Study Of SF Translation In New-period China (1978-1989) From Pym's Multiple Causation Theory

As the “marginal literature”, science fiction(hereafter SF) was introduced into China in the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. During the subsequent 70-80 years, the SF translation by men of letters and scholars was full of frustrations. However, after the Third Plenary Session of the 11 th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, China has entered a new period in which various aspects can comprehensively develop. Naturally, the SF translation ushered in an upsurge as well.A majority of the domestic researches focus on the SF translation in the late Qing and early Republic period, with little attention being paid to the SF translation in the new period. In the previous researches, most scholars conduct the comparative analysis of different translation versions, and the causes of the translation has not been investigated. Hence, it is necessary and worthwhile to carry out some researches on the SF translation in the new period.Pym's multiple causality theory provides a multi-perspective to study translation history. Taking a comprehensive consideration of material cause, final cause, formal cause, and efficient cause, this theory regards translation history as three-dimensional and dynamic rather than two-dimensional and static history.Based on Pym's multiple causality theory, this thesis analyzes the causes of the translation climax in respect of material cause, final cause, formal cause, and efficient cause. As for the material cause, the thesis explores from the emergence of source texts(the “Golden Age” of SF in the west), the domestic environment conductive to the introduction of SF and the influence exerted by original authors and topics on the choosing of source texts. Among them, the non-linguistic material cause plays an important role. In regard to the final cause, the translating purpose is illustrated from the perspective of target text users and target text receivers. Target text users try to change and improve the status of SF stories and text receivers are urgent to meet their reading requirements after the “Cultural Revolution”. About the formal cause, it mainly discusses the translating norm which primarily refers to Yan Fu's “faithfulness”, “expressiveness” and “elegance”. With respect to the efficient cause, translators and publishing houses are the main contributors.It can be seen from the thesis that the multiple causations, including material cause, final cause, formal cause, and efficient cause, give rise to the climax of SF translation in the new period in China. Any one cause cannot be the exclusive dominance.