An Analysis Of The Translation Of Ecological Discourses Of Wolf Totem From The Perspective Of Rewriting Theory

The Chinese version of Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong is an enormously influential piece of work of eco-literature.In 2008,this novel was introduced into English speaking countries by Howard Goldblatt,a renowned translator of Chinese modern and contemporary literature.Thereafter,the English version of Wolf Totem was overwhelmingly popular in Anglo-American countries.This semi-biographic novel is primarily centered on three topics,one of which is a deep concern for environmental ecosystem.Extensive reading about previous studies of the English version of Wolf Totem suggests that few scholars has paid enough attention to the techniques Goldblatt employs for translating ecological discourses in the original text.Against this backdrop,this research is designed to explore the translating techniques Goldblatt employs so as to impart these ecological discourses to target readers,with the hope that findings of this present research will serve as a guide for exporting more works of eco-literature to other countries in the days to come.1970s witnessed a cultural turn in western translation studies.Thereafter,theorists of translation studies went beyond the pure linguistic-textual level and began to take socio-cultural factors into consideration.Inspired by poly-system theory,André Lefevere has started to take the larger picture into account when conducting scholarly research of translation.According to him,translation is a rewriting of an original text,which is manipulated by both ideology and poetics.The rewriting theory is harnessed as the theoretical framework of this study.With the help of qualitative methods such as data retrieval,text analysis and inductive method,this investigation aims to figure out what underpins Goldblatt's rewriting of the Chinese version of Wolf Totem and to summarize several translating principles,hoping that they will be conducive to the rendering of more works of eco-literature in the foreseeable future.Two research questions are put forward in this thesis: firstly,in which ways can rewriting theory help analyze the translation of ecological discourses;secondly,guided by the rewriting theory,what translating principles can be summarized after an exhaustive analysis of the rendering of ecological discourses.What has been found out is the following:(1)the harsh criticism of ecological destruction is in line with the ideology of ecological conservation encouraged by western countries.The translator represents how those outsiders destroy theecosystem by means of free translation,whereby boost target readers and the larger target society to rethink the ecological crises caused by industrial civilization and to contribute their due share to ecological progress endeavors.Additionally,the translator himself is enthralled by the breathtaking beauty of grasslands and lament for the destruction of them.As such,Goldblatt chooses to delete some information or reconstruct some sentences or paragraphs so as to represent the picturesque beauty in the original text.Moreover,the theme of ecology in Wolf Totem echoes what works of eco-literature in western countries preach about.In this connection,Goldblatt uses such translation techniques as omission,addition and others so as to cater to the poetics advocated by eco-literature in these countries.(2)When translating the Chinese version of Wolf Totem,Goldblatt upholds such translation principles as readability and acceptability,which can be helpful to the translation of much more works of eco-literature.This present scholarly research is of considerable significance.For one thing,another viewpoint for the investigation of the English version of Wolf Totem is available,as exemplified by a conscientious analysis of the techniques Goldblatt adopts to translate ecological discourses for target audience;for another,it is hoped that some translating principles will be summarized,which in turn offers reasonable suggestions for translating much more works of eco-literature hereafter.On the one hand,all these endeavors will provide more access to Chinese writings of eco-literature for western scholars;on the other hand,so many efforts will bring into full play the social functioning of the translation of works of eco-literature.