A Study On C-E Translation Of The Metrological Units In Chinese Classics In Ming And Qing Dynasties From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

This thesis is based on Skopos Theory.The main research texts come from Chinese classics in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and their English versions,mainly including Selections from Strange Tales from the Liaozhai Studio,Outlaws of the Marsh,Tian Gong Kai Wu and Travels of Xu Xiake.This thesis mainly focuses on the research of the translation of metrological units in those classics.The author investigates the differences in the translation purposes,and corresponding strategies and methods between literary classics and non-literary classics.The research methods,which the author of this thesis adopts involve both qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis.The metrological units to be studied in the Chinese ancient classics include six categories,i.e.,length units,area units,weight units,capacity units,time units and monetary units.Every part will be studied by comparing metrological units in literary classics and non-literary classics in view of purposes,strategies,methods and other aspects in attempt to learn whether the translation strategies and methods are influenced by translation purposes.Based on the analysis,the major research results are presented as follows:First of all,this thesis concludes that the main reasons for mistranslation of metrological units mainly include the insufficient importance attached to the translation of metrological units,lack of deep understanding of the original texts,inconsistency of the translation methods,etc.Besides,this thesis summarizes the main translation methods of the metrological units,including transliteration,free translation,numerical conversion,etc.,and puts forward that "transliteration plus annotations" is comparatively more effective.Furthermore,this thesis believes that Skopos Theory can play an effective role in the translation of metrological units.Last but not least,the thesis proposes that according to different types of the texts and the translation purposes,the translation strategies and methods are chosen.