Annotation In Translating Historical Documents Guided By Thick Translation Theory

The report is based on the translation of the first chapter of The Great Fire of London In That Apocalyptic Year 1666,which is a historical document.The source text contains many historical facts together with reasonable imagination and inference of the author.Therefore,the report is under the guidance of thick translation theory proposed by American philosopher and cultural scholar Kwame Anthony Appiah.Thick translation theory refers to translating source text in a rich cultural and linguistic context with annotations and glosses.Annotation is adopted in the report as the main translation method to elucidate the source text in an appropriate way.The report is finished through the research methods of case analysis and experience summarization.The purpose of the report is to make Chinese target readers comprehensively understand the cultural and linguistic context of the source text and the author’s intention.Under the guidance of the thick translation theory,the translation practice report employs the explicit annotation and implicit annotation respectively,based on the specific language and culture context.As for the expression,annotations in the translation text are performed in footnotes,cut-in notes and direct explanations without obvious marks.The practical applications of annotation is systematically introduced through case analysis in the report.The contents of annotations in the translation practice involve important persons,historical events,place names,religious terms and other specific conditions.In addition,the matters needing attention in the application of annotation are also discussed in the report.The report is supposed to serve as a modest spur to induce others to come forward with their valuable contributions on the study of thick translation theory and annotation.Readers may have a general knowledge about the social condition of Britain in the 17 th century before its Bourgeois Revolution.The report also aims at providing some experience and suggestions for future translation work on historical documents.