An Analysis Of The Two English Versions Of Biancheng From The Perspective Of Approach To Translation As Adaptation And Selection

The novel Biancheng is a representative of the famous modern writer Shen Congwen.This work focuses on the love story of Cuicui and Nuosong,vividly demonstrating the natural scenery,folk customs,and love and hate of the local people in the small town of Xiangxi in the 1930s.Since its publication in 1934,there have been four English versions of Biancheng.At present,many scholars study the English translations of Biancheng from the perspectives of translation aesthetics and stylistics,translation linguistics and translation strategies,etc.The theory of translation as adaptation and selection is a new translation theory system proposed by Prof.Hu Gengshen under the influence of global ecological cultural academic trend.It makes a new description and explanation on the essence,process,standards,principles and methods of translation from the perspective of "adaptation" and "selection".The construction of this theotry provides a new breakthrough point for the translation of classics.This thesis studies two English translations of the novel Biancheng from the perspective of translation as adaptation and selection,taking the Gladys Yang's and Jeffrey C.Kinkley's translation versions as an example.It mainly focuses on the following three aspects:Firstly,it analyzes the two translators' selective adaptation to the translational eco-environment in the process of translation in terms of the translator's background information,purpose of translation,translator quality,sponsor,specific translation social environment,reader's feedback,etc.Secondly,it compares the two translators' adaptive selection to the translational eco-environment in the process of translation through the application of the "three-dimensional transformation" including the linguistic dimension,cultural dimension and communicative dimension.Thirdly,combining with a large number of comparative analysis and case studies,it is concluded that both Gladys' translation and Kinkley's translation are the results of the two translators' adaptation and selection to their respective translational eco-environment.This thesis studies the English translations of the novel Biancheng from the perspective of translation as adaptation and selection theory,explores the application of translation as adaptation and selection in translation practice,which is a meaningful attempt since it not only broadens the research perspectives of the English translations of Biacheng,but also provides a new theoretical reference for the translation of Chinese classical culture and outstanding literary works.