On The Self-translation Of The Bridge Of Heaven From The Perspective Of The Manipulation Theory

Although self-translation has existed for a long time,it has attracted little attention until recent decades.However,the study of it is confined to the specific works of specific writers and is yet to be broadened.S.I.Hsiung,an illustrious bilingual writer,created a number of outstanding works.His novel,The Bridge of Heaven was praised by famous literary figures from home and abroad.Nevertheless,due to some reasons,he has been rarely known in China and The Bridge of the Heaven has also been scarcely studied.Investigating his self-translation of the novel will bring more attention to him and contribute to the understanding of self-translation and the improvement of translation skills.Using Andrew Lefevere’s Manipulation Theory,this study compares the English and Chinese versions of The Bridge of Heaven and analyzes the influence of ideology,poetics and patronage upon Hsiung’s self-translation of the novel.On this basis,it explores the relationship among self-translation,translation and rewriting.This thesis finds the constraints of ideology,poetics and patronage exert influence upon Hsiung’s self-translation of The Bridge of Heaven.Ideological manipulation leads to omission,adaption and addition of information.Poetological manipulation accounts for the restoration of culture-loaded elements and changes in syntactical structure,the use of rhetorical devices and tone.Patronage affects Hsiung’s self-translation through ideological,economic and status factors.Self-translation is a mix of translation and rewriting and translators need to pay attention to the influence of ideology,poetics and patronage when translating a work.