A Report On Translation Of The Atlantic Migration: 1607-1860(Chapter 9-10) Under The Guidance Of Variation Theory

The source text of the report is excerpted from Chapter 9 and 10 of The Atlantic Migration:1607-1860 by Marcus Lee Hansen who won the 1941 Pulitzer Price for History by virtue of the book.And there is no punished Chinese version yet.According to preservation of integrity on the source text,translation methods could be divided into two categories,namely,complete translation and translation variation.The latter emphasizes the efficiency of information and requirements of target readers,instead of the equivalence in form.The predecessors mainly used the variation theory to analyze the translation of government and tourism documents and hardly used it to guide the historical texts.Having thoroughly read The Atlantic Migration:1607-1860,the translator translated the book under the guidance of the variation theory based on a comprehensive analysis.The report consists of an overall introduction,translation process description and the case analysis.The translator conducts an analysis on the application of variation theory in the works related to historical literature from the perspectives of several methods of variation theory including supplement,deletion,condensation and adaption,combining with the cases studied in the book.To deepen Chinese readers'understanding of immigration history,the translator increases many information about historical background,date and units of currency,decreases or summarizes plenty of redundant expressions.Besides,she uses the four-character structure for purpose of emphasizing the literariness and even breaks up the structure of the original text to restructure the sentences in order to avoid the translationese in course of translation.The study shows that variation theory could provide ideas and efficient methods for the translation of historical text.It's concluded that selection of translation strategies is based on the principle of enhancing the target readers'understanding and recognition.The study contributes to make the target readers get a deep understanding about Marcus Lee Hansen and his works.Meanwhile,the Chinese historians researching on the immigration history could know the circumstances of American immigration between 17^th and 19^thh century.