| Background:Classic books of Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)contain concepts of disease treatment and health preservation,carrying the wisdom of Chinese civilization.With increased modernization and international development of TCM,translation of TCM classic books has become an important way for the West to understand the thoughts of TCM and Chinese culture.As a TCM classic,the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon of Medicine(Huangdi Neijing,??????)was first published in a Western journal in 1925.In 1949,Huang Ti Nei Ching Su Wen translated by Ilza Veith came out and became the first officially published English version of Huangdi Neijing.At present,many studies have appeared about this translation based on textual analysis,among which translation strategies,rhetorical annotations,and publishing and issuing of this work gain scholarly attention.Nevertheless,few studies pay attention to the translator to discuss the embodiment of the translator's subjectivity and its related factors.This study,therefore,focuses on the embodiment and influencing factors of the translator's subjectivity in Veith's version with translator's subjectivity as the theoretical framework and through an analysis of the text and relevant materials.The role of the translator and the achievement of translation practice is explored with a hope to enrich the translation research practice and provide some insights into TCM classics translation study.Purpose:Based on the theory of translator's subjectivity,this study explored the concrete embodiment of the translator's subjectivity in the Yellow Emperor s Classic of Internal Medicine:Basic Questions(Huang Ti Nei Ching Su Wen,?????·???)by Ilza Veith from three dimensions:initiative,restrictiveness and purposiveness,and disclosed factors that influenced translator's subjectivity so that the shaping factors for the characteristics of content organization and language expressions could be made known.Metthods:Taking the 2016 edition of Huang Ti Nei Ching Su Wen as the research object,we conducted text analysis in combination with the references to classical Chinese version(Song edition of Huangdi Neijing by Wencheng Hall?Jingkou)and the vernacular version(Vernacular Interpretation of Huangdi Neijing Suwen)to identify the embodiments of the translator's subjectivity in Veith's version.Combined with examples,this thesis discussed and summarized the embodiment of translator's subjectivity from the perspective of initiative,restrictiveness,and purposiveness,and analyzed the factors that shaped the embodiments.Results:The initiative in Veith's version was mainly reflected in the choice of translation object,content arrangement and translation expression.In terms of the translation object,Veith chose Huangdi Neijing as her research object and the first 34 chapters were then translated.In terms of content arrangement,Veith provided a comprehensive overview of the author's identity,publication time,TCM theory and concepts before the translation.In terms of translation expression,Veith supplemented the implied information by means of amplification and transliteration with annotation,which strengthened the logical coherence.Veith paid attention to the thorough transmission of the general meaning of the content and the precise expression of language.She translated in good English and could actively distinguish the different meanings of words in different contexts and thus chose the appropriate expressions.However,cases of mistranslation,omission and alteration were found due to misunderstanding or deviation.The restrictiveness was mainly reflected in her compliance with and retention of the content and the form of the original work as well as previous research results.Veith retained the original form of the text while attempting to offer translation.Relevant previous research results and views were supplemented in her translation or annotations.The purposiveness was reflected in the provision of purpose of translation,the supplementation of illustrations and annotations and the borrowing of Western medical terms.In her preface,Veith identified the value and the readership of her translation.,The original purpose of her translation was to translate and introduce eastern medical knowledge and eastern culture.For readers' sake,Veith made use of illustrations,annotations as well as the Western medical terms to reduce the cognitive burden of reading and understanding to gain the acceptance of readers.However,due to the differences between the concepts of TCM and Western medicine,the direct use of Western medical terms caused the deviation of translation from the original,leading to fallacies.The external factors including ideology,mainstream poetics,the sponsor,and the language difference,as well as the internal factors including Veith's own translation ideas and translation styles had an impact on her practice.The Sino-American alliance in the late 1940s and the development of sinology in the United States provided a relatively loose social and cultural environment for Veith's translation practice.Her supervisor and the Rockefeller Foundation provided Veith with academic and financial support,respectively.The promotion of publishing houses and periodicals and the evaluation of book reviewers contributed to the dissemination and distribution of Veith's book.The differences between Chinese and English pushed Veith to adopt various translation strategies such as amplification,free translation,and literal translation.With a professional background of medical history,Veith attached importance to the exploration of background knowledge beyond the text.Thanks to her excellent English proficiency,she was able to express freely and flexibly.Conclusion:Both the translator's subjectivity and the influencing factors play a role in the formation and transmission of the translated version.Veith's book leaves stronger historical color than that of the Chinese medicine.On one hand,attention should be paid to the role of the translator in the process of translating and transmitting TCM classics overseas.The translator's bilingual understanding and expressing ability,knowledge of TCM and ancient Chinese language should be strengthened.Readership awareness should be developed for the part of the translator.On the other hand,it is also necessary to pay attention to the mainstream ideology and poetics norms of the target country.The TCM thoughts and culture should be promoted in a way that complies with the cognitive thinking of the target readers.If possible,cooperation can be sought with local publishing houses and academic organizations.Recommendations of professional journals and experts could contribute to the popularity of the translated works.In specific translation practice,it is equally important to pursue complete content transmission and accurate expression.In addition,illustrations and annotations have a positive effect in enriching the translation expressions and supplementing relevant information. |
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