1887
Volume 7, Issue 2
  • ISSN 2352-1805
  • E-ISSN: 2352-1813
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

Drawing on André Lefevere’s rewriting theory, this paper explores how Howard Goldblatt translates Mo Yan’s novel (hereafter referred to as ) with regard to poetological manipulation. The paper analyses in detail how the translator rewrites the novel’s poetological features, including its unique linguistic, stylistic and narrative features, to produce a translation which is accessible to the intended audience. On the basis of this analysis, the paper identifies three characteristics of Goldblatt’s poetological rewriting: (1) macro-stylistic consistency with the source text, i.e. overall stylistic conformity to the original work; (2) simplification principle; (3) typical features of authentic English writing. The analysis reveals poetological manipulation in the translation process, from which we infer that rewriting in favour of the target poetological currents is the best way to achieve reader acceptance.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/ttmc.00071.liu
2021-07-19
2024-10-07
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Bai, Ye
    2012 “Moyan huojiang yinfa de sikao.” [Reflections on Mo Yan’s prize: how to globalise Chinese literature]. People’s Daily (overseas edition). AccessedJuly 19, 2019. culture.people.com.cn/n/2012/1113/c87423-19560107.html
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Chapman, Raymond
    1973Linguistics and Literature: An Introduction to Literary Stylistics. Rowman & Littlefield Pub Incorporated.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Chen, Qian
    2010 “Cultural differences in Chinese and English address terms.” Journal of Language Teaching and Research1 (6): 898. 10.4304/jltr.1.6.898‑900
    https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.1.6.898-900 [Google Scholar]
  4. Dimitriu, Rodica
    2004 “Omission in Translation.” Perspectives: Studies in Translatology12 (3): 163–175. 10.1080/0907676X.2004.9961499
    https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2004.9961499 [Google Scholar]
  5. Du, Ping, and Lili Zhang
    2015 “Rewriting, Ideology, and Poetics in Goldblatt’s Translation of Mo Yan’s Garlic Ballads.” CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture17 (1): 8.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Gentzler, Edwin
    2015 “Translations and Rewritings of Hamlet in China.” Asia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies2 (2): 79–95. 10.1080/23306343.2015.1060399
    https://doi.org/10.1080/23306343.2015.1060399 [Google Scholar]
  7. Goldblatt, Howard
    2002 “The Writing Life.” The Washington Post, April28 2002.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. 2008 “Goldblatt’s talk on Chinese literature.” AccessedJuly 20, 2018. https://www.chinesepen.org/old-posts/?p=13094
  9. 2012Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out. New York: Arcade Publishing.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. 2014 “Zhongguo wenxue ruhe caineng zouchuqu.” [How does Chinese literature go global]. AccessedJune 10, 2019. history.sina.com.cn/cul/zl/2014-07-07/113094803.shtml
  11. Hou, Yu, and Hong Zhu
    2013 “Gehaowen wei duzhe fuze de sixiang yanjiu.” [An Exploration of Goldblatt’s reader-oriented translation view: Illustrated with the translation of Rickshaw Boy]. Journal of Yanshan University, (Social Science Edition)14 (2): 93–96.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Huo, Lirong
    2017 “Zhongying siwei fangshi chayi dui fanyi de yingxiang.” [Differences in the way of thinking between China and the west and its influence over translation]. Overseas English (24): 123–124.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Jiang, Nan
    2015 “Moyan xiaoshuo biyu de moshenghua.” [De-familiarised similes in Mo Yan’s novels]. Journal of Pingdingshan College30 (6): 107–109.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Jiang, Xiaoling, and Chenlu Shi
    2012 “Moyan huojiang fanyi yougong.” [Mo Yan deserves credit for award-winning translation]. AccessedJuly 23, 2019. www.cas.cn/zt/sszt/2012nobelprize/xwpl/201210/t20121015_3658755.shtml
  15. Lefevere, André
    1992Translation, Rewriting and the Manipulation of Literary Fame. London: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Lian, Yajian
    2013 “Gehaowen fanyi sixiang tanjiu.” [Research on Goldblatt’s translation thoughts]. Journal of Weifang College13 (1): 38–40.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Luo, Guohua
    2017 “Shengsi pilao yiben gaixie xianxiang yanjiu.” [A Study on Howard Goldblatt’s Rewriting of Mo Yan’s Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out]. (MPhil. thesis). Shen Zhen University.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Lupke, Christopher
    2011 Hankering after sovereign images: Modern Chinese fiction and the voices of Howard Goldblatt. Chinese Literature Today, 2(1): 86-93. 10.1080/21514399.2011.11833955
    https://doi.org/10.1080/21514399.2011.11833955 [Google Scholar]
  19. Mi, Yaning
    2012 “Qianlun fanyi yu shixue.” [On translation and poetics]. Journal of Gansu Union University28 (2): 56–60.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Mo, Yan
    2012Sheng Si Pi Lao [Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out]. Beijing: The Writer’s Publishing.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Munday, Jeremy
    2001Introducing Translation Studies: Theories and Applications. London: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Sparks, Stephen
    2013 “Translating Mo Yan: An interview with Howard Goldblatt.” AccessedSeptember 19, 2018. https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/translating-mo-yan-an-interview-with-howard-goldblatt/#!
  23. Vinay, Jean-Paul, and Jean Darbelnet
    2000Comparative Stylistics of French and English: A Methodology for Translation. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: PA: John Benjamins. 10.1075/btl.11
    https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.11 [Google Scholar]
  24. Wang, Liming
    2015 “Xushi quantao xiade huangdan: lun moyan shengsi pilao de xushi yishu.” [The absurdity with “narrative trap” – the narrative art of Mo Yan’s Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out]. Journal of Min Nan Teacher’s University99 (4): 103–108.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Wang, Liping
    2009 “Yinghan qinshu chengwei de chayi tanyin jiqi fanyi.” [Differences between Chinese and English Kinship relations and Their Translation]. Culture and Education12 (6): 32.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Zeng, Xiaofeng
    2017 “Caokonglun shijiaoxia gehaowen fanyi xuancai yanjiu.” [Research on Goldblatt’s choice of translation materials: A manipulative perspective]. Journal of Changchun Teacher’s University36 (9): 78–80.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Zhao, Mingjuan
    2014 “Gaixie lilun shijiaoxia shengsi pilao yingyiben yanjiu.” [The study of the English version of Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out from the perspective of rewriting theory]. (MPhil. thesis), Shandong University.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Zhou, Lei
    2018 “1987: Xianfeng wenxuechang zhongde moyan.” [1987: Mo Yan in avantgarde literary field]. Novel Review (5): 84–92.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Zhu, Lin
    2017 “Rewritings in Translation as Clues of Cultural Mediation and Ideological Manipulation: A Case Study of Lin Shu’s Translation of David Copperfield.” Neohelicon45(1): 351–366. 10.1007/s11059‑017‑0415‑8
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11059-017-0415-8 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/ttmc.00071.liu
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error