Interpreting variability in Chinese translation studies: a means of cross­cultural communication

Abstract

This paper expounds the concept of variability in Chinese through discussing the classical translation theories put forward by Yanfu, trans­variation theories introduced by Huangzhonglian and the application of variational translation in literary translation as cross­cultural mediation. It concludes that since variational translation only transmits certain information selected by the translator from the original text for certain purposes, such translation may best satisfy certain readers’ needs.

References

Alekseev V.M. Principy hudozhestvennogo perevoda s kitajskogo [Principles of Lliterary Translation from Chinese]. Trudy po kitajskoj literature. V 2 kn. Kn. 2. Otv. red. B.L. Riftin. Moscow: Vost. lit., 2003, pp. 139–145 (In Russian).

Chukovskiy K.I. Vysokoe iskusstvo [High Art]. Moscow: Sov. pisatel’, 1968, 382 p. (In Russian).

Garbovskiy N.K. Perevod kak khudozhestvennoe tvorchestvo [Translation as Artistic Creativity]. Vestn. Mosk. un-ta. Ser. 22. Teoriya perevoda. 2010. No. 3, pp. 4–16 (In Russian).

Golovina E.D. Yazykovaya variantnost’ i kul’tura rechi [Language Variant and Culture of Speech]. Kirov: Kirovskiy gos. ped. in­t imeni V.I. Lenina, 1983, 75 p. (In Russian).

黄忠廉，重识严复的翻译思想 [J].《中国翻译》，1998年第2期，6–8页.

Huang Zhonglian. Povtornoe znakomstvo s myslyami Yan’ Fu o perevode [Restudy Yan Fu’s Thinking of Translation]. Kitajskie perevodchiki. 1998. No. 2, pp. 6–8 (In Chinese).

黄忠廉，《翻译变体研究》[M]. 北京:中国对外翻译出版公司，2000.

Huang Zhonglian. Izuchenie variativnosti v perevode [The Study of Variability in Translation]. Beijing: Kitayskaya korporatsiya perevoda i izdaniya, 2000 (In Chinese).

黄忠廉，《变译理论》[M]. 北京:中国对外翻译出版公司，2002.

Huang Zhonglian. Teoriya variativnogo perevoda [Theory of Variable Translation]. Beijing: Kitayskaya korporatsiya perevoda i izdaniya, 2002 (In Chinese).

黄忠廉，句群中枢变译说 [J].《外语学刊》，2003年第4期，89–93页.

Huang Zhonglian. Sverkhfrazovoe edinstvo kak dominiruyushchaya edinitsa v variativnom perevode [Translation Variation Theory of the Clause Group Oriented Approach]. Issledovanie inostrannykh yazykov. 2003. No. 4, pp. 89–93 (In Chinese).

黄忠廉，“翻译”新解——兼答周领顺先生论“变译” [J].《外语研究》，2012 年第1期，81–84页.

Huang Zhonglian. Novoe ob”yasnenie termina «perevod» — v otvet na mneniya Chzhou Linshunya o termine «adaptivnyy perevod» [New Explanation of Translation — Answer Zhou Lingshun’s Opinions of Variation Translation]. Izuchenie inostrannykh yazykov. 2012. No. 1, pp. 81–84 (In Chinese).

黄忠廉，达:严复翻译思想体系的灵魂——严复变译思想考之一 [J].《中 国翻译》，2016年第1期，34–39页.

Huang Zhonglian. Norma kak dusha sistemy vzglyadov Yan’ Fu na perevod: izuchenie variativnogo perevoda Yan’ Fu [The Norm as the Soul of Yan Fu’s Thinking of Translation: One of the Studies on Yan Fu’s Thought of Translation Variation]. Kitajskie perevodchiki. 2016. No. 1, pp. 34–39 (In Chinese).

黄忠廉、陈元飞，从达旨术到变译理论 [J].《外语与外语教学》，2016年 第1期，98–106页.

Huang Zhonglian, Chen Yuanfei. Ot taktiki adaptatsii do teorii variativnogo perevoda [The Process from Adaptation Techniques to Translation Variation Theory]. Inostrannye yazyki i ikh prepodavanie. 2016. No. 1, pp. 98–106 (In Chinese).

黄忠廉、朱英丽，严译《天演论》“信” “达”真谛考——严复变译思想考之 一 [J].《中国外语》，2016年第1期，101–106页.

Huang Zhonglian, Zhu Yingli. Kriterii «dostovernost’» i «norma» v perevode Yan’ Fu «Evolyutsii i etiki»: izuchenie variativnogo perevoda Yan’ Fu [On the Essence of “Faithfulness” and “Expressiveness” in the Chinese Version of Evolution and Ethics: One of the Studies on Yan Fu’s Thought of Translation Variation]. Inostrannye yazyki v Kitae. 2016. No. 1, pp. 101–106 (In Chinese).

Komissarov V.N. Kognitivnye aspekty perevoda [Cognitive Aspects of Translation]. Perevod i lingvistika teksta. Moscow: VTsP, 1994, pp. 7–22 (In Russian). 

Lingvisticheskiy entsiklopedicheskiy slovar’ [Linguistic Encyclopedic Dictionary]. Gl. red. V.N. Yartseva. Moscow: Sovetskaya entsiklopediya, 1990, URL: http://tapemark.narod.ru/les/ (In Russian).

Lotman Yu.M. Stat’i po semiotike i tipologii kul’tury [Articles on Semiotics and Typology of Culture]. Tallinn: Aleksandrad, 1992, 479 p. (In Russian). 

Nord C. Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001, 154 p. 

Shchichko V.F. Kitayskiy yazyk. Teoriya i praktika perevoda [Chinese. Theory and Practice of Translation]. Moscow: Vostok — Zapad: AST, 2004, 223 p. (In Russian).

Tsvilling M.Ya. Polivariantnost’ perevoda kak lingvisticheskaya i metodicheskaya problema [Translation Multivariance as A Linguistic and Methodological Problem]. Nauchnyy i obshchestvenno­politicheskiy tekst. Moscow: Nauka, 1991, pp. 179–193 (In Russian).

Wang Mengyao. Napravlenie kitajskogo perevoda s tochki zreniya razvitiya kitajskoj teorii perevoda [The Direction of Translation in China from the Point of View of the Development of the Chinese Translation Theory]. Vestn. Mosk. un-ta. Ser. 22. Teoriya perevoda. 2012. No. 1, pp. 16–22 (In Russian).

王佐良，严复的用心[A].《论严复与严译名著》[C]. 北京:商务印书 馆，1982，22–27页.

Wang Zuoliang. Namerenie Yan Fu [Yan Fu’s Intention]. O Yan’ Fu i ego perevodakh. Beijing: Kommercheskaya izdatel’stvo, 1982, pp. 7–22 (In Chinese). Yu Anthony C. (trans.) The Monkey and the Monk: An Abridgment of The

Journey to the West. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2006, 528 p.