On the Translation Strategies of Images in Mao Zedong's Poems from the Perspective of Skopos Theory
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SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (SSRG-IJHSS) – Volume 6 Issue 6 – Nov - Dec 2019 On the Translation Strategies of Images in Mao Zedong’s Poems from the Perspective of Skopos Theory Jingfang Wu1, Cong Liu2 School of Humanities, Hunan City University ,Yiyang, Hunan, China Zhounan Yuhua Middle School, Changsha, Hunan, China Abstract by Foreign Language Press of China in 1976 and Mao Zedong is not only an excellent leader of Xu’s version by Xu Yuanchong in 1993. The three China, but also a great poet. Mao Zedong’s poems versions are abbreviated as Barnstone’s version, were written under a special social background, thus Chinese official version and Xu’s version. they possess infinite artistic and cultural values. They From the perspective of Skopos Theory, this not only enjoy a high praise in the history of poetry in paper aims to compare and analyze the translation China, but also have a broad and deep influence strategies employed by the three translators, around the world. From the Perspective of Skopos especially when translating the different images in Theory, this paper makes a contrastive study on the Mao Zedong’s poems. Skopos theory demands English versions of Mao Zedong’s poems, featuring translators to put their translation purpose at the first the different images. We can make a conclusion that place. Translators shouldn’t passively accept the they have all achieved their translation purposes. source text. Instead, they are supposed to have their Influenced by the cultural differences between China opinions and aims to create a new understandable and the West, Barnstone's translation adopts literal translation text. Knowing these differences, we can translation, which meets the needs of western readers easily associate their translation purposes with social to a greater extent, while the Chinese official version background, which result in different translation adopts foreignization for its political demands. Xu strategies. Yuanchong's translation emphasizes the artistry of poetry and tends to adopt domestication. Obviously, II. SKOPOS THEORY due to different cultural and historical background, The Skopos theory is an approach to different translators have different translation translation which was put forward by Hans J. purpose. To a large extent, translation purposes Vermeer and developed in Germany in the late 1970s, determine their translation strategies. Therefore, we orienting a more functional and sociocultural concept should appreciate different translation versions of translation. The skopos rule, the coherence rule dialectically under different historical background. and the fidelity rule are the three important rules in Skopos Theory. The skopos rule aims to study the Keywords — Mao Zedong’s poems, English relationship between translation and its skopos. The versions, images, skopos theory, translation coherence rule emphasizes the relationship between strategies target text and target circumstance. The fidelity rule discusses the relationship between target text and I. INTRODUCTION source text. Mao Zedong is not only an excellent leader of China, but also a great poet. Mao Zedong’s poems A. Skopos Rule were written under a special social background, thus The word “skopos” derives from a Greek they possess infinite artistic and cultural values. They word which means purpose. According to Hans J. not only enjoy a high praise in the history of poetry in Vermeer, the most important rule of Skopos China, but also have a broad and deep influence Theory for translation is the skopos rule. It around the world. Mao Zedong’s Poems have been considers that translation is a kind of human translated into the different languages by many activities. What’s more, the purpose of translation translators at home and abroad. There are more than determines the translation strategies. 20 English versions. Under different historical As a vital rule, the skopos rule decides background, different versions serve different what translation strategies should be used by purposes, while different purposes result in different different translators. Therefore, translators should translation strategies. From the perspective of Skopos figure out clearly the purpose of the translation Theory, three representative English versions have work and the function of the target text. been chosen in this paper, i.e. Barnstone’s version by The skopos rule is aimed to solve the Willis Barnstone in 1972, the Chinese official version argument between free translation and literal ISSN: 2394 - 2703 www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 43 SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (SSRG-IJHSS) – Volume 6 Issue 6 – Nov - Dec 2019 translation. In addition, the skopos rule can keep a among three rules and the foundation of Skopos balance between dynamic equivalence and formal Theory. equivalence. What's more, the skopos rule is an important criterion to find out the difference III. CHARACTERISTICS OF MAO ZEDONG’S between excellent translators and ordinary POEMS translators. The expectation of target readers is a As one of Mao’s literary legacies, Mao main factor which decides the target text. In other Zedong’s poems are of great value and they are not words, the translation between different cultures is only the reflection of significant historical events decided by the translation purpose, while the but also the recordation of Mao Zedong’s profound translation purpose changes with different target philosophy and revolutionary spirit. Before the readers. When translating the source text, it is comparative analysis, it is important for us to necessary to adjust the translation strategies in know about some typical characteristics of Mao order to meet the expectations of target readers. Zedong’s poems. B. Coherence Rule A. Rich Ideological Contents The coherence rule is a secondary rule of the skopos rule. It requires that the target text must As we all know, Mao Zedong’s poems are conform to the standard of textual coherence. It closely related with Chinese revolution and the means that the target text must be translated in a socialist construction. In his poems, Mao Zedong way that it is comprehensible for the target readers. expresses his great ambition, profound philosophy In other words, target text should be acceptable and ardent aspiration. From 1915 to 1965, Mao and understandable. Zedong composed over 80 poems, with 67 pieces The target text should be in accordance published in public. Mao Zedong’s poems have with the coherence rule. When the translator exposed great events in Chinese revolution of over adopts the coherence rule, the target language must 40 years led by Chinese Communist Party, be coherent enough to allow the target readers to including almost all the famous battles. Mao understand the whole text, although their cultural Zedong’s poems were endowed with lofty background is different from the source text ideology and historical significance, so these readers. Only when the target readers can poems should be called the revolutionary epic. It is understand the target text, can it be viewed as a easy to find that Mao Zedong’s Poems are a successful translation. That is to say, the translator magnificent apotheosis of the harmonious should obey the coherent rule and appropriately integration of revolutionary realism and adjust the syntactical structure or the choice of revolutionary romanticism. words in target language, in order to keep the original coherence. B. Vivid Language Expressions C. Fidelity Rule Based on the classical Chinese literature, Mao Zedong has an excellent control of words and The fidelity rule means a relationship expressions, especially rhetoric devices including between the target text and the source text. This metaphor, hyperbole, metonymy and so on. rule can also be named as inter-textual coherence, Because of spiritual sense and excellent expression which is the requirement to the translator. The skills in Mao Zedong’s Poems, people all around fidelity rule demands that there must be coherence the world cherish his poems highly. The influence between the source information and the translation of Chinese classical poetry on Mao Zedong’s of this information that is accessible to the target poems is reflected not only in style, but also in readers. The successful target text is to make the language. In Mao Zedong’s poems, we can know same influence on the target readers as it does on that he is a bright language master. He often adopts the original text. The fidelity rule can be extremely appropriate expressions to make the whole poem loyal to the source text. A qualified translator vivid and lively. Mao Zedong is proficient in should not be short of the necessary knowledge of Chinese history, culture and geography. Thus, his the source-language, and should keep the source poems possess extensive historical background, culture in mind. profound philosophical connotation and important Generally speaking, among the three rules, literary value. fidelity rule is subordinate to coherence rule, because from the view of target readers, the target C. Unique Artistic Style text should at least be easy to understand, then it could be compared with its source text. In addition, Mao Zedong’s Poems are regarded as a coherence rule and fidelity rule are subordinate to harmonious integration of revolutionary realism skopos rule. Skopos rule is the most important and revolutionary romanticism. It is well known ISSN: 2394 - 2703 www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 44 SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (SSRG-IJHSS) – Volume 6 Issue 6 – Nov - Dec 2019 that Mao Zedong’s poems are characterized by the Flying snow welcomes spring’s return. great energy, power and magnificence. Mao (Chinese official version) Zedong’s poems are mostly written in the Target text 3: traditional style that is affected by Chinese When spring departed in wind and rain, classical poetry since this type of literary form has With flying snow it's back again. come into being. Chinese classical poetry, (Xu’ s version) especially its romantic and realistic style, had great effect on Mao Zedong’s poems.