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Translation of Culture-Loaded Words in the Ci-Poem Turn of Zui Hua Yin from the Perspective of Meaning in Semantics

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Translation of Culture-Loaded Words in the Ci-Poem Turn of Zui Hua Yin from the Perspective of Meaning in Semantics ISSN 1923-1555[Print] Studies in Literature and Language ISSN 1923-1563[Online] Vol. 12, No. 3, 2016, pp. 30-35 www.cscanada.net DOI:10.3968/8260 www.cscanada.org Translation of Culture-Loaded Words in the Ci-Poem Turn of Zui Hua Yin From the Perspective of Meaning in Semantics WANG Xinran[a],* [a]China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. In 1841, James Legge began a translation in many * Corresponding author. volumes of the Chinese classics, a monumental task Received 18 November 2015; accepted 22 February 2016 admirably executed and completed a few years before his Published online 26 March 2016 death, which was named as The Chinese Classic. From then on, more and more English versions of Ci-poetry Abstract rendered by foreign scholars emerged, such as Gems of Ci-poetry holds an important position in spreading Chinese Literature by Herbert A. Giles, 100 Poems from Chinese literature and cross-cultural communication. It the Chinese by Kenneth Rexroth, A Golden Treasury of contains many culture-loaded words and because of this, Chinese Poetry by John Turner. the accurate translation of the meaning becomes a barrier Besides, many Chinese scholars also made a great during Ci-poetry rendering. This thesis is conducted from contribution towards the translation of Ci-poetry, the perspective of the theory of meaning stated by Jeffery including An English Version of Classic Poems by Weng Leech in Semantics and selects Turn of Zui Hua Yin Xiangliang, Bilingual Edition 300 Song Lyrics by Xu written by Li Qingzhao, a female poet in Song Dynasty, Yuan-Zhong, An Anthology of Chinese Poetry by Ding as a case study, placing its culture-loaded words into three Zuxin, Selected Poems and Essays of the Tang and Song categories according to the differences of their conceptual Dynasties by Mr. and Mrs. Yang Xianyi, etc.. and associative meaning in Chinese and English cultures. Nevertheless, some unmerited barriers appeared along Then, in each category, this thesis comparatively analyses with Ci-poetry translation. Among them, the ultimate the translation of the culture-loaded words in four English and noticeable one is how to translate its culture-loaded versions from Xu Yuan-zhong, Ding Zuxin, Kenneth words properly. More concretely, the conceptual meaning Rexroth, and Gong Jinghao, and finally concludes proper and associative meaning of culture-loaded words in Ci- translation methods and merits and demerits of each poetry should be heeded sufficiently. This thesis chooses version at this point. Turn of Zui Hua Yin written by Li Qingzhao, a female poet in Song Dynasty, as a case study, which can typically Culture-loaded words; Meaning in Key words: represent the characteristics of the culture-loaded words semantics’ Ci-poetry’ Turn of Zui Hua Yin; Translation in Ci-poetry. By a comparative analysis of the various selected English versions under the guidance of the theory Wang, X. R. (2016). Translation of Culture-Loaded Words in the Ci-Poem Turn of Zui Hua Yin From the Perspective of Meaning in of meaning in semantics, the thesis mainly aims to wake Semantics. Studies in Literature and Language, 12(3), 30-35. Available translators’ consciousness of importance of the theory of from: http://www.cscanada.net/index.php/sll/article/view/8260 meaning during translating culture-loaded words in Ci- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/8260 poetry into English: When rendering Ci-poetry, consider the proper meaning and cultural elements of the culture- loaded words as comprehensively as possible; when commenting on others’ versions, never affirm or negate INTRODUCTION across-the-board but compare and analyze the different Ci-poetry, as a unique literary genre, represents the versions so as to find out a most appropriate way to render particular beauty of Chinese culture; what’s more, it can the culture-loaded words with the minimal loss of their express exquisite emotions and thoughts. associative meaning. Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture 30 WANG Xinran (2016). Studies in Literature and Language, 12(3), 30-35 1. LITERATURE REVIEW which can be reflected in the language. Here, all the rich cultural elements can be recapitulated as “associative 1.1 The Theory of Meaning meaning” that is mentioned above. Therefore, culture- During the long history of semantics, the least known area loaded words can be defined as the words loaded with in linguistics, meaning has always been a central topic abundant cultural meanings and mirroring the features of in human scholarship and defined variously by different the culture of a certain language community, namely, the schools. C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards presented a different distinctions between objects and concepts owing “representative list of the main definitions which reputable to their own cultures. students of meaning have favored” in their book The Language is a social phenomenon, representing Meaning of Meaning written in 1923. There are 16 major an entirely different culture. During the process of categories of meaning, with sub-categories all together, translation, both language and culture should be taken into numbering 22. consideration in order to convey all the information that On the basis of the previous researches, Geoffrey N. language carries as much as possible, including cultural Leech in a more moderate and objective tone recognizes 7 information. Successful rendering of culture-loaded words types of meaning: (a) conceptual meaning; (b) connotative is quite difficult, not only due to their various conceptual meaning; (c) social meaning; (d) affective meaning; meanings, but also because of their different cultural (e) reflected meaning; (f) collocative meaning; and (g) elements or complicated associative meaning. In John thematic meaning (Leech, 1981, pp.9-23). Leech’s theory Dryden’s opinion, in general, the most feasible way is to places the research of meaning under the macroscopical process between two extremes, viz. literal translation and background of social culture and gives prominence to liberal/free translation. Likewise, in the book Essay on its communicative functions and communicative values. the Principles of Translation, Alexander Tytlor, a famous The more concrete and detailed information of 7 types of linguist, says that the perfect situation could probably meaning is presented in the following table: exist between the two ends. In conclusion, when dealing with the translation of Table 1 The More Concrete and Detailed Information of 7 culture-loaded words in Ci-poetry, translators should Types of Meaning (Leech, 1981, p.23) seek for a balanceable and modest method, not merely adopting liberal or literal translation, or domesticating or 1. Conceptual meaning Logical, cognitive, or denotative content. foreignizing translation. or Sense Associative meaning What is communicated by virtue of what 2. Connotative meaning 2. CASE STUDY: COMPARISON OF language refers to. VARIOUS VERSIONS OF TURN OF ZUI What is communicated of the social 3. Social meaning circumstances of language use. HUA YIN What is communicated of the feelings and 4. Affective meaning attitudes of the speaker/writer. 2.1 Introduction to Li Qingzhao and Turn of Zui What is communicated through association Hua Yin 5. Reflected meaning with another sense of the same expression. Li Qingzhao is the most famous, popular and beloved woman What is communicated through association writer of Ci-poetry in Song Dynasty. She is considered to be a 6. Collocative meaning with words which tend to occur in the critical representative and also the terminator of the Gentle and environment of another word. Restrained School of Ci-poetry, which is focus on being cultured What is communicated by the way in and restrained and the determined tones, characterized by 7. Themantic meaning which the message is organized in terms morbidezza, lyricism, classicalism, and rejuvenation of people’s of order and emphasis. real nature, namely secularity and individuality. As for the style of Li Qingzhao’s Ci-poems, it not 1.2 Culture-Loaded Words merely has the features of the Gentle and Restrained Mona Baker provides a clear definition of culture-loaded School, what’s more, it is so unique and impressive as words, to form a new genre named Yi’an Style. Harmonious The source language word may express a concept which is syllables and repeated verses are regarded as a lingering totally unknown in the target culture. The concept in question charm in her poems, as if nacreous pearls are dropping may be abstract or concrete; it may relate to a religious belief, a down onto a jade plate, which indicates the beauty of social custom, or even a type of food. Such concepts are often sound. Meanwhile, the language in her works is very referred to as “culture-specific”. common and simple, fresh and clear, original and delicate, With differences in ecological environment, religious spontaneous and frank. And the most noticeable point is perception, social institution, historical background, that Li Qingzhao applies plenty of colloquial words and personal experience, thinking pattern and so forth, people expressions with ease and makes the best of rhetorical of different nations have developed their own cultures, devices, such as simile, metaphor, personification, 31 Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture Translation of Culture-Loaded Words in the Ci-Poem Turn of Zui Hua Yin From the Perspective of Meaning in Semantics allusion, etc.. All of these can most embody Chinese soul disengaging from her body. Hereupon,
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