A Pragmatic Study Of Contextual Adjustment In Humor Translation

This dissertation is a research on contextual adjustment in humor translation with pragmatics and translation theories. The notion of context in translation refers to the background information that determines the meaning of the word; in pragmatics, context means the conditions of an utterance when it is applied. Because humorous languages tend to rely on context to achieve pragmatic effects, the contextual changes invoked while translating from source text (ST) to target text (TT) may result in changes in humorous effects. According to their dependency on context, humor can be classified into two categories, high-context humor and low-context humor. For the purpose to compare their contextual adjustment in ST and TT, the examples selected in this dissertation are high-context humor.This dissertation applies Equivalence Theory, Functional Theory, and Domestication and Foreignization Theory to analyze contextual adjustment in humor translation. Due to different aims and focuses, each theory has featured explanation on contextual adjustment in humor translation, stressing respectively on dynamic equivalence between ST and TT, customer (or patrons), and domesticated or foreignized expression of ST culture in TT. Contextual adjustment in TT usually takes the form of deletion and redundancy. However, the methods, degrees and effects of the adjustment in TT varied when guided by different translation theories.Based on the above study, this dissertation continues to analyze contextual adjustment in humor translation with a pragmatic perspective, consisting of Cooperative Principle, Relevance Principle, and Speech Act Theory. The pragmatic study shows that efforts should be made in achieving equivalence in the aspects of maxims'flouting, optimal relevance and perlocutionary effects between ST and TT.Besides, this dissertation carries on a further discussion on the extent of contextual adjustment in humor translation and the unavoidable phenomenon of added context as humor killers. Some humor loses its amusing effects in TT after necessary contextual adjustment, while some, in order to produce humorous effects in TT, has undergone deviation from ST. Since a discussion of contextual adjustment in translation must involve the argument of translation criteria, pragmatic criteria of translation is also included in this dissertation.This dissertation is an interdisciplinary study of pragmatics and translation. The pragmatic study of contextual adjustment in humor translation will broaden the scope of related translation research, and facilitate an ideal combination of theoretical studies and translation practices. This dissertation will prove its value and significance in future translation research and teaching.