Literary Translation In The Postcolonial Context

The study of literary translation in the postcolonial context is a new attempt in the translation studies. Postcolonial studies of translation explains the exterior factors affecting the translation activity, which is different from the traditional translation studies focusing on the precise transfer of meaning between different languages. Postcolonial approaches to literary translation examine the power relations between the powerful cultures and the less powerful cultures which have influence on the process of translation. This thesis attempts to discuss literary translation in the postcolonial context focusing on the choice of literary texts to translate, the adoption of different translation strategies and the establishment of cultural identity through literary translation.The introduction gives a broad overview of the postcolonial studies of translation. It helps us to realize that translation cannot be conducted in a vacuum, which is affected by the historical, political and cultural factors. The postcolonial approach to translation studies produces a new dimension and the horizon of traditional research is widened.Chapter One discusses how to study translation from the postcolonial perspective. It presents the traditional models for translation studies, pointing out the deficiencies of them. Then, it introduces threemain important postcolonial theoreticians and gives a brief presentationof their theories. Postcolonial theory has provided new approaches to thetranslation studies, which inspects exterior factors influencing the act of translation. Both postcolonial theory and translation studies are closely related with power relations.Chapter Two and Chapter Three analyze the choice of literary texts and the selection of translation strategies in the postcolonial context. The difference in power and position between the powerful cultures and the less powerful cultures exerts significant influence on the choice of literary texts to be translated and the specific translation strategies. ,The powerfulcultures always translate their literature to the less powerful cultures but seldom import from others. And the less powerful cultures tend to import the literature from their powerful counterparts. In the postcolonial context, the less powerful cultures should make effort to output their literature to the western world through translation so as to change the one-way trade in translation. Chapter Three analyzes domestication and foreignization strategies adopted by the powerful cultures and the less powerful ones in the postcolonial context. It also argues that the translated texts are inevitably hybrids which are the result of adoption of either domestication or foreigaization. A culture should frankly face the hybridity in exchange with others.In Chapter Four, by analyzing the function of literary translation in establishing cultural identity, the author affirms that literary translation can be a positive force of decolonization. Literary translation into English now fiinctions to change the biased attitude to the ex-colonized or less powerful cultures and provide a channel for them to articulate their voice.In the last part, the conclusion of the whole thesis is presented. The conclusion affirms the significance of studying literary translation in the postcolonial context.