From Subjectivity To Inter-subjectivity: Monologue To Dialogue

With the emergence of the Cultural Turn? and the ideas of inter-subjectivity, a transition of attitudes toward translation subjects turns out to be an irreversible tendency. The traditional translation theories regard one single factor of translation as the translation subject, and accordingly lead to four subjective paradigms in translation history, namely, the author-centered paradigm, the text-centered paradigm, the reader-centered paradigm and the translator-centered paradigm. Under these paradigms, translation is taken as a monologue of one individual factor, while the fact is translation is an interactive communication or a dialogue participated by all men in translation.The introduction begins with a review of the achievements made in subjective researches and, on the basis of recognizing its constructive significances the passive influences of subjectivity are also indicated. It further points out that although the present Translation Studies is still in the stage of subjectivity, it is a historical tendency to have a theoretical transformation from subjectivity into inter-subjectivity.In order to further probe into the problem of translational inter-subjectivity, we must differentiate two concepts: translating subject and translation subject. Chapter One points out that the translating subject is the translator while translation subject should include all men in translation. Historical status of the translator is also touched upon.Later, in chapter Two we for one thing expounds on the philosophical meaning of subjectivity in different periods of time, and for the other put emphasis on the four paradigms appeared in translation history: the author-centered paradigm, the text-centered paradigm, the reader-centered paradigm and the translator-centered paradigm. It examines the respective characteristics, developments and limitations ofthese paradigms, especially highlights their blights on the translators (be slaved, be excluded, be brought into treacherous embarrassments and dilemmatic puzzlement).The subject and the object are inter-dependent and inter-inverted. Based on such an argumentation, in Chapter Three we borrow five theories from the western philosophy: the Fusion of Horizons proposed by Gadamer, the Horizon of Expectations put forward by Jauss, the Communicative Action advanced by Habermas, the Dialogism brought forward by Bakhtin as well as the "I-You" Encounter Theory advocated by Buber. This chapter applies these theories to the understanding and expressing parts in translation, and comes to the conclusion: Translation is firstly a Fusion of Horizons between the source text author and the translator who then has to do his best to meet the target reader's Horizon of Expectations, and translation is, in process a communication action, and in essence a dialogue or an encounter between all participating men. This chapter then gives detailed expounding on the inter-subjective relation between the translator and the source-language author, between the translator and the target-language reader and, that between the translator and the other powers.Chapter Four explores the constructive significance of inter-subjectivity in assisting translation to grow into an independent discipline and in eliminating the idea of binary opposition in translation and in life. This thesis stresses again that inter-subjectivity theory is a kind of enrichment to subjectivity theory and they are inter-dependent.Finally the conclusion looks back at the bad impacts the four paradigms exert on the translator and, calls for more researchers to make contributions in the field of inter-subjectivity in translation.