Subjectivity Of The Translator And Its Influence Over The Yangs' English Version Of Hongloumeng

Subjectivity of the translator is recognized following the Cultural Turn in translation studies. However, past research tends to analyze a translation by locating it in the target cultural system and recognizes deviation in translation as indication of the translator's subjectivity. This paper proposes that an invariation tendency which is defined as preserving images unique to the source culture and linguistic style of the source language and avoiding over-explicitness also displays the translator's subjectivity as under the influence and constraints of the source culture.By examining the nature of literary translation and deconstructing the traditional criterion of "faithfulness" in translation studies with theories advocated by Derrida, Even-Zohar and Lefevere, the thesis claims that the tendency of invariation is the result of the translator's initiative-his/her royalty to and love for the source culture and appreciation of the source language -balanced with passivity-the constraints of the source culture. A revisit to Zohar and Toury's target-oriented approach further proves the possible influence of the source culture over the translator's subjectivity.Through an analysis of Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang's cultural identity, and the translational context of Yangs' English version of Hongloumeng, this thesis reveals that Yangs adopted the invariation tendency due to their cultural identity and aesthetic value and the dominant ideology and poetics of the time when they translated also enhanced the invariation tendency. Examples selected from Yangs' English version of Hongloumeng prove the influence of the translators' subjectivity over the translated text.Through the study of the translator's subjectivity displayed in Yangs' English version of Hongloumeng, this paper puts on some new thoughts on the connotation of the translator's subjectivity. Translators' motivated choices should be justified by locating the translator in his/her immediate context which should not be restricted to the target culture as past research suggests.