Manipulation Of Translation

It is universally acknowledged that translation should be judged by the criterion of fidelity. With the cultural turn of translation studies in the past decades, this multidisciplinary subject has turned from the source-oriented research to the target-oriented research, trying to get rid of the former evaluative, prescriptive approach, which aims at formulating rules or norms for translation to follow. In this sense, this study tries to establish a series of descriptive paradigm by studying translation in an open system, where the whole social historical backgrounds act as the study platform. Based on such approach, this thesis attempts to study translation from the manipulation theory at a macro level.The manipulation theory concerns the translated works in the target language culture in which certain social cultural factors have some impact on translation. These factors, according to A. Lefevere are ideology poetics and patronage. Translation under the constraints of such factors is defined as a form of rewriting functioning at a given time in a given society. This undoubtedly enlarges the scope of translation and requires scholars to study it under the wide social historical environments. Translation is not done in a vacuum, and the context it is involved in may have a deciding force on the position, function and process of translation.Ideology is an outer factor manipulating translation, which confines the translator's comprehension and interpretation. It is often enforced by the patronage that pays much attention to the social ideology than the poetics. Patrons often have a saying in the publication and popularity of the translated work. The inner factor manipulating translation is the poetics, which is more noticed by the professionals. These professionals of the literary field may use their authorized power to codify the poetics by canonizing certain literary works and ask the other literate to follow. These factors as a whole control the literary system by determining the choice of text, translation strategies, and the intended readership. In an undifferentiated patronage society, one patron may provide the translator with ideological identification, status and economic satisfaction as a whole; while in a differentiated patronage society, patrons may control...