A Study On Norms In Translation

Both China and western countries have a long translation history. Theories of translation are continuously enriched and improved. Scholars of different schools in different times try to explain translation norms from different perspectives. In China, the translation norms proposed by scholars are prescriptive in nature, be it the philological study of translation norms before 1970s or the comparative linguistic study of translation norms after 1980s. In the West, the study on translation, be it from the perspective of applied linguistics or textual linguistics, emphasizes the judgment for value while ignores rational analysis.The limitation of traditional translation study and linguistic study of translation calls for a new method. With the appearance of descriptive translation studies, scholars begin to treat translation in an objective and all-round way instead of being bonded by the ideal of"faithfulness". Since 1970s, the formation of descriptive translational norms has transcended the limitation of traditional translation standard and broadened the view of translation studies. However, confusion also arises in the thriving of translation studies. What will be the future of translation norms? Should we abandon the traditional prescriptive translation standard? What are the significance and value of studying descriptive translational norms? In order to answer the above questions, the author makes a systematic study on the above two kinds of norms by way of literature review and comparison on the basis of the study conducted by former scholars.This thesis, first of all, takes a brief review of the translation history in both China and abroad, in which opinions and theories of translation put forward by renowned scholars are introduced and commented. After the literature review, the author generalizes the nature and characteristics of traditional translation standard, and analyzes its contribution to translation as well as its limitation. Next, the author introduces Toury's translational norms including the definition, classification, nature, characteristics of translational norms, and the theoretical ground for descriptive translational norms. The value of study on descriptive translational norms lies in that it connects theory with practice, making theoretical study more objective, scientific and practical. Then, by analyzing factors affecting translation activities, namely internal requirements of text types, influence of language and cultural differences, social background and translators'cognition, the author contends that traditional translation standard and descriptive translational norms are interrelated in guiding translation practice. Finally, a conclusion is drawn that"translation standard"and"translational norms"are complementary and a unity of opposites. For translation studies, the two norms should be attached great importance to and kept in balanced development instead of being separated or abandoned. Only by balancing the two can we establish a scientific and rational framework of translation theory.