| Some scholars have different understandings of translator's subjectivity, although the translator's subjectivity is not a new topic. They hold that the subjectivity neglects the other translation elements and the translation studies should have turned into the inter-subjectivity. Some of them even enact the treason of source text in the name of"translator's subjectivity", ignoring the thought and art of the original text and translating casually. They greatly hinder the improvement of translation quality.In this context, the thesis rediscovers the translator's subjectivity from the perspective of"fusion of horizons", a notion of philosophical hermeneutics. The thesis gives an introduction in Chapter1, and then gives a brief review of the theoretical background studies of the translator's subjectivity and some key items concerning the"fusion of horizons"in Chapter 2. Then it explores the translator's subjectivity in the process of fusion of horizons, i.e. the translator's horizon fusing with the horizon of source text, of the source text reference, of the previous translations, and of the target readers in Chapter 3. To illustrate or intensify the brief points of Chapter 3, Chapter 4 makes a case study of how Minford bring his subjectivity into full play in fusions of horizons when translating Sunzi Bingfa.The translator should consider the author's identity, the background and purpose of the original text, and the words of the text including the text structure, the diction, sentence pattern, the description or arguing methods, etc. in the fusion of horizons of the translator and the source text, to retain the grace of the source text and add new blood into it.When the source text is not enough for a thorough understanding, the translator has to expand his/her horizon to the source text references. By judging, choosing the materials, the translator will have a deep or creative understanding. And the translator will put the newly fused horizon into the target text, in the form of introduction, note, etc. These actions are manifestation of translator's subjectivity.The translator's horizon fusing with the horizon of the previous translation is conditional (the availability of the previous translation; the willingness and effort of fusing or learning). By fusing of horizons, the translator can learn how they understand the source text, how they express themselves and meet the demand of the target reader. Besides, the translator can feature his own style and identity after studying the previous translations. When the translator's horizon fuses with the reader's horizon, the translator should first find out what kind of readers will read his translation, and how much do they know about it, etc. so that the translator can meet the demand of the readers and even guide them.In the above fusions of horizons, the translator takes initiative to study the source text, the previous translation(s), the readers, and to meet their demand or learn from them. In this process, the translator's own horizon is decisive, as the translator always takes his subjectivity to recreate the text, in which his own horizon is materialized in a new way. The translator's subjectivity influences in the fusions of horizons. It includes the initiative and creativeness in the fusions of the translator's and others'horizons, such as source text, source text author, target readers, etc. and it also includes the retentiveness of his/ own horizon in a continuously renovated way.Finally, as the translator's subjectivity is a complex topic involving many factors, more systematic study remains to be done. |
