Theories And Strategies Of English-Chinese Translation: A Perspective Of Postcolonial Translation Studies

Since the "cultural turn" of translation studies in the 1990s, cultural element becomes an important part of translation studies. At the same time, postcolonial translation studies gradually goes into people's research scope and witnesses a diversified development. Generally speaking, postcolonial translation studies probes how translators, translating and translation are restricted by power relations as well as how translators, translating and translation construct or deconstruct power relations. It studies not only on the translation expressed by language, text or orality, but also on the communication, exchange and influence between cultures, paying close attention to the history and experience of cultural translation, together with examining the imbalance, inequality of current cultural translation. Postcolonial translation studies contributes to the institution, siting of former colonies'national culture after independence, resists the erosive effect of foreign culture, and plays a positive role in enhancing equal communication between cultures.Being imported into China in the late 20th century, postcolonial translation has enjoyed a wide popularity in China's translation circle during which some problems exist. Many Chinese scholars, referring to postcolonial translation studies though, do not deepen their study on it, therein some misreading and misuse of postcolonial translation studies occur, such as to judge translation texts with tinted glasses; to parade foreignization while denounce domestication; a biased view on "anepia". Besides, there are rare domestic translation researchers combining postcolonial translation studies with the current practice of English-Chinese translation. For these reasons, this thesis works to make a relatively detailed introduction to postcolonial translation studies, find out its theoretical source and give an analysis on its theories as well as strategies so as to help the readers with a better understanding of postcolonial translation studies. Besides, this thesis also discusses the history and current situation of English-Chinese translation practice and puts forth its suggestions that postcolonial translation studies be applied to English-Chinese translation practice to foster much more equal dialogue between English and Chinese cultures. Chapter One introduces the history and the "cultural turn" of translation and maintains that the study scope of translation studies should be broadened, that is, to put the power relations between cultures into consideration. When clarifying the significance of post colonial translation studies, the first chapter also defines the contents of postcolonial translation studies and presents the key issue as well as main structure of this thesis.Chapter Two discusses the theoretical source-postcolonial studies and deconstructive translation-of postcolonial translation studies. To be simple, the former provides postcolonial translation studies with perspective and the latter approach. During the process of discussion, the chapter also makes introductions to some representative figures and works of postcolonial studies as well deconstructive translation.Chapter Three focuses on the theories and strategies of postcolonial translation studies. It is worth mentioning that postcolonial translation studies, after seeing such a diversified development, can not be represented or covered by any of its theories or schools but all as a whole. When introducing postcolonial translation theories and strategies, the thesis emphasizes some postcolonial theorists (Douglas Robinson, Tejaswini Niranjana, Maria Tymoczko) and some postcolonial translation strategies (Foreignization, Cannibalism in Brazil, Canadian Border Writing).Chapter Four tries to combine postcolonial translation studies with the practice of English-Chinese translation. Aiming to achieve equal dialogue between Chinese and English cultures, the thesis raises some suggestions to have postcolonial translation studies applied to English-Chinese translation in a more effective way.Finally, the fifth chapter makes conclusions of this thesis. Besides, it points out certain limits of this study and offers the author's suggestions for further study.