On Translator’s Subjectivity

The study of translator’s subjectivity has become a hot topic in the translationfield. The traditional translation theory holds that the author of the original text hasthe position of authority, while the translator is only an ‘invisible man’ subordinate tothe author，the translator has to be faithful or loyal to the source text, serving both theauthor and the reader. With the “cultural turn” in the western translation studies, avariety of translation theories have emerged, namely, the Polysystem School, theSkopos Theory and the Hermeneutics Theory. These theories have conducted a newexplanation to the translator’s identity and status, assuming that no matter how hardthe translator may try to hide himself to make himself invisible, his world value,outlook on life, values, personalities and taste will unavoidably play a part in histranslation, in other words, the translator enjoys subjectivity during the whole processof translation. The translator’s subjectivity refers to the subjective initiative reflectedin the translation activity by the translator on the condition that he must respect thetranslation object in order to realize the translation purpose. The basic characteristicsof the translator’s subjectivity are his self-conscious culture awareness, his humanisticcharacter, cultural creativity and aesthetic creativity.Lin Yutang is a world-known translator and writer, engaging in the promotion ofthe cultural exchange between China and the western countries, especially introducingthe Chinese culture internationally. In his life, Lin created many outstanding works,and once won the nomination for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Based on richtranslation experience, Lin Yutang puts forward his unique and insightful translationtheory with “faithfulness”,“smoothness” and “beauty” as translation criteria and with“spiritual resemblance” as its core, he believes that translation is an art with creativity.Lin’s translation of Six Chapters of a Floating Life written by Shen Fu in QingDynasty manifested the highest level of his translation skills and is an obviousmanifestation of his subjectivity as a translator. With the current studies both at homeand abroad and many examples, the thesis takes Lin’s translated version of the novelas a case study to investigate the role of the translator’s subjectivity in the process oftranslation.The paper is divided into five chapters, the introduction lies in the first chapter;the second chapter gives an account of and comments on Fu Sheng Liu Ji and LinYutang; the third chapter offers a historical view to the study of translator’ssubjectivity and analyzes the difference of translator’s status in traditional andcontemporary translation theories and defines the subjectivity of a translator. Thefourth chapter conducts an examination to the manifestations of the translator’ssubjectivity from the selection and comprehension of the original work, the translationstrategies and the translation methods. The fifth chapter is the conclusion.