A Comparative Study Of Two English Versions Of The Analects From The Perspective Of Lefevere’s Three-factor Theory

Manipulation theory, which arose in1990s, is a representative of the culturalchange in western translation study world. It mainly explores the cultural background inwhich translation is produced and the influences that translated work brings to thereceiving culture. The brand-new study orientation puts translation studies into broadcultural background, which breaks through the limitations of traditional text-based studyand considerably broadens the theoretical vision of translation studies. André Lefevere,as the initiator of this theory, contributes a lot to the formulation and improvement ofthe study of translational manipulation theory. He proposes that translation is rewritingand manipulation in essence and further generalized three key factors which govern andmanipulate one’s translation: ideology, poetics and patronage.In the present thesis, the author applies Andre Lefevere’s Three-Factor Theory tothe comparative study of two English versions of the great Chinese classic the Analectsrespectively by Ku Hung Ming and Ezra. Pond. Through the comparative study of twotranslations, the author attempts to reveal the three manipulative forces embodiedspecifically in each version and the most affective force in each translation. Based onthe study,it is drawn that Ku Hung Ming and Ezra�'Pond were manipulatedrespectively by the three affecting factors(ideology, poetics and patronage) when theywere doing the translation of the Analects.In terms of the impact of ideology, under the influences of the social dominantideology of the original text in the Late-Qin Period, Ku Hung Ming determined totranslate the Analects and introduce the Confucian thoughts to the West with thepurpose of changing the Western glitterati’s attitude to Chinese culture and saving thedeclining China in cultural level; Influenced by the chaotic world order caused by theworld wars and financial depression at the first half of20th century, Pond chose totranslate the Analects in the hope of seeking the cure to eradicate the ills deeply rootedin the Capital Civilization from the Confucianism in the East. In terms of the impact ofpoetics, influenced by the literary function (Moral Enlightenment) in the target languagein the Victorian Age, Ku Kung Ming chose to translate The Analects and his translationcorresponds with the literary criterion in the receiving culture; However, Pond’s translation is concise and rich in poetic and pictorial splendor due to the manipulation ofthe poetics of the Imagism Movement he actively pioneered. In terms of the impact ofpatronage, the two rewriters were relatively free from the constraints of patronage.The two translations were mainly manipulated by different ideologies and poeticsin the different periods and have different features. Among the three factors, ideology ismost influential to Ku Hung Ming’s translation whereas poetics exerts the greatestimpact on Pond’s translation. Influenced by his ideology, Ku Hung Ming formed hisown translation purpose: changing the Western intellectuals’ attitudes to Chineseculture and saving the declining China in cultural level. In order to get Western readersunderstand Confucian thoughts expressed in The Analects, he adopted the strategy of“Domestication” and used unique ways of dealing with “Universe of Discourse” such asthe deletion of Chinese Proper names and a lot of quotations from famous Europeanwriters. Under the infuences of his ideology, Pond adopted the translation strategy of“Foreignization” in order to catch the essence of the Confucianism in the original text.However,the factor of Poetics is the most important force manipulating Pond’stranslation. Following the three Imagist poetic principles in writing, he adopted succinctsentence patterns and a diagrammatic method to render Chinese characters, creating avivid image for English readers. Meanwhile, if possible, his translation also presents thefeature of colloquial rhythm.Therefore, his translation is quite like a poem,characteristic with visual image and brevity.Both Ku Hung Ming and Pond creatively translated The Analects. Having beenmanipulated by different ideologies and poetics in the different periods, theirtranslations are distinct in style with sharp epochal feature. This dissertation furthercorroborates Lefevere’s Manipulation Theory and in the meantime, it provides atheoretical and practical basis for the literature translation criticism in the future.