On Zhu Shenghao’s Version Of Shakespeare’s Plays

Gideon Toury, a representative of the school of translation studies, proposed the theory of translational norms in1980s and had a great impact on the translation studies.The theory of translational norms regards translation as a norm-guided activity. Transcending the limitations of the traditional translation studies that focus on the source culture and the translated text, this theory constructs a multi-dimensional framework for the translation studied since it brings the target cultural system into the border of the translation studies, discussing and analyzing its influences on the translation behaviors and products.According to Toury, translational norms can be divided into three types:initial norms, preliminary norms and operational norms. Initial norms refer to the translated text subjects either to the source text and its norms or to the target culture and norms in it. Preliminary norms, including translation policy and the directness of translation, are the factors that affect the translator’s choices at the macro level right before the translating behavior starting. Operational norms are the micro factors constraining translation and influencing the translator during the course of translation.Based the three main translational norms, this thesis describes and analyzes the elements that Zhu’s translation of Shakespeare’s theatrical works in the multi-dimensional framework constructed by the norms theory. It comes to the conclusion that Zhu is affected by the various norms both in the source language system and in the target language system from his very beginning of, or even before the translating behavior, to the end of translation. Different norms influence translation differently at different phases. Before the translation happens, the initial norms including the source cultural norms and the target cultural norms affect Zhu’s overall choice of translation. For the consideration of the acceptability of the translated text, Zhu subscribes to the target cultural norms aiming at no obscure and unclear expressions in the translation. The preliminary norms including the political ideological and cultural requirements as well as the appreciation of and fair evaluation of Shakespeare’s plays direct Zhu’s choice of text-types and his translation of Shakespearean plays from the text in English into Chinese to make this great poet’s works popularized among the Chinese readers. When the translator starts to set his pen to the works, the operational norms begin to take effect, affecting the textual makeup, the verbal formulation of the translated text and the employment of various translational skills and strategies. The amendments including omission and addition, colloquial vernacular style as well as the strategies such as free and literal translation, domestication and foreignization are adopted by Zhu either for the achievement of adequacy or for the consideration for the acceptability of the translated text.With the introduction and application of translational norms, translation studies can be launched from a novel perspective, extending the domain of translation studies and transcending the borders of linguistics. Meanwhile, the rationality and explanatory ability of this theory will also be testified.