Game Analysis Of Translation Strategies

Existing translation theories mainly focus on one or two factors that may exertinfluence on the selection of translation strategies, but the final production of atranslation text is actually determined by multiple factors. By employing gameapproach to analyze translation strategies, it is helpful to redisplay the original complexappearance of translation activities, disclose the translator’s decision-making processand reveal the hidden motives behind the translator’s adopted translation strategies. Inthe meantime, translation scholars will be presented with a new paradigm in theirresearch of translation process by using the logical and intuitionistic game method toembody the abstract decision-making process.Based on previous researches concerning relative topics, this thesis devotes itselfto finding answers to the following two questions: Firstly, how are the game relationsamong different interest-driven agents in translation activities and what kind ofcomparatively optimal strategies should a translator choose to realize the utility of allthe agents if s/he takes consideration of such relations? Secondly, what are theadvantages and limitations of using game theory to analyze translation strategies?Under the guidance of descriptive translation researching methodology, the thesisprimarily combines the qualitative researching method and the quantitative researchingmethod to make concrete and detail analysis of a series of representative cases,demonstrating the various game relations between the translator and other agents intranslation activity and clarifying the answer to the question of how to choose acomparatively optimal translation strategy with game thought. Then, with employmentof comparative approach, the thesis attempts to point out the advantages and limitationsof game theory, compared with other translation theories, in the study of translationstrategies.In the game between the translator and the initiator (the client and the publisher),when utility conflicts occur, the translator is responsible to lodge professionalsuggestions to the initiator and the initiator should try to make a balance between theutilities of the translator, the original author, the target readers and itself involved in then-person game. With regarding translation problems related to cultural elements, there’sa non-cooperative game between the translator and the original author, as both of theminfluenced by their domestic cultures tend to accept translation strategies that canfacilitate the transmission of its own culture. However, game theory indicates that the foreignizing strategy will be ultimately beneficial for the long-term development of oneculture. When the player of the target readers is brought into this game, the translatorshould give sufficient consideration of their reception capability and expectant horizon.In the game played by the translator with the target readers, good translators oftenwander between a cooperative game where readers’ cognition is identified and anon-cooperative game where readers’ expectant horizon is broken. The translator andthe translation critics are in a perennial dynamic game in that the translator can observethe translation criteria formulated by critics, and meanwhile they have the chance to setup new ones that are more rational than the previous, which will in turn exert influenceon translation critics. Different translators of the same foreign text are involved in anon-cooperative competitive game, but it doesn’t mean that the subsequent translatorswill exceed the previous.Compared to mainstream translation theories, game approach doesn’t attach itsfocus on one specific aspect of translation but combine all the determinant factors viathe dimension of animate human beings participating in translation activity so as todescribe various translation phenomena in a more panoramic and scientific way.However, game theory with its ideal assumption that all players are rational hasn’texplicative force as to some unconventional translation games where irrational playersare involved. Besides, payoff analysis of the n-person incomplete-information gamethat translation players might be confronted with is extremely complicated and difficult.Accordingly, there’s still much room for further investigation in these respects.