Criticism On Three Models In Western Translation History With A Proposal For Luther Model

Since the1980s, Belgian translator André Lefevere and British translator SusanBassnett who are two important representatives of the cultural school propel the"cultural turn" in western translation history. They propose three models aftersurveying on western translation history and western translation theory. The threemodels are the Jerome Model, the Horace Model, and the Schleiermacher Model. TheJerome Model is characterized by the presence of a central, sacred text and thetranslator should translate the text as faithfully as possible. It is argued by HoraceModel that "fidus interpres"(faithful translator) was not faithful to a text, but to hiscustomers. The customers became the main consideration of the translator andnegotiation became the central concept of translation. In Schleiermacher Model,emphasis is laid on the alterity of the original text, and Schleiermacher thinks that totranslate is to take the readers to travel. The three models become popular in westerntranslation study and are quoted by translation researchers. Questions about thereasonability of the three models are hardly heard. While only few scholars called thethree models in question without doing further research.After critical reading about the western translation theory, the author found thatthe three models had an awkward position in perspectives of times, Zeitgeist,translation methods, opinions towards the original text, the position of the translatorand the nature of translation, etc. The thesis is to do further research on the threemodels and adopt comparative analysis approach, textual analysis approach anddiachronic approach and synchronic approach to replace Horace Model with LutherModel.The thesis is made up of five chapters: Chapter One is the brief introduction ofthis research from such aspects as the background and significance, purposes andmethodology, and the structure of this thesis. Chapter Two is literature review. First of all, it introduces the tradition of western translation research. Then it discusses thejoint effort and translation ideas of Lefevere and Bassnett. Chapter Three discussesthe criticism of the three models from the perspectives of times, Zeitgeist, translationmethods, opinions towards the original text, the position of the translator and thenature of translation, etc. In Chapter Four, based on Luther’s translation ideas,translation practices and the influence of Luther Bible, the author sums up the LutherModel and then compares Luther Model with Horace Model. Chapter Five is theconclusion which points out that the division of three models lacks systematicness andHorace Model isn’t suitable enough to become a translation model, and Luther Modelshould replace Horace Model.