A Study On The English Translation Of Zhongyong In Light Of Translation Ethics

The interference of ethics in translation study has brought scholars a fresh perspective to view the issues of values and morality in cultural translation. In the context of globalization, cultural translation meets great challenge from an increasing number of ethical issues, which requires translators to view translation from the perspective of ethics and obey the regulations and rules when conducting translation practice. Translation ethics inspires scholars to attach more attention to source language culture, the way to deal with cultural differences, as well as the ethical attitudes and translation practice when facing the "Other".In translation practice, translators choose certain strategies associated with their ethical principles affected by their culture identities and translating motivations. In the translation of Zhongyong by Ames and David,"the otherness" of Chinese culture is conveyed adequately. Ames and David present "the Other" to western readers as it is; moreover they realize what really matters is not just to present "the Other" but to communicate with the "Other" in translating process. Now that Ames and David attempt to convey the "otherness" of Chinese culture, how did they conduct it in their translating practice? This thesis probes into Ames and David’s manipulation of Zhongyong from a perspective of translation ethics, which justifies their interpretation and translation. Specifically, three major aspects would be covered for detailed analysis, namely, Ames and David’s translation ethics, ethical principles, and translating strategies. Based on such analysis, the thesis finds out that Ames and David have conducted the ethics of harmony with diversity in the translating practice. Such translation ethics breaks the single ethic mode of either pursuit of difference or that of sameness, and builds the bridge for Chinese and western philosophy exchange.The studies on the English translation of Chinese classics is indispensible to the communication between Chinese and western philosophy. However, the English translation of classics is not the matter of philosophy communication alone, but the matter of cultural transmission and communication. In the context of globalization, cultural translation is increasingly related to society and power, and thus it is increasingly concerned with ethical problems. This thesis is to inspire classics translators to consider ethical problems in translation practice so as to advance the studies on English translation of Zhongyong and improve the communication and coexistence of Chinese traditional philosophy and global philosophy.