A Study On Intersubjectivity In Translation From The Perspective Of Hermeneutics

After Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in2012, the western furtherunderstands Chinese local literature, and the related translation studies have receivedincreasing attentions. The thesis explores the intersubjectivity in the English version ofFengru Feitun from the perspective of hermeneutics and the related effects ofintersubjectivity among all the subjects in the translation on the translation method,which provides more materials to the later translation study of the local literature.The local literature, with its simple language, rich images and vividly diverserhetoric, is an important part of Chinese Literature. As a successful local literature,Fengru Feitun merges the author Mo Yan’s childhood memory, the missing of hismother and colorful life in Gaomi Country. And to some extent, the study of its Englishversion can be used for the reference of studying on the translation of Chinese localliterature.Based on Fengru Feitun, the thesis intends to apply “fusion of horizons” and“horizon of expectation”, two key concepts of hermeneutics, into exploring theinter-relationship among main subjects and the effects on translation results from theperspective of hermeneutics by descriptive methodology. The author classifies theintersubjectivity among all the subjects into two types: the author vs. the translator andthe translator vs. the TT reader. The author applies “fusion of horizons” into exploringthe intersubjectivity between the author and the translator and its effects on thetranslation of historical backgrounds and main characters in Fengru Feitun; applies“horizon of expectation” into analyzing the intersubjectivity between the translator andthe TT reader and its effects on the translation of the unique linguistic phenomenon,carnivalization of language, in Fengru Feitun. The thesis finds that：the author Mo Yanand the translator Goldblatt build their mutual trust and understanding during thefusing of their horizons. Based on that, the translator is faithful to the descriptive orderand word selection as much as possible when translating the historical backgroundsand main characters. As to the authentic dialect in the ST, based on the understandingof the author, the translator makes some adjustments to reproduce the author’schildhood memory, country life and the strong image of his mother. The translatorcombines fidelity and readability flexibly, which reflects the intersubjectivity betweenthe author and the translator; during considering the TT reader’s horizon of expectation,with taking the TT reader’s cultural background, aesthetical standard and reading habit into consideration, the translator Goldblatt chooses omission, substitution, deletion,addition and other translation methods to process the contents and rhetoric that aredifficult for the TT readers to accept and understand on the basis of fidelity. In this way,the translator passes the enjoyment offered by the carnivalization of language in the STto the TT reader as much as possible, which shows the intersubjectivity between thetranslator and the TT readers.