Stylistic Translation Of Syntactic Iconicity In Literary Works: A Study Based On Tytler’s Translation Principles

Iconicity is generally acknowledged as one of the fundamental attributes of language.Many recent studies on language and literature have proved that language structure is iconicallymotivated to a great degree. Iconicity maps directly between linguistic form and conceptualmeaning. The present thesis, which mainly focuses on syntactic iconicity, explores twoimportant issues: First, how does syntactic structure reflect concept and thought in literaryworks? In other words, what stylistic effects does syntactic iconicity convey? Second, whatprinciples should the translator follow in translating syntactic iconicity into target language inorder to achieve the same stylistic effects? It exemplifies and analyses three kinds of syntacticiconicity: sequential iconicity, quantitative iconicity and markedness iconicity. Syntacticiconicity serves as the bridge between linguistic form and stylistic effects, and provides astylistic explanation for the particular syntactic structure. It is this kind of relationship betweensyntactic iconicity and stylistic effects that makes it difficult and important for the translator totranslate iconic sentence structure, in order that the translated version conveys the sameconnotation as the original one.The theoretical basis of this translation study is Tytler’s translation principles. Withqualitative methods, inductive method and comparative method., this study is divided into fourparts: current studies on iconicity and its stylistic effects and translation, an overview of Tytler’stranslation principles, stylistic effects of syntactic iconicity, and translation strategies forsyntactic iconicity. The examples used in this thesis are cited from literary works. This studysolves the following three questions:1) Does syntactic iconicity, as a fundamental property oflanguage, tend to produce particular stylistic effects in literary works;2) what kind of stylisticeffects are often expected by the authors and readers, and how are stylistic effects implied inliterary works;3) What should translators do when doing syntactic iconicity translating in orderto create the same stylistic effects for TL readers as those for SL readers.The findings of this study can be summarized as follows:1) Syntactic iconicity helps toconvey particular stylistic effects in literary works. In other words, syntactic iconicity in literaryworks is not only a language phenomenon, but it is also deliberately used by the author toachieve expected stylistic effects.2) The study shows that syntactic iconicity is often used inliterary works as a method to make coherence, forgrounding and rhetorical effects.3) Thetranslation can achieve the same stylistic effects if well organized. In the translating process,Tytler’s translation theory can act as a useful guidance for translating and criteria for evaluating. 4) In order to form a good translation, the translator should first read the original text andanalyze the stylistic effects of the ST; then bearing Tytler’s translation principles in mind, heshould try to give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work, and at the same timesearch for ways to keep the style and manner of writing in accordance with the original; finally,it should be reviewed or revised in order that the translation have all the ease of the originalcomposition.The findings of this study not only shed lights on the theories of stylistics, translation andiconicity, but they also have practical significance, helping the authors to create better literaryworks, improving the translator’s strategies for translating both the complete meaning and theoriginal style, providing the readers with a full interpretation and understanding of literaryworks. This study is also helpful in promoting foreign language learning and teaching byenhancing the teacher’s and learner’s understanding of the original and target language.