A Polysystemic Analysis Of Panghuang’s Three English Versions

Itamar Even-Zohar’s polysystem theory argues that semiotic phenomena, or sign-governed human patterns of communication (such as language, literature, culture, society), should be regarded as heterogeneous, dynamic and open systems rather than conglomerates of disparate elements, and that the behavior patterns of a particular system sometimes is related to its position within a superior polysystem. The theory provides a descriptive perspective to examine the macro-factors in translation studies and sets translation against a broader cultural context, hence exerting a far-reaching impact on translation studies.Panghuang, one of Lu Xun’s most famous works, has been rendered into English by various scholars and translators. Among the many translations, those of Yang Xianyi&Gladys Yang, William A. Lyell and Julia Lovell are the most complete and influential. Published in the1950s,1990and2009respectively, the three renditions reflect totally different cultural backgrounds and styles of their translators and thus constitute fine sources for cultural approaches to translation studies.This paper compares the three translations on the basis of polysystem theory, discusses the translators’ methods and strategies, and examines how objective factors featuring the polysystem theory (such as ideology, poetics and patronage) and subjective factors neglected by the polysystem theory (such as the translator’ intention) have affected the translation and communication of Panghuang. As China is now encouraging the "going global" of Chinese culture, this paper might provide some food for thought on the cultural factors involved in the translation of Chinese works and their communication abroad.