On The Chinese Translation Of The Flower Drum Song:a Perspective Of Based On The Of Textless Back Translation

This thesis mainly focuses on textless back translation and its feasibility in actual translated text.For a long time,the research on back translation has focused on considering back translation as a means of translation evaluation or combining back translation with teaching,and no substantial distinction has ever been made between different types of back translation.So far,back translation has usually been regarded as a transformation between two different languages,but there is little concern on the differences between the two languages and cultural backgrounds behind it.In his study on Lin Yutang‘s Moment in Peking,Wang Hongyin proposes textless back translation.In this kind of work,the author‘s cultural environment is not consistent with the language used in writing.As a master of Chinese studies,Lin Yutang has been greatly influenced by Chinese culture,and he also has great competency in English expression.In Moment in Peking,he actually uses English to portray Chinese culture;therefore,the back translation of this kind of work should be distinguished from the ordinary ones because it is a return of language while its cultural environment is still native.Textless back translation is targeted at the work using a foreign language to describe the cultural life of one‘s own nation,the translation process of which involves only languages instead of cultures.Later,Wang Hongyin puts forward specific evaluation criteria for textless back translation,which incorporates three aspects: language,textual form and cultural representation.C.Y.Lee,as one of the ―eight elites in Lee Family‖,was greatly influenced by Chinese culture.As a student in the United States at a rather young age,he was also equipped with a good proficiency of English.After twists and turns his novel The Flower Drum Song was finally published and later achieved great success in America.However,the research on this work in China has been extremely limited,which,basically concentrating on the field of literary research,is often regarded as part of Chinese literature compared with other similar works.So far,there has not been a comprehensive study on this work in China,let alone any relevant translation undertakings.This thesis,under the framework of textless back translation,focuses on the two translated versions of The Flower Drum Song by Liu Mangui and Gan Ping respectively.It attempts at a comprehensive study from the perspectives of language,textual form and cultural representation.It compares the differences between the two versions in the three perspectives and analyzes the reasons for the differences on the premise of an overall comparison and analysis of the two versions.This thesis first introduces the present situation of the study of back translation and then leads to the textless back translation and its scope of application.The related literature review includes the study of the author‘s works and the study of back translation and textless back translation.The limitations of existing researches are also highlighted.In the theoretical framework,the development process of back translation and textless back translation research is expounded.Then three evaluation criteria of textless back translation are introduced,so are three kinds of different authors.Then a contrastive analysis is conducted of the two translations from three perspectives under the textless back translation.At the language level,names,citations and culturally-loaded expressions are discussed.From over-word-based translation,subject repetition to active and passive voice and use of symbols,the translationese of the two versions are compared and analyzed.At the level of textual form,the diagnosis and prescription of traditional Chinese doctors are analyzed;meanwhile,the stylistic organizations of the two versions are compared.At the cultural level,more emphasis is laid on the cultural atmosphere of the translated text.The study finds that the two versions vary in presentations.In the aspect of language,Gan Ping‘ fluency and idiomaticness is more prominent.In terms of textual form,there is a rather long interval between the two versions and they have different emphases.Liu Mangui retains the original style and structure while Gan Ping adds a directory and sub-chapters to the novel which enriches the stylistic form.As for cultural representation,the two translations both well preserve the cultural atmosphere intended by the original text.The significance and value of this study: guided by the three evaluation standards of textless back translation,it conducts a comprehensive comparison and analysis of the two Chinese versions of The Flower Drum Song,furthering The Flower Drum Song studies,and making up some blank in the study of its translation.At the same time,the specific evaluation standards are further refined,which will provide some reference for future research.