Understanding Different Approaches:A Comparative Study On Three English Translations Of Pien-wen Text Mu-lien Rescues His Mother

This study adopts the functionalist approach to compare three English versions of Mu-lien Rescues His Mother translated respectively by Arthur Waley,Victor Mair,and Eugene Eoyang.As one of the most popular pien-wen texts discovered at Tun-huang.the source text contains many culturally specific concepts,imageries and language usage,which can form major barriers in translation.Through the lens of the Skopos theory,the case analysis on selected examples from the three translations attempts to shed light on how translators factor in their respective translation purposes when addressing culture-specific translation problems.Selected cases that cover religious terms,poetic style,and culture-loaded words are employed to reveal different translation approaches in cultural accommodation,recreating poetics,and redefining faithfulness.The discussion is grounded on important factors in the translation decision-making process,including cultural background,religious origin,incomplete source text,oral nature,and poetic styles.Based on the discussion,the thesis comes to the conclusion that the decision-making process in translation is ultimately driven by the purpose of translation,which plays a determining role in shaping a certain translation work for an intended audience.