A Report On The C-E Translation Of The Top-notch Actress(Excerpts) From The Perspective Of Translation Compensation

Since the reform and opening up,China has developed rapidly and its international status has gradually improved.China is inadequate in cultural communication comparing with economy and politics.One of the most effective ways to spread culture is translating literary works.Therefore,this report selects a novel which can represent traditional Chinese culture and history---Yan Geling’s The Top-notch Actress.This short novel tells a tragic love story between Xiao Gu and Yang Mai.The whole story is set against the background of the Cultural Revolution which is known as a dark age.Xiao Gu loves Yang Mai with all her heart,but she never receive any love or care from him.She sacrificed herself again and again,all she got was endless betrayal.Since English and Chinese belong to different language families,losses are certain to arise in the process of translation,rendering the translation obscure.Therefore,the translator uses some translation compensation methods to process the translation from the semantic,aesthetic,and cultural levels,so that the translation fits the target language norms.At the semantic level,the translator uses annotation within text,amplification and free translation to make up for the losses.At the aesthetic level,rhyme,alliteration and conversion can well balance the aesthetic differences between Chinese and English.At the cultural level,annotation outside text and adaptation play an important role in cultural compensation.This report illustrates the indispensable position of compensation in the translation process through analysis of specific cases.