| The Tao Te Ching was written by Lao-zi,the founder of Taoism in the Spring and Autumn Period,and is a classic work of Taoist philosophy in ancient China.It has rich connotations and a long history,which has a high research value in many disciplines such as philosophy,literature,ethics,politics,religion,and military science.The Tao Te Ching has been translated by many translators at home and abroad and has become the most frequently translated Chinese book with the largest circulation of foreign languages.Up to now,the English translation versions of Tao Te Ching have reached more than 100,which shows that Tao Te Ching has a pivotal position in the international arena.Currently,it is particularly important for researchers and translators to explore the content of excellent traditional cultural thoughts.Under such circumstance,this thesis uses the philological translation method and the functional equivalence theory proposed by Eugene A.Nida(1914-2011)as a theoretical frame to compare the culture-loaded words of English versions of the Tao Te Ching by the eminent British sinologist Arthur Waley(1889-1966)and the Hong Kong translator D.C.Lau(1921-2010),using Wang Bi's(226-249)annotated version of Tao Te Ching as the reference.By analyzing the culture-loaded words such as dao “?” and de “?” in the English versions of the Tao Te Ching from the perspective of English translation strategies of culture-loaded words,also by comparing diction,sentence patterns,translation strategies,translation methods,translation skills,rhetoric and so on,this thesis summarizes the methods and principles of translating Chinese classic literature by the two translators.The differences in translation were further analyzed by combining the two translators' lives,educational experience,personal identities,beliefs,and historical backgrounds.The inadequacies and limitations of their translations are also pointed out in order to provide other researchers or translators with an analytical perspective and referential value in approaching other Chinese classics.Studying how Chinese cultural classics represented by Tao Te Ching are spread and promoted abroad will help to enhance the international influence and competitiveness of Chinese culture. |
PDF Full Text Request