Translator’s Choices Of Original Texts And Translation Strategies From The Perspective Of Bourdieu’s Sociology

Hu Shi is not only a pioneer and leader in the history of modern Chinese literature,but also an outstanding translator in literary translation.He translated and introduced Western poetry,short stories,dramas and other literary works with unique translation thoughts formed through translation practice.Most studies of Hu Shi’s translation are analyses of his literary creations and translation texts while a few of them put Hu Shi in the social climate of the May 4^thperiod from a sociological perspective to analyze the impacts of multiple social factors on his translation activities.This thesis attempts to use Bourdieu’s sociology as a theoretical framework to explore external social factors imposed on Hu Shi’s translation activities.Under the influence of external social factors,he made choices of original texts and translation strategies to achieve his translation purposes.In this way,striking social attributes of translation can be expounded.The thesis takes three core concepts of field,habitus and capital in Bourdieu’s sociology as starting point,and uses descriptive research methodology to explore the interrelationships between field,capital and Hu Shi’s translation habitus in his translation activities,as well as the characteristics of his choices of original texts and translation strategies reflected at the level of translation text under the influence of translation purposes.According to detailed analysis,Hu Shi’s translation activities took place in a special social period when China was very backward compared with Western countries.With all kinds of possessed capitals,Hu Shi chose translation as a tool to realize his political and literary purposes.By applying his translation habitus including choices of original texts and translation strategies,Hu Shi played a positive role in saving the nation and civilizing the Chinese people at that time.With the combination of Bourdieu’s sociology and Hu Shi’s translating process,the author hopes to provide some enlightening inspirations for future studies of translators.