Characterization In The English Translation Of Biancheng In The Light Of Foregrounding Theory

Characterization is the soul of fiction and the embodiment of the theme.When it comes to the fiction Biancheng,the character Cuicui conveys Shen Congwen’s reflection on the tragedy of life and embodies the beauty of humanity.Therefore,the characterization of Cuicui in the target text is of great significance to convey the theme of Biancheng.Characterization also carries the aesthetic view and value of the writer.According to foregrounding theory,the aesthetic view can be aired through foregrounding in language,namely artistically motivated deviation.Therefore,the foregrounding theory provides a new theoretical perspective to study characterization.Reviewing the previous translation studies of Biancheng,the author finds that though the characterization is studied in the light of appraisal theory,it has not been analyzed from the perspective of foregrounding theory.Based on previous achievements and limitations in the translation studies of Biancheng,this study aims to discuss the characterization of Cuicui both in Gladys Yang’s translation and Jeffrey C.Kinkley’s translation from the perspective of foregrounding theory.To achieve the research goal,this study firstly finds out the language to characterize Cuicui in the source text according to the definition and classification given by Shlomith Rimmon Kenan.Secondly,this study adopts a case study to analyze how the writer and translators characterize Cuicui differently through foregrounding in language.Based on previous microscopic analysis,the study further explores the reasons for different characterization at a macro level.This study obtains the following findings: Firstly,Cuicui in the source text is characterized mainly through direct definition,indirect presentation(speech and action),and analogy between characters.Secondly,Cuicui is characterized through foregrounding in language,especially repetition,dialectal deviation,and semantic deviation in the source text and target texts.In Yang’s translation,most of the foregrounding in language is omitted.In Kinkley’s translation,foregrounding in language is retained or added.In this way,different characterization is unfolded in the target texts.Thirdly,this study proposes that cultural identity,translation motives,and views on translation will influence the characterization in target texts.By discussing the characterization in the target texts from the perspective of foregrounding theory,this study expands the research scope of foregrounding theory,enriches the research of characterization in the English version of Biancheng,and sheds light on characterization in translation practice.