Research On The Translation Reconstruction Of Xiangxi Culture In The English Translation Of Tima Songs From The Perspective Of Mona Baker’s Narrative Theory

The English translation of Tima Songs was completed by Professor Zhang Liyu and his team in four years under the Nationally-supported Social Science Project“English Translation and Research on the Major Texts of the Tujia Family”.It was reviewed by American scholars H.W.Lan and Professor Shi Dingle,and finally published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.The English translation of Tima Songs which can be described as an “Encyclopedia” of Tujia Nationality in Xiangxi,records the opening of the earth,primitive mythology,production,and labor,beliefs and taboos,marriage,and funeral,etc.It has also become an important tool for both domestic and foreign people interested in learning about Tujia culture in Xiangxi.The English translation not only vividly demonstrates the glorious and splendid national culture of the Tujia family to the people of the world,but also but also implements the strategy of Chinese excellent traditional culture going abroad.At the same time,it also provides an important experience for building a translation system for minority canonical texts.Therefore,in the current international context of seeking dialogue and exchange,it is of great significance to study this English translation.In response to international publicity policy of China,this thesis conducts an in-depth study of the English translation of Tima Songs based on Mona Baker’s narrative theory.It focuses on the way that how the translator reconstructs the cultural world of Tujia Nationality in Tima Songs through the use of four strategies: temporal and spatial framing,framing through selective appropriation,framing by labeling and repositioning of participants.The study discovers that the translators reconstruct the context through spatio-temporal reconstruction and structural reset to achieve weakening the religious functionality of the text and enhancing the cultural readability of the text.By adding and omitting translations of sensitive narrative content,the translators clarify the translation position in order to establish a good national image and manifest the cultural confidence of the Chinese nation.Through the standardized translation and reconstruction of titles,headings and rhetoric,the national and literary aspects of the original narrative are preserved and the Xiangxi cultural connotations are presented.By increasing the narrative perspective and background of translation and retaining the colloquial narrative style,the translators shorten the distance with the target language readers and strengthen the target language readers’ recognition of the Tujia culture in Xiangxi,so as to carry forward the Xiangxi culture.