| This report explores the Chinese-English translation of Chapters IV to IX from a historical novel The Last Imperial Concubine written by Zhang Yihong,a writer famous in Northeast China.The novel is characterized by intricate descriptions of characters and environments,enriched with historical and cultural context,making the translation quality crucial for readability and posing challenges for the translator.Translation is a complex,dual communication process requiring the translator to convey the original author’s communicative intentions while ensuring the target audience comprehends the content.In historical novel translation,it is particularly important to faithfully reproduce the source text’s messages and writing style,accurately represent historical characters and storylines,and preserve the original work’s essence.In this project,the translator adopted Skopos Theory,proposed by Hans Vermeer,as the guiding framework,using skopos rule,fidelity rule,and coherence rule as translation standards.To overcome translation difficulties,such as Chinese idioms,culture-loaded words,and source text omissions,various methods were employed,including free and literal translation,literal translation with annotation,addition and division.These strategies aimed to minimize comprehension barriers resulting from target readers’ limited knowledge of cultural nuances and historical background.This translation practice has deepened the translator’s understanding of translation theories and enhanced her ability to apply appropriate translation methods and strategies.The translator hopes that this report can serve as a valuable reference for those engaged in historical novel translation,ultimately promoting the dissemination of Chinese culture and fostering cross-cultural exchange. |
