对《骆驼祥子》的两个英文版本的对比研究

The Comparative Study of the Two English Versions of Camel Xiangzi Translated by Evan King and Shi

Xiaojing

Abstract:This paper mainly studies the differences of the two English versions of Camel Xiangzi translated by Evan King and Shi Xiaojing,and the reasons why there exist so many differences between the two versions and then points out their limitations and gives some suggestions to improve the two versions.By comparing and analyzing the different translation aspects of the title,the characters’addressing,the literary quotations,the idioms,sayings,and proverbs,it discusses the relation of the differences and insufficiencies of the two versions to translators’knowledge about the language and about cultures of the source language and the target language based on“Faithfulness and Fidelity”principles and“Equivalence”theories.This paper concludes that translators’knowledge about the cultures of the source and the target languages will directly affect the effect of translation and the degree of integrity.

Key words:functional equivalence;culture and translation;Camel Xiangzi;comparative study;cultural connotation

对伊万·金和施晓菁翻译的《骆驼祥子》的两个英文版

本的对比研究

摘要:本文主要研究伊万·金和施晓菁翻译的两个英文版本《骆驼祥子》的区别与不足之处，并分析其形成原因，指出两版本翻译中存在的不足之处以及改进方法。基于“信、达”原则和“对等”理论，通过比较和归纳分析的研究方法，从两个版本中对题目、人物称呼、文学引用、习语、歇后语和谚语的翻译等方面，就两个版本的区别以及不足之处与译者对源语和目标语文化理解的关系进行深入的探讨，得出译者对源语和目标语文化的了解程度会直接影响翻译结果的结论。

关键词：功能对等；文化和翻译；《骆驼祥子》；对比研究；文化内涵

Contents

1.Introduction (1)

2.Principles of translation (2)

2.1“Faithfulness and Fidelity”principles (2)

2.2“Equivalence”theories (3)

3.The comparison of the two English versions of Camel Xiangzi translated by Evan King and Shi Xiaojing (5)

3.1Difference in translating the title (5)

3.2Differences in translating characters’addressing (6)

3.3Differences in translating literary quotations (7)

3.4Differences in translating idioms,proverbs and sayings (8)

3.4.1Differences in translating idioms (8)

3.4.2Differences in translating proverbs and two-part allegorical sayings (9)

4.Implications (10)

5.Conclusion (12)

References (12)

Acknowledgements (14)

The Comparative Study of the Two English Versions of Luotuo Xiangzi Translated by Evan King and Shi

Xiaojing

1.Introduction

As a powerful and instrumental force in human society,translation is a fascinating topic not only in this“Global Village”era,but also in its inception dating back to antiquity period.The focus of traditional translation is placed on the aspect of language and the translators concentrated on the linguistic perspective:the word,phrase and sentence,often ignoring the problems caused by the culture.Cultural differences—the ways of thinking,beliefs,attitudes and values,which are embodied in thinking habits and language usage,produce a quantity of cultural misunderstandings that are probably more serious than linguistic misunderstandings and is likely to cause ill feelings of the target language readers or audience.In Fu Qiang’s MA thesis,he has taken a research on the descriptive study of the two English versions of Camel Xiangzi,which well displays that translation is rewriting of the original,constrained by patronage,ideology,poetics and the universe of discourse.Moreover,it finds that translation is both facts of the culture that hosts them and facts that can transcend the target culture.

Literary works give people a popular and universal way of disseminating and exchanging culture.A literary work can present the characteristics of a nation in a historic period;a literary work can reveal the world view and values of a people;a literary work can provide the readers with the information about the custom,geography, history and so on.And literary translation correspondingly becomes an effective vehicle for culture communication.The reason that the author of this thesis chooses the rendering of Lao she’s work is that he is a representative wrier.He is reputed as“people’s artist”and“great language master”for his plain narration method and exquisite application of the Chinese language.Besides,Lao She was born and raised in Beijing which is full of cultural atmosphere.Thus,the special growing background endows Lao She with deep