Foreground and Background: An Analysis of Graham Sanders’ Translation of Fu Sheng Liu Ji
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1510.30Keywords:
foreground, background, Fu Sheng Liu Ji, Graham Sanders, translationAbstract
This paper aims to provide insights into translating classic narratives from ancient China. It does so by analyzing Graham Sanders’ translation of Fu Sheng Liu Ji from two dimensions: foreground and background. First, it examines the translator’s foregrounding strategies, including activating images, recreating scenes, and reproducing personal narratives. Second, it analyzes background-recreating strategies, including an elaborate introduction, adequate footnotes, and other paratextual elements. This paper concludes that Sanders’ foregrounding strategies help bring out literariness, while his backgrounding strategies make it more accessible to readers.
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