Is “Seven Sisters” Mistranslation of “六(liù)个(gè)姐(jiě)姐(jiě)”?—A Defense of Howard Goldblatt’s “Seven Sisters”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1106.09Keywords:
mistranslation, spiritual similarity, cognitive translation, cognitive equivalence, literary translationAbstract
The author of the thesis has focused on the mistranslations pointed out in a thesis, entitled with A Study of Howard Goldblatt’s “Mistranslation”, specifically on “seven sisters”. The paper has discussed and defended it from four dimensions. First, semantically speaking, it is spiritual similarity instead of formal one to the original, for it has conveyed the connotative and associative meanings hidden in the original. Second, based on cognitive translation studies, it has embodied the cognitive experience as what the original has done. Third, from cognitive psychology, it is the best representation which language central nerve stimulates the translator to select and match with the original in information processing and communication. Finally, functionally speaking, it is more equivalent to the original than other translations. Therefore, the author holds that “seven sisters” translated by Howard Goldblatt is no mistranslation of “六(liù)个(gè)姐(jiě)姐(jiě)”.
References
Benjamin,Walter. (2000). The Task of the Translator (Harry Zohn, trans.,1968), in The Translation Studies Reader. (Lawrence Venuti,ed.). London & New York: Routledge, pp.18.
Deng,Wensheng. (2020). “Cultural Self-confidence” or “Cultural Trust”—a Proposal for Teaching Literal Translation. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol.10, No. 3, pp.304. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1003.05 (consulted 21.07.2020).
Deng,Wensheng. & Ke Zhang. (2017). Howard Goldblatt’s Three Treaties or Treatments of Translation. Theory and Practice in Language Studies,Vol.7,No.1,pp.49-54.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0701.06(consulted 21.08. 2020).
Deng,Wensheng. & Ke Zhang. (2020). Translation Idea: What Is Under-appreciated by a Teacher of Scholar. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 10, No.7, pp.777-784. DOI: http://dx.doi.org10.17507/tpls.1007.08(consulted 21.02.2021).
Deng,Wensheng, Weiran Zhang & Ke Zhang. (2010). On Relationship between Ideology and Translator—A Sample Analysis of Liang Qichao’s Translation of Isles of Greece. Journal of Lanzhou University (social sciences version), Vol 38, pp.130-131.
Fu, Lei. (2006). Preface to Father Goriot (second version), in Fu Lei’s Talks on Translation. Peking: Contemporary World Press, p.3.
Goldblatt, Howard. (2011). Literature and Translator (Huang, Wenfan, trans.), in Selected Essays (Shi Guoqiang, ed.). Peking: Modern Press, China Books, pp.13，14，15.
Gutt,Ernst-August. (2014). Translation and Relevance--Cognition and Context. New York: Routledge, pp.26-79.
International Bible Society. (2004). Genesis 2, Holy Bible (New International Version). Hong Kong: Chinese Bible International Limited, p.3.
International Bible Society. (2004). Revelation15 & 16, Holy Bible (New International Version). Hong Kong: Chinese Bible International Limited, p.450.
Jacobson, Roman. (2000). On Linguistic Aspects of Translation, in Translation Reader (Lawrence Venuti, eds). London & New York: Routledge, pp.12.
Leech, Geoffrey. (1985). Semantics—The Study of Meaning (Second edition). London: Penguin Books, pp.9-19.
Luo, Xinzhang. (2009). Translation Theory of China, in Anthology of Selected Essays on Translation (Luo, Xin zhang & Chen Yingnian, eds.). Peking: Commercial Press, pp.11.
Mo, Yan. (Howard Goldblatt, trans.).(2010). Big Breasts and Wide Hips. Peking: Peking October Literature and Art Publishing House, pp.78.
Mo, Yan. (Howard Goldblatt, trans.). (2004). New York: Arcade publishing, pp.160.
Mo, Yan. (2005).My Three Novels published in America. Fiction World, Vol.5, pp.170-173.
Nida,Eugene Albert. (1982). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Netherlands: Brill Archive, Leiden, pp.200.
Nord,Christiane. (1997). Translation as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing, pp.19-48.
Robert, L. Solso, Otto H. Macline & Kimberly Macline. (2008). Cognitive Psychology. New York: Pearson Education, pp.303-312.
Tan, Zaixi. (1991). A Short History of Translation in the West. Peking: Commercial Press, p.4.
Xu, Jun. (2014). Translation and Translation Studies—Translation as a Point of Departure. Shanghai: Fudan University Press, p.3-15.
Wang, Yin. (2015). Cognitive Linguistics. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, pp.583-588.
Yang, Xiaohua. (2003). The Debates of Content and Nature on Buddhism’s Scripture Translation. Journal of Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities (Social Sciences), Vol 29, No.2, pp.44-47.
Zhu, Zhengwu. & Qin, Airong. (2014). A Study of Howard Goldblatt’s “Mistranslation”. Foreign Language and Literature, Vol.6, pp. 110-115.
