The definition of translation from a dictionary is that a rendering from one language into another, but that seems to be too general and simple. To be more specific, we can say that translation is a science and an art...The definition of translation from a dictionary is that a rendering from one language into another, but that seems to be too general and simple. To be more specific, we can say that translation is a science and an art. When we know about the nature of the translation generally, we can be a little bit easier to understand the principles of translation. To be frank, we could say that the principles of translation and the criteria of translation are namely the two aspects of the same theory. The former emphasizes on the translator him or herself; whereas the latter focuses on the reader, who could use the so-called criteria to get the evaluation of the translation.Yanfu had posed that the criteria of translation function as a scale plate for measuring the professional level of translation and it has a double function for all the translators to strive after. Therefore, the formulation of normal and definite criteria of translation has a crucial bearing on its quality and tasty. Here, I'd like to discuss about the principles of translation from Yan Fu,the three characters, faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance.展开更多
This article begins by articulating a new perspective on the translation of Chinese poetry, arguing that the most important of the three well-known ＂difficulties＂ in the translation of Chinese poetry outlined by Yan...This article begins by articulating a new perspective on the translation of Chinese poetry, arguing that the most important of the three well-known ＂difficulties＂ in the translation of Chinese poetry outlined by Yan Fu 严复 （1854-1921）--namely, faithfulness （xin 信）, conveyance （da 达）, and elegance （ya 雅）--should in fact be the one that is least often discussed, da. The author principally interprets da as ＂conveying＂ the mood and then the meaning of the original work into the target language. This position is then illustrated by specific examples from Lu Xun＇s （1881-1936） emotive and highly allusive classical-style poetry, engaging issues regarding its annotation, exegesis, and translation which have arisen in Chinese literary and scholarly circles. The author suggests that since the deployment of affective images has often been designated as an essential and distinguishing characteristic of Chinese poetry, the translation of Chinese poetry into Western languages must make an effort to engage with the original images--not simply resorting to paraphrases or substitutions--and concludes that poetry in translation can and does have important and lasting effects on the literature of the target language.展开更多
文摘The definition of translation from a dictionary is that a rendering from one language into another, but that seems to be too general and simple. To be more specific, we can say that translation is a science and an art. When we know about the nature of the translation generally, we can be a little bit easier to understand the principles of translation. To be frank, we could say that the principles of translation and the criteria of translation are namely the two aspects of the same theory. The former emphasizes on the translator him or herself; whereas the latter focuses on the reader, who could use the so-called criteria to get the evaluation of the translation.Yanfu had posed that the criteria of translation function as a scale plate for measuring the professional level of translation and it has a double function for all the translators to strive after. Therefore, the formulation of normal and definite criteria of translation has a crucial bearing on its quality and tasty. Here, I'd like to discuss about the principles of translation from Yan Fu,the three characters, faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance.
文摘This article begins by articulating a new perspective on the translation of Chinese poetry, arguing that the most important of the three well-known ＂difficulties＂ in the translation of Chinese poetry outlined by Yan Fu 严复 （1854-1921）--namely, faithfulness （xin 信）, conveyance （da 达）, and elegance （ya 雅）--should in fact be the one that is least often discussed, da. The author principally interprets da as ＂conveying＂ the mood and then the meaning of the original work into the target language. This position is then illustrated by specific examples from Lu Xun＇s （1881-1936） emotive and highly allusive classical-style poetry, engaging issues regarding its annotation, exegesis, and translation which have arisen in Chinese literary and scholarly circles. The author suggests that since the deployment of affective images has often been designated as an essential and distinguishing characteristic of Chinese poetry, the translation of Chinese poetry into Western languages must make an effort to engage with the original images--not simply resorting to paraphrases or substitutions--and concludes that poetry in translation can and does have important and lasting effects on the literature of the target language.
