Abstract

In intercultural communication, translators play an important role. But it takes a long time to recognize the contribution and value of translators. Since the Cultural Turn of translation studies, translation researchers started to consider some elements that are other than translated texts, such as culture, economy, politics and ideology. Recently, many scholars have begun to show more interest in translators’ subjectivity, which refers to translators’ subjective role. However, few scholars use feminist translation theory to study translators’ subjectivity. Feminist translation theory was raised in western countries. It has an important effect on translation studies. Focusing on translation and translators’ subjectivity, this theory gives adequate attention to translators, especially female translators. In China, feminist translation theory starts later than those western countries, but now more and more Chinese scholars have paid attention to it. This thesis focuses on the issue of translators’ subjectivity from the perspective of feminist translation theory.

The research question is how translators show their subjectivity by applying feminist translation theory. To find out the answer, a comparison of Zhang Ailing’s and Yu Guangzhong’s translation of The Old Man and the Sea is made.

When comparing the two versions, two approaches are used: exemplification and contrastive research. The thesis tries to find and analyze the examples in Zhang’s version which show her subjectivity from the perspective of feminist translation theory. Then, compare those examples with Yu’s version and see the differences.

Specifically speaking, this thesis contains the following parts.

The first part is a general introduction; the second part is literature review; the third part is an introduction to western feminist translation theory and translators’ subjectivity; the fourth one is an introduction to The Old Man and the Sea and its two translated works; the fifth one is a case study of Zhang Ailing’s and Yu Guangzhong’s translation of The Old Man and the Sea. The last part is the conclusion.

In conclusion, this thesis examines the significance of showing translators’ subjectivity from the perspective of feminist translation theory. With this study, the thesis aims to provide a new angle for the research of translators’ subjectivity and improve the status of translators, especially that of female translators.

Key words: translators’ subjectivity, feminist translation theory, The Old Man and the Sea

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

Chapter 1 Introduction-2

Chapter 2 Literature review-3

Chapter 3 Western feminist translation theory and translators’ subjectivity-5

3.1 Western feminist translation theory-5

3.1.1 Purposes and features of feminist translation theory-5

3.1.2 Strategies of feminist translation theory-5

3.2 Translators’ subjectivity-6

3.2.1 Definition of translators’ subjectivity-6

3.2.2 The manifestation of translators’ subjectivity-7

Chapter 4 An introduction to The Old Man and the Sea and its two translated works-9

4.1 The introduction to The Old Man and the Sea-9

4.1.1 The author of The Old Man and the Sea-9

4.1.2 The significance of The Old Man and the Sea-9

4.2 An introduction to the two translated works of The Old Man and the Sea-9

4.2.1 An introduction to Zhang Ailing’s version of The Old Man and the Sea-9

4.2.2 An introduction to Yu Guangzhong’s version of The Old Man and the Sea-10

Chapter 5 Translators’ subjectivity from the perspective of feminist translation theory-11

5.1 Prefacing and footnoting-11

5.2 Supplementing-13

5.3 The use of lexis for description-16

Chapter 6 Conclusion-20

References-22