Abstract

With further study on the translation process, it is increasingly recognized that translator, as a mediator between source and translation texts, occupies a unique and important role in the translation process. More and more translation scholars at home and abroad have conducted extensive research on the translator's subjectivity, both in width and depth, and gained bigger and bigger breakthroughs. Translators shifted their status from being neglected to under the spotlight, and the focus of translator’s subjectivity is altering as well, from its definition, understanding to its constraining factors. In China, research on the translator’s subjectivity, particularly with regard to the subjective factors in translation process of re-creation, namely the translator's creative personality and subjective initiative issue is gaining more and more attention. However, while translator’s subjectivity continues to being highlighted and emphasized, the aspect of constraints is relatively neglected. Paying little attention to constraining factors, when bringing the translator’s subjectivity into full play, drives these researches to be one-sided. In recent years, some scholars have considered relevant constraining factors, mostly in metaphysical tone and in generalities. This paper aims to analyze the two Chinese versions of The Scarlet Letter in a more specific context, in order to explore these influential factors at a deeper level, and provide a useful and necessary complement to the study of the translator's subjectivity.

Keywords: Translator’s subjectivity; various perspectives; research development; influential  factor.

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Review on translator’s subjectivity-1

1.1 The Research Background-1

1.2 Researches on the Translator’s Subjectivity in China and Abroad-1

1. 2.1 Researches Abroad-1

1.2.2 Researches in China-4

2. Literary translation and translator’s subjectivity-7

2.1 The nature of literary translation-7

2.2 Translator’s subjectivity in literary translation-7

3. Influential factors on translator’s subjectivity-8

3.1 Translator’s audience awareness-8

3.2 Translator’s personal emotion-10

3.3 Translator’s aesthetic preference-12

4. Conclusion-13

4.1 Summary-13

4.2 Significance-13

References-14