Abstract

As a novel of new historicism written by Su Tong, Rice contains plentiful Buddhist and Taoist culture and related words. Under the instruction of Medio-Translatology written by Xie Tianzhen, this paper takes the English version of Su Tong’s novel Rice as the example, is to analyze the translation of religious culture elements from the angle of culture. Through comparative research on original work and translation, this paper aims to manifest the distorted religious culture during the process of translation between the two languages with different cultural backgrounds. Besides, the strategies adopted by Howard Goldblatt when translating those culturally-loaded words also reflect translator’s cultural orientation and cultural translation theory. 

Keywords: Rice; Medio-Translatology; Religious Culture; Translation

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.2 Research Question-1

1.3 Significance of the Research-1

2. Novel Rice and Its English Version-2

2.1 Author Su Tong-2

2.2 Brief Summary of Rice-2

2.3 Translator Howard Goldblatt-2

2.4 Literature Review-2

2.5 Publication in English-Speaking Countries-3

3 Literature Translation and Cross Culture-4

3.1 Relationship Between Literature Translation and Cross Culture-4

3.2 Medio-Translatology-4

3.2.1 A Brief Review-4

3.2.2 Distortion of Cultural Images in the Process of Translation-4

4 Delivery of Religious Culture in Novel Rice-6

4.1 Buddhist and Taoist Cultures in China-6

4.2 Expansion and Distortion of Cultural Information-6

4.2.1 Buddhist Elements-6

4.2.2 Taoist Elements-7

5 English Version of Rice Translated by Howard Goldblatt-9

5.1 Translation Strategy Adopted by Translator-9

5.2 Translator’s Cultural Orientation and Cultural Translation Theory-9

5.3 Creative Treachery in Translation of Rice-9

6 Conclusion-11