History of Translation Theories

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1 李瑞洋 Translation Theories of Contemporary China--from 1949 to Present

Hist_Trans_Theo_EN_1

Abstract

Key words

Introduction

1.Development of translation criterion

1.1 Origin of translation criterion

1.2 Criticism on Yan Fu' s view

2.Absorption of foreign translation theories

3.General theories of literary translation

3.1 Qian Zhongshu's Sublimation

3.2 Translation aesthetics

Conclusion

References

2 陈心怡

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3 张扬 A Brief Introduction of Contemporary American Translation Theory——Examplified mainly by Pound

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4 曾俊霖 An Overview of the Development of Western Translation Theories

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5 张怡然 History of Translation Theories from early Russia to the Soviet Union

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Abstract

Key words

Translation theories, Translation ideas

Introduction

1. Translation theories from Kievan Rus to the end of the eighteenth century.

2. Theoretical ideas on translation by 19th century writers

2.1 The first half of the 19th century.

2.2 The second half of the 19th century

3. Translation theory at the turn of the century

Conclusion

References

6 殷美达

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7 尹媛 A Brief Introduction of Contemporary American Translation Theory——Examplified mainly by Nida

Hist_Trans_Theo_EN_8

1 Abstract

The contemporary American translation theory mainly consists of American structural school of translation theory, communicative theory school, and social semiotics translation school. American structural school of translation theory is based on the thoughts of American structuralist school; Nida, as the representative of Communicative theory school, thinks that translating is the a manner of communication and must regard the readers as the service object from the view of Social linguistics and communicative function of language; social semiotics translation school views language as a symbol phenomenon that cannot be ignored when it is explained and translated. Nida is the theorist who experienced these three periods and its theory and ideas saturate with a strong sense of their influence, therefore, this paper gives a brief introduction of the history of the contemporary American translation theory as exemplified by Nida's theory and other translators' theory.

2 Key words

History of American Translation Theories, Nida, American structural school of translation theory, communicative theory school, a social semiotics translation school

3 Introduction

The contemporary American translation theory mainly consists of American structural school of translation theory, communicative theory school, and social semiotics translation school. American structural school of translation theory is based on the thoughts of American structuralist school; Nida, as the representative of Communicative theory school, thinks that translating is the a manner of communication and must regard the readers as the service object from the view of Social linguistics and communicative function of language; social semiotics translation school views language as a symbol phenomenon that cannot be ignored when it is explained and translated. As is known to all, in China, Nida's translation theory is the most widely known and deeply impressed among contemporary Western translation theories. Professor Tan Jinxi rightly classifies Nida's translation thought into three different stages: first, descriptive linguistics. Second, the stage of communication theory. Third, the stage of social semiotics (Tan,132). Generally speaking, we can summarize Nida's linguistic thoughts and translation thoughts as follows :(1) Nida is a universalist of language, who insists that all languages are equally expressive. What is expressed in one language can be said in another. (2) Nida's translation theory has undergone a transition from the tendency that translation is science to that translation is art. (3) Nida's basic translation thoughts can be summed up in the following three sentences: Translation is a communicative activity. Translation is to translate connotation. In order to translate meaning, it is necessary to change the form of language expression. (4) When it coms to the nature of translation, Nida proposed the famous concept of "dynamic equivalence", which was later renamed as "functional equivalence". Nida is the theorist who experienced these three periods and its theory and ideas saturate with a strong sense of their influence, therefore, this paper gives a brief introduction of the history of the contemporary American translation theory as exemplified by Nida's theory and other translators' theory.

4 The influence of American translation theory

5 The development of Nida's translation theory

1）Early period—translation theory in a linguistic stage with distinct structural overtones

2) Middle period—Translation science theory and translation communication theory

3）Important Stage—Functional Equivalence and Functional theory of translation

4) Late period—sociosemiotic approach

6 Other translators' contributions

7 Conclusion

9 李双 History of translation theory of France from 20th century to the present

Hist_Trans_Theo_EN_9

Abstract

 Translation activities have a long history in France and its theories occupy an important position in the West. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the emancipation of the mind, the progress of science and technology and the transformation of society have reinvigorated the study of French translation theory and entered its heyday. This paper first summarizes the development of French translation studies from the 20th century to the present, then discusses the main translation theories of this period from the perspectives of translation and interpretation, and analyzes the influence of the society and other disciplines on the formation of the theories. Finally, it aims to have a clearer and comprehensive understanding of the development of contemporary French translation theories.

Key word

Introduction

1.Development of Translation studies in France from the 20th century to the present

2.Principle theories of written translation

2.1Philological school

2.2Linguistic school

2.3Poetic theory

2.4Cultural school

3.Principle theory of interpretation

Conlusion

References

10 杨堃 Translation Theories of modern China---from 1840 to 1949

Hist_Trans_Theo_EN_10

Abstract

Key words

Translation theories;the Westernization Group;the Reformation Group;the Revolution of 1911;the May fourth Movement

Introduction

1.Translation theories of the Westernization Group and the principal people.

2.Translation theories of the Reformation Group and the principal people.

3.Translation theories of the period of Revolution of 1911 and the principal people.

4.Translation theories of the period of the May fourth Movement and the principal people.

Conclusion

References

11 刘运心= History of Translation Theories in Ancient Rome

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11.1 Abstract

11.2 Introduction

11.3 Cultural and Historical Background

11.4 Translation theories

11.4.1 Translation Theories Originated from Translation Practices of Greek Classics

11.4.1.1 Marcus Tullius Cicero

11.4.1.2 Quintus Horatius Flaccus

11.4.2 Translation Theories Originated from Practices of Bible Translation

11.4.2.1 St. Jerome

11.5 Influences on Later Translation Theories

11.6 Conclusion

11.7 References

12 魏兆妍 The Development of Humanism Trend in Western Translation Theory

Hist_Trans_Theo_EN_12

Abstract

(I'd like to write this when I finished the whole writing.)

Key words

Western translation theory, Humanism trend, Poetics of translation

1. Introduction

From the 14th century, Europe began to enter the Renaissance. Dante, the last poet in the middle ages, completed The Divine Comedy in 1321. In Dante's mind, all human life experience, including life and death, must be explained by Christian faith in order to show its meaning and significance. This Christian worldview gradually degenerated with the emergence of individualism-centered humanism. All beings who submit to God are regarded as rational, unique and creative individuals. In the past years, translators were servants attached to God. Now they have shifted from God to focusing on the translator. Personal development has become the goal and value of life. Although humanist thinkers, writers and translators still maintain the Christian faith, they put more emphasis on personal creative potential and give full play to people's strengths. The focus of translation activities in this period also shifted from the classics of the Christian Church to the translation of more secular humanistic works.

With the invention of printing in the 15th century, education and schools began to be open to the public. Reading translated works from different countries is no longer a noble enjoyment. Through the wings of translation, words and information are transmitted in all directions and more quickly. For example, Marco Polo (1254-1324) told the story of his travels in China, which spread all over the European continent through printed words. The invention of printing not only brought about a cultural revolution, but also a sharp increase in the number of translations. With the emergence of new disciplines, great changes have taken place in the function of translation. Translation is known as the forerunner of the Renaissance. It can be said that without translation, there would be no European Renaissance and humanistic thought. Take the role of translation in English literature for example: "Translation played a great role in the British Renaissance: first, as a pioneer, it was countless translated works that first caused the mental climate of humanism. Second, translation was still active in the era of the restoration of the king's government, but attention has turned to French works. In the intervening years, that is, in the half century from 1558 to 1603 when Queen Elizabeth was in office, translation activities were more frequent, and famous translations also appeared the most frequently, which constituted a translation climax in the whole history of English literature. " （王佐良、何其莘。英国文艺复兴时期文学史。北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1996年，第72页）In the Queen Elizabeth era, translation reached an unprecedented prosperity, and good translations of famous works continued to emerge. In the following 17th to 18th centuries, neoclassical literary translation surpassed the previous stage. Translation is particularly important to the development of modern English language, literature and culture.

In Europe, the writers, thinkers and scholars in this period were translators who knew several languages, translation and creation were closely linked. A large number of scholars and poets have expressed their opinions on translation. From the 14th to the 16th century, the most representative was Dante's "untranslatability of literature" in Italy (1265-1321); Erasmus of the Netherlands (1466 - 1536) relied on the translator's language knowledge in the translation of The Bible; The translation of German Luther (1482 - 1546) must adopt the language of the people; The translators in Dore’s mind (1509-1546) in France must understand the original content, be proficient in two languages, avoid word for word translation, adopt popular form and pay attention to the "five translation principles" of beautiful style; Poetry translation in English Chapman's(1559-1634) mind can not be stiff translation, and the poetry translation method of "rebuilding a new image" can be used.

From the 17th to the 19th century, the representative figures were as follows. Abranco of France: the translation method of “the beautiful unfaithful ones” which emphasized literariness and readability; Bartow (1731-1780) : accurate translation view of "the author is the master and the translator is the servant"; Dryden (1747-1841) of England: three translation principles of "literal translation, free translation and imitation translation"; Tytler (1747-1814): three translation principles of "the translation must completely reproduce the thought of the original work: the style and tone of the translation must be consistent with the characteristics of the original; the translation must be as smooth as the original." ; Humanistic thinker Herder (1744-1830) of German Romanticism: made a pioneering thinking on the language, nationality and the characteristics of relativism in translation. Goethe (1749-1832) of German: called the translator as "the prophet of the people"; Humboldt (1767-1835): expressed the views on translatability and untranslatability which had a great impact on the 20th century. The foreignization translation method of Schleiermacher (1768-1834) in the later stage has influenced the deconstructive translation theory of the 20th century. For the above representative figures and different translation views, due to the limitation of the length of the article, this paper will discuss some of the representatives according to the development sequence of the history of translation theory.

2. The "Rebels" Who Change the Traditional Concept of Translation

2.1 Etiene Dolet and Five Principles of Translation

2.2 Martin Luther and the Tongue of the Common Man

2.3 A Man Who Has Dedicated His Life to Translation

3. The Embodiment of Muse: Poetics of Translation

3.1 George Chapman: Decorate the Translation with Beautiful Words

3.2 John Denham: Fluent Poetry Translation

3.3 John Dryden's Three Principles of Translation

3.4 Alexander Pope's Translation of Homer Epic

4. The National and World Visions of Translation

4.1 Language Shapes the National Identity: Johann Gottfried Herder and Wilhelm von Humboldt

4.2 The Soaring Literary Translation: Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Holdern

5. Conclusion

References

13 吴婧悦 History of Translation Theories in the Soviet Union

Hist_Trans_Theo_EN_13

Abstract

Key words

Translation theories, Western translation theories, Soviet Translation theories

Introduction

1. The evolution of Translation Theories in the Soviet Union.

2. The specific genre of the Soviet Translation Theories.

3. The famous Soviet translators.

3.1 TheTranslation Theories of S. G. Balkhdarov

3.2 The Translation Theories of E. A. Kashkin

Conclusion

References

14 杨爱江 History of Chinese Translation Theories in the Republic of China

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Abstract

Before and after the May Fourth Movement, there is an unprecedented cultural revolution in the field of ideology and culture, the New Culture Movement. The revolutionary pioneers and martyrers take the essence of the foreign thoughts to wake up the people in that age. They translate a lot of books from other countries. The translation theories are developed gradually in this process. The aim of this text is to explore these translation theories raised by those famous writers. Then we will understand better about these translation theories in the Republic of China.