Inverse Translation in China: a Necessary Choice or a Necessary Evil

Jiasheng Shi*
*Associate Professor and Director of Translation Department, School of Translation and Interpreting, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China.
Periodicity:January - March'2013
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.3.1.2146

Abstract

Inverse translation has long been seen in the negative light in modern translation studies, and has thus been relegated to a sort of second class endeavour. Based on a brief comparative study of English translations of Wenxin Diaolong1, a Chinese literary classic, this paper argues that inverse translation is as legitimate and feasible as direct translation in China, and that the assessment of quality of translation should be based more on the translator’s translation competence and translation strategy than on his or her language affiliation.

Keywords

Inverse translation, direct translation, Wenxin Diaolong.

How to Cite this Article?

Shi, J. (2013). Inverse Translation In China: A Necessary Choice Or A Necessary Evil. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 3(1), 15-21. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.3.1.2146

References

[1]. Baker, Mona. & G. Saldanha. (2009). . London & New York:
[2]. Campbell, Stuart. (1998). Translation into the Second Language. London and New York.
[3]. Chu, Chi Yu. (2000). “Translation Theory in Chinese Translations of Buddhist Texts” In Beeby, Allison, Doris Ensinger & Marisa Presas (eds.), Investigating Translation (pp.43-53). Amsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
[4]. Gramham, Angus Charles. (1965). Poems of the Late T'ang. Middlesex: Penguin Books.
[5]. Grosman, Meta, Mira Kadric, Irena Kovacic, & Mary Snell-Hornby (ed.). (2000). Translating into Non-Mother Tongues: In Professional Practice and Training. Tubingen: Stauffenburg (Studien zur Translation 8).
[6]. Hu, Anjiang. (2010). “Translator Model, Translating Strategy, and the 'Going Out' Project to Promote Chinese Literature Abroad: With American Sinologist Howard Goldblatt as an Exemplar”. Chinese Translator's Journal 6:10-16. [???. 2010. ????'???'???????? ????.«????»6: 10-16].
[7]. Liu, Xie. (1959). The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons. trans. Shih, Vincent Yu-chung. New York: Columbia University Press.
[8]. Liu, Xie. (1999). The Book of Literary Design. trans. Wong, Siu-kit, Allan Chung-hang Lo and Kwong-tai Lam. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
[9]. Liu, Xie. (2003). Dragon-Carving and the Literary Mind. trans. Yang, Guobin. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[10]. Newmark, Peter. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore: Prentice Hall.
[11]. Owen, Stephen. (1992). Readings in Chinese Literary Thought. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press.
[12]. Pan, Wenguo. (2004). “Translating into / out of One's Mother tongue: on the Feasibility of Translating Chinese Classics into English by Native Chinese Translators”. Chinese Translator's Journal 2:40-43. [???. 2004. ?????—? ?????????????.«????»2: 40-43].
[13]. Pokorn, Nike K. (2005). Challenging the Traditional Axioms: Translation into a non-mother tongue. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
[14]. Qian, Zhongshu. (2002). “An Innate Characteristic of Chinese Literary Criticism” in Written on the Margins of the Margins of Life (pp.116-34)) Beijing: SDX Joint Publishing Company. [???. 2002. ??????????????. ?????.«?????????». ??:??•??•? ?????].
[15]. Shuttleworth, M. & M. Cowie. (1997). Dictionary of Translation Studies. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing.
[16]. Venuti, Lawrence. (1998). The Scandals of Translation: Towards an Ethics of Difference. London, New York: Routledge.
[17]. Yang, Xianyi and Gladys Yang. (1962). “ Five Chapters from Carving a Dragon at the Core of Literature” (trans.). Chinese Literature 8:58-71.
[18]. Yu, Guangzhong. (2002). Remarks on Translation by Yu Guangzhong. Beijing: China Translation & Publishing Corporation. [???. 2002. ??????. ??:???? ??????].
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Pdf 35 35 200 20
Online 35 35 200 15
Pdf & Online 35 35 400 25

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.