The Limits of Cultural Translatability in Yang Xianyi’s Translation of Poems in A DRM

Poems are the products of national culture, and A Dream of Red Mansions (A DRM) is the collection of Chinese culture in the era when the novel was written, so poems in A DRM express a wealth of cultural messages. According to the Limits of Translatability raised by Catford in 1965, cultural untranslatability occurs when a relevant situational feature for the SL text is absent in the TL. So this paper aims to find problems of cultranslation of poems in A DRM, and tries to further restrict cultural untranslatability by applying compensation strategies.     

Untranslatability and its Compensation Strategies——Taking The Original of Laura as an Example

As is known to all in the translation field,the problem of translatability and untranslatability has been a long-debated is sue in the field of translation.And the phenomenon of untranslatability is especially prominent in translation of literary works.This paper tries to discuss,from theory and practice,the phenomenon of untranslatability and its compensation strategies in trans lation between Chinese and English.It is roughly divided into two parts,wherein the first part deals with the phenomenon of un translatability,explaining its causes and giving some examples,and the second part deals with the compensation strategies,intro ducing several methods of compensation and taking The Original of Laura written by the deceased Russian-American writer Nabokov as an example.With the development of intercultural communication in the world and the great efforts of translators,the untranslatable words today can be translatable tomorrow.     

A Discussion on Translatability of Poetry

The issue of the translatability of poetry is still under hot discussion. Translation of poetry was, and still is by some, believed as impossibility, for the myth of untranslatability looks upon poetry as beauty itself which is untouchable for once it is touched it is destroyed[1]. From different perspectives, such as the perspective of word formation, pun, reduplicated words etc, the author argues that poetic translation is translatable, and that poetry and aesthetics can be reproduced in another language and culture if accommodation is made.     

A Tentative Analysis of Translatability and Untranslatability

Abstract:Translation is a field full of paradoxes.During the long history of their intensive debate,translatability and untranslatability have experienced ebb and flow of people’s preferences.On the one hand,language should be translatable;on the other hand,owing to the existence of certain differences,language is sometimes not completely translatable.Translatability and untranslatability inseparably exist side by side.The thesis casts an overview of translatability study both at home and abroad,inquires into the bases of translatability and untranslatability from the perspective of functional equivalence,and presents a dialectical analysis of the relationship between the two.     

The Awakening of Self-consciousness of the African American Women—an Analysis of Dee in Everyday Use

Alice Walker is one of the prominent American writers in American women’s literature and black literature in 1950s-1960s. Everyday Use is regarded as Alice Walker’s best-written short story. The prevailing opinion among the critics about this story is that Dee is the traitor of black American’s cultural heritage, and the mother and Maggie are the hope of true value of the African Americans’ tradition and heritage; however, after considering the historical and cultural background of the story, we may safely come to the conclusion that Dee actually took the first step toward the awakening of self-consciousness of the African Americans women.     

A Discussion of Untranslatability of Poetry within the Framework of the Studies of Translating Chinese Classics into English

There is a strange phenomenon that the translated works of Chinese classics have not been enjoyed by a large readership abroad,stemming from the untranslatability of poetry,an inherent nature of poetry translation.It is argued with theoretical analyses coupled by case studies that linguistic untranslatability(including intralingual inequivalence,interlingual inequivalence),cultural untranslatability(intercultural inequivalence),translator’s inadequacy and governmental or institutional translation briefs contribute to problem mentioned.It is hoped that once the factors influencing untranslatability of poetry is realized,translators’presumptuousness along with despondence can be lessened or even eradicated with a production of a better version free from overrepresentation or underrepresentation or misrepresentation of the originals.     

Guarding the Pure Land of the Heart—A Comparison of Outlooks on Life in Walden and Zhuangzi

Zhuangzi is the masterpiece of Zhuangzi, and Walden is the masterpiece of Henry David Thoreau. This paper intends to study the similarities of Zhuangzi’s and Thoreau’s outlooks on life by analyzing Thoreau’s origin with Taoism and the absorption from Taoism in Walden. By making a large amount of analysis and comparison of the texts in these two works, the paper comes to such a conclusion: both Thoreau and Zhuangzi advocate to simplify people’s material life and to seek voluntary poverty; they are willing to enjoy the solitude and pursue the spiritual independence and freedom; they prefer to return to nature, live harmoniously with nature and therefore reach the realm of"unity of heaven and humanity". They pay more attention to human existence and their spiritual state. In the complicated modern society, people devote themselves to seeking a materially rich life. However, they do not attach enough importance to spiritual richness. As a result, the whole human society is facing a serious spiritual crisis in modern times. Thoreau’s and Zhuangzi’s outlooks on life can lead people to go through various difficulties of life and guard the pure land of the heart.     

The Deterioration of the Compson Family——From Character’s Perspective

The Sound and the Fury is William Faulkner’s greatest work; four narrators tell the story of the deterioration of the Compson family from different perspective, exploring the cause of deterioration indirectly. The novel centers on Caddy’s moral decay from different perspective. The thesis analyzes the processing fall of the Compson family through the analysis of three characters, Caddy, Quentin, and Jason. Caddy’s deterioration is closely related to her loss of virginity, and her impending wedding causes Quentin to commit suicide who loves her deeply and possessively. However, Jason is heartless who he does not care his family. His tragedy lies in the decay of human nature. The thesis gives the general cause of the downfall of the family and readers will have a general concept of the family’s deterioration.     

A Brief Analysis of the “Love” Theme of Poemsin Different Periods——the Renaissance、the Romanticism、the Modernism

Love exists in everybody’s life and it is also a favorite of poets.No matter how the society is developed,poems won’t bedisappeared in society.Poem is a good way to express the thoughts and ideas of poet.Different periods’ love poems have different meaningand themes.This article intends to analyze the love theme of poems in the Renaissance,Romanticism and Modernism.     

An Inevitable Tragedy—On Tess' s Fate in Tess of the D'Urbervilles

In the novel Tess of the D’urbervilles,Tess is successfully depicted.She is portrayed as a brave girl,hard-working,beautiful and innocent.Alec represents a brutal and destructive force,which triggers Tess’s tragedy.Angle’s inveterate old-fashioned prejudices made him relentlessly abandon Tess.Yet what Hardy tries to show is that the disintegration of rural economy in England brought about by the intrusion of capitalist relations as well as the hypocritical morality of the time are the obvious causes of Tess’s tragedy.Meanwhile,Hardy also attacks the injustice of the law.In the novel,he believes a woman is helpless in the hands of fate and Tess is trapped in the web of fate.Her tragedy is fated and inevitable.     

On Applicability of Face——Saving Theory in China

Brown and Levinson’s face theory is a theory of interpersonal relationship. It has successfully explained the influence of "face"in people’s daily communications. The theory is built on the basis of western culture and ignores the cultural difference of "face"in China. It is not free from limitations the absoluteness of which exerts a checking effort on its universal applicability. This paper probes from the perspective of the influence of context and culture that the application of Face-Saving theory in actual communications in China, especially from those restrictions on the use of negative face in China.     

Wuhan——the City of Rivers

正Wuhan is a city with both an ancient history and a thriving present.Historic relics excavated from ancient tombs tell the city’s long history dating back 3,500years.In the period of Pre-Qin(770-221 BC),this was the land of the State of Chu(one of the seven warring states before Qin,in China’s first feudal dynasty)and was     

Untranslatability in Onomatopoeia Translation—A Case Study of the Book of Songs

Classical poetry is a kind of special classical literature with highly concise language,rich emotion,profound implication and certain rhythm.The development of poetry translation is related to the spread of Chinese classical culture.There are many opinions about translatability and Untranslatability of poetry translation.The translation of meaning is relatively easy,while the rhetoric technique closely related to the form of expression is more difficult,which is the key to express the poet's feelings.There?fore,this paper aims to explore the untranslatability of onomatopoeia in poetry by combining with the Book of Songs.     

On the "Oedipus Complex" in Sons and Lovers—Mother is a lover of her son

Sons and Lovers is one of Lawrence’s most famous novels.It mainly concerns about the love affairs among the main character—Paul,his mother and his two girlfriends.The mother’s strange love has affected the boys for a long time,which even has made him lose the ability to love other girls.As a result,Paul gradually has the"Oedipus Complex"towards his mother,and it has influenced the whole lifetime of himself.During the competition of grasp the heart of Paul,Miriam and Clara are all the losers,while they both can’t drag Paul out of the influence from his mother.It is not until the death of his mother does Paul finally escape from the control of his mother.All the origins can be concluded into one thing—that is the Paul’s"Oedipus Complex"towards his mother.What is the"Oedipus Complex",and how does it reflect in the main content?How does it influence the emotions of Paul step by step?This essay will elaborate it in detail.     

Attachment&Abandonment——The Analysis of Dual Identities in Sylvia Plath’ s Daddy

The interpretation of Sylvia Plath’ s representative work Daddy is always being controversial.The poem involves many social and historical issues and various images,among which the image " Daddy" is the key to the interpretation of the poem as well as the poet ess’ feminist consciousness of anti-patriarchy.     

On the Relationship between the Original and the Translated Version——The Interpretation of Benjamin's Three Metaphors

This paper explores the relationship between the original and its translation by interpreting Benjamin’s three metaphors from his The Translator’s Task. The exploration starts with the metaphor of“the tangent of a circle”,where it is interpreted that although the translated version should be faithful to its original in terms of meaning,yet it is a deviation due to different internal and external factors. Then,in the metaphor of“afterlife”,the discussion demonstrates that the translated version proceeds from the original,but the original depends on it for its survival and afterlife in different eras. Later,based on the metaphor of“fragments of a vessel”,the author states that the original and its translation are equal and complementary,just like the fragments of a vessel,responsible for the development and renewal of each other through translation. Finally,it is concluded that a better understanding of their relationship can offer us a new perspective in translation studies and practice.     

Rising Acceptance of Life and Negative Capability—A Reading of John Keats’s Odes

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty"-the famous line in English romantic poet John Keats’Ode on a Grecian Urn-has triggered wide discussion and numerous interpretations. From the point of"negative capability", a phrase first coined by Keats himself, this paper is attempting to display the consistency between that poetic line and the poet’s creation and life attitude on the whole. For this purpose, this paper will mainly introduce and interpret five of Keats’famous odes in the order of their display of his"rising acceptance of life": Ode to a Nightingale, Ode on a Grecian Urn, Ode to Autumn, Ode on Melancholy and Ode on Indolence. This paper would like to show in the first three Keats’s positive quest in different aspects and on certain levels, the fourth the underlying tone of life’s polyphonous song, and the final the"negative capability"that constitutes his healthy attitude toward creation and life. Finally, this paper hopes to demonstrate that it is such capability that enables the poet to growingly accept life, and it is also essential to him as a philosophical poet.     

The Dilemma of Newland Archer——The Theme of Freedom in The Age of Innocence

The Age of Innocence is novel of realism,in which the protagonist is trapped between dream and reality.By using Sar tre’s existentialism theory,this thesis analyses that the protagonist chooses reality against his will because of dishonesty.And the reason is that his freedom is restricted in the"situation"of other people.