Abstract: A common misunderstanding about translation is that translation should not read like a translation but should read like a work written in Chinese by the original writer. For this reason, the language used in translating, i.e., the target language, in our case, Chinese, should be standard Chinese literary language. In actual fact, however, the target language is a kind of dissimilated Chinese. Dissimilation is a linguistic behaviour and a cultural phenomenon common in translation works. This article reveals the mutual influence between the target language and its culture, and points out that dissimilation of the target language may be considered a confrontation and dialogue between two languages and two cultures. A good translation provides palatable dissimilation and thus achieves optimization of the target language. Optimization of the target language will be the new trend of translation in the new age in China.
Key words: target language; dissimilation; translation language culture; optimization
introduction
Translation is easy, which means changing words to explain each other. Translation is mainly characterized by the change of words. However, different genres of works, different translators, different aesthetic concepts of translation, different methods of change and different degrees of change, and the effect of translation and the realm of translation are also necessarily different. Translators can transform works from one language to another, which can make each other understand, that is, communicate and understand, which can make each other happy, that is, give people aesthetic pleasure, and can also make phase errors, which can make readers separated and misunderstand. These three situations are closely related to the foreignization and optimization of the target language. This paper attempts to probe into the morphology of the target language through the analysis of the variation of the target language, so as to correctly identify the theoretical issues related to it.
1、 Translation is Foreignization
In different times, people have different understandings of translation activities, forming different aesthetic concepts of translation.
For quite a long historical period, people regarded translation as the process of assimilation of the source language to the target language. Therefore, when establishing the standards and principles of translation, they took seeking the same as the base point, pursuing the same but excluding the different. Therefore, no matter in China or in the West, some translation theorists naively believed that the target language should be equivalent to the source language, and some unrealistic translation theories emerged.
Similarity oriented translation, which pays attention to faithfully conveying the content and form of the original, is based on the traditional view of language essence, which regards language as a tool to convey meaning.
The rise of linguistic aesthetics in the West in the 20th century has influenced people's understanding of the nature of translation, and has also provided a new perspective for translation studies. In the 20th century, the western aesthetic circles broke away from the concept that language is a tool to convey meaning, and turned to a new position that language creates and constitutes meaning. What needs to be pointed out here is that in the West, changes in people's understanding of the nature of language have triggered changes in several cognitive models and methodologies of linguistics, leading to a linguistic turn in some related disciplines, such as philosophy, anthropology, literature, etc. In the context of this poetic trend, people have to rethink the nature and aesthetic principles of translation. Among many new models of translation theory in the West, the deconstructive translation thought, which is influenced by the trend of deconstruction, has epoch-making significance for us. Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault and Roland Barthes, the French deconstructionist scholars, regard the nature of translation as the central issue of philosophy, viewing the translatability of meaning from the perspective of philosophy, or the nature of language from the perspective of translation theory. Roland Barthes believes that after the text is generated, the author loses the value of existence (the author is dead!), The meaning of the text is produced in the reading of language signs. Deconstructionist scholars emphasize the uncertainty of text meaning, which is determined not by the text itself, but by the translator (reader). Interestingly, in the view of deconstructionist scholars, the principle of faithfulness has become dispensable. The translator need not worry about being blamed for the unfaithfulness of his translation. He can even blame the original for the unfaithfulness of the translation. In this way, J.L. Borges' humor (referring to his accusation of the original's unfaithfulness to the translation) is not unreasonable. Walter Benjamin's "The Task of the Translator", a classic document of deconstructive translation thought, believes that the relationship between the translation and the original is a continuation and creation, and there is no "loyalty" to speak of. After translation, the text is endowed with new meaning, thus gaining new life. Therefore, in the view of deconstructionist scholars, the translated version is not a dependency of the original, but a regeneration of the original text (afterlife). Translation is not only a means to convey the content of the original, but also a means to make the original survive. They use the concept of "intertextuality" to explain the relationship between the translated text and the original text, believing that all texts are intertextuality, thus placing the translator on an equal footing with the original author. Derrida uses the concept of "difference" (a word created by Derrida himself, with triple meanings of distinction, delay and dissemination, and some scholars translate it as "extension") to express the uncertainty of meaning, showing the process of alienation in translation. He believes that the differences in meaning, syntax and pronunciation of different languages constitute different ideographic ways, and translation is to correctly express "differences" in the tangle of "similarities" and "differences". Only through translation can people truly understand the differences between different languages and the specific expressions of different languages. Therefore, deconstructionists believe that the purpose of translation is not to seek common ground, but to preserve differences. The value of a translation is not its smoothness, but its reflection of language differences.
We believe that the Western deconstructionist scholars who so clearly mark the alienation of the target language do not mean to be innovative and sensational, but to scientifically reveal the nature and laws of translation activities from another perspective on another level.
In fact, ancient Chinese translation theorists have long recognized the alienation function of translation. The discussion about "faithfulness", "expressiveness" and "elegance" recorded in the Preface to the Fa Ju Jing has involved the problem of alienation. At that time, translation theorists had paid attention to the difference between the Indian language and the Chinese language
It is not easy, and the differences between different languages are highlighted by "words are not beautiful, words are not trustworthy", and the alienation of the target language in the process of translation is pointed out by "words are not full of words, words are not full of meaning". The first article of Dao'an's "Five Lost Versions" of translation points out that "Hu language falls down completely", emphasizing the grammatical differences between Hu language and Chinese. Kumarash once pointed out the stylistic differences between Chinese and Hu language. The works of the literal translation school of criticism "Although they are careless, they are different in style. They are like chewing food and people. They are not only tasteless, but also disgusting." Shi Zanning likens translation to turning the front of an embroidered textile over ("turning it over is like turning over brocade, with flowers on the back, but the flowers have different ears on the left and right.") Point out the differences between the target language and the source language.
The ancients in China discovered the difference in translation more than a thousand years ago, which shows that alienation in translation exists objectively.
Chinese modern and contemporary scholars also attach great importance to the issue of alienation in translation. Lu Xun advocates "believing rather than obeying", which is actually advocating alienation. Qian Zhongshu pointed out the concept of transformation and reminded translators not to show signs of hardness and farsightedness because of the differences between Chinese and foreign language habits. This is a countermeasure taken against alienation. Xu Yuanchong put forward the "advantage competition theory" against the differences between Chinese and foreign languages and cultures, which also involves the alienation of translation.
In a word, we believe that translation is the translator's artistic grasp of the differences between different languages. Translation cannot be separated from alienation, and translation itself is alienation.
2、 Foreignization and Translation Culture
As mentioned above, alienation is an objective existence and an inevitable result of translation. The existence of alienation does not depend on scholars' advocacy or opposition. However, Western scholars advocate that differences in language habits should be retained in the translated text, which is put forward as an aesthetic ideal, that is, "difference" is beauty.
After the rise of the New Literature Movement of the May 4th Movement, the style of alienation (Europeanization), that is, the style of literature that takes alienation as beauty, also prevailed in the literary world of China. Many people advocate "Europeanized vernacular" and "Europeanized national language literature". The poet He Qifang once recalled: "When I was a student, I did not learn Chinese grammar. For a long time, I did not understand some characteristics of Chinese syntax, and often stressed the complete change of Chinese syntax with some ideas of foreign languages. This led to some inappropriate Europeanization of the language." Although the writers who advocated the Europeanization of Chinese at that time also overcame the problem of westernization, the influence of the target language on Chinese is inevitable, and still has an impact today.
The Europeanization (foreignization) of Chinese mainly comes from the influence of translated literature. Compared with the original, the foreignization of the target language is actually the assimilation of the original language habits, which is what the traditional translation theory calls "literal translation". The foreignization of the target language mainly comes from the influence of western language habits. At the same time, foreignization is closely related to the translation aesthetic concepts of the times in which the translator lives. We can see clearly through the translation examples:
Queen: Why did you tell them to leave these chairs when they took away the tea set?
(Why did you tell them to leave the chairs when they took away the tea?)
马格纳斯：我要在这里接见内阁。
(I shall receive the cabinet here.)
王后：这里！为什么？
(Here! Why?)
马格纳斯：那，我想这里的露天空气和斜阳会给他们一点安神的效果。在这里他们对我“讲演”，不能像在屋里那么容易。
(Well, I think the open air and the evening light will have a quieting effect on them. They cannot make speeches at me so easily as in a room.)
王后：准是那样吗？罗伯特问过布讷计斯，在哪儿学的，能讲演得那么漂亮，他说“在亥德公园”。
(Are you sure? When Robert asked Boanerges where he learnt to speak so beautifully, he said ”In Hyde Park”.)
马格纳斯：是；可是那里有听众刺激他。
(Yes; but with a crowd to stimulate him.)
王后：罗伯特说你已经驯服了布讷计斯。
(Robert says you have tamed Boanerges.)
马格纳斯：（略）
王后：你不会因此得到感激。他们以为你只是戏弄他们呢。
(You get no thanks for it. They think you are only humbugging them.)
This is a part of Bernard Shaw's play "The Apple Car" translated by Mr. Lao She in 1956. Lao She is one of the most artistic writers in contemporary China. His English level is also higher than that of ordinary translators. According to common sense, his translated language should be as vivid, vivid, concise and catchy as his creative language. But from the above translation, we can hardly believe that it was written by Mr. Lao She. Compared with the English translation, it is not difficult to find that Lao She's translation is as close to the original as possible when creating sentences. It was precisely because he wanted to be relevant to the original text that he translated Why did you tell into "Why did you tell" according to the word order of the original text; In the sentence "I think the open air here...", except that the word "setting sun" is slightly different from the original text, almost all other parts can correspond to the original text; Other sentences also try to keep consistent with the original text, so it seems somewhat unnatural and does not conform to the habits of spoken Chinese. Why do you want them to leave the chair when they came to tidy up the tea set just now Isn't it more concise? The last sentence, You get no thanks for it, is translated as "No one will thank you for this", which seems to be more in line with the spoken Chinese habit.
Lao She is recognized as a master of language arts, and he is familiar with the characteristics of dramatic language. However, why did he not translate Bernard Shaw's play into Chinese according to the requirements of Chinese literary language? Mr. Zhu Guangqian has read Mr. Lao She's translation and thinks that Lao She is used to playing with a big knife and can't open a dagger. Is it true?
We believe that the reason why Lao She gave up the lively language of Chinese drama and adopted the feeble translation shown above was due to the influence of the concept of "seeking common ground". As far as translation philosophy is concerned, faithfulness is the mainstream of Chinese translation thought. In China, the traditional translation thought came into being in the activities of translating scriptures after the Han Dynasty. Because the translation is "Heavenly Book and Heavenly Language", the attitude of the translator is naturally particularly devout. Therefore, the word "trust" is in the first place, and unbelief is heresy, in which grievances cannot be separated. For a long time, seeking trust and common ground has become the basic principle of Chinese translation theory. Between "faithfulness" and "creativity", people pay more attention to "faithfulness". Over time, China's unique target language and culture have been formed.
The culture of target language is a special cultural form and a trend of translation poetics. In China, the target language has formed a special language form. The culture of the target language (some scholars call the culture where the target language is located as the culture of the target language, which is a different concept from what we call the culture of the target language) here refers to the aesthetic concepts and translation ethos related to the target language formed since China's own translation activities. It includes the aesthetic standards, appreciation habits, expression methods, etc. of a certain era. The influence of the culture of the target language on the translator and his target language is mainly reflected in the influence of the prevailing aesthetic concepts, appreciation habits and expressions of a certain era on the translator's translation style. All translators are engaged in translation in a certain atmosphere of translation studies, including Lu Xun and Lao She. The atmosphere of translation studies influences translators' aesthetic standards and ways of expression. In fact, Mr. Lao She, like Mr. Lu Xun, is a conscientious, responsible and talented translator. The reason why there is such a clear difference between their target language and their creative language is mainly due to the influence of the target language culture, which is the inevitable expression of translators in a certain trend of translation poetics. In the process of translation, the translator is always faithful to the original work, his subjective consciousness is in a depressed state, and he seldom considers how to make the target language conform to the Chinese language habits.
The influence of the target language culture on the target language that we point out here is actually
It is the interaction between the cultural context and the target language. We call the general social and historical linguistic situation that affects the generation of the target language and in turn is affected by the target language as the cultural context of the target language. The translator is engaged in translation activities in a certain cultural context of the target language. Influenced by the aesthetic conventions of literary translation, he consciously or unconsciously follows the past or current aesthetic norms related to literary translation (including the aesthetic ideal, artistic rules, expression methods, etc. of literary translation), and is constrained by the internal contradictions of translation activities. In this case, when he uses his own literary language to express the content and form of a foreign language, it is impossible for him to choose words and make sentences completely according to Chinese habits, which leads to a target language. The target language is a new language form created by the translator on the soil of the original language, in the artistic atmosphere and cultural context of dialogue with the original. The target language has some color of the original language, but it is quite different from the original language form. The survival of the target language in the mother tongue is influenced by both the mainstream Chinese culture and the target language culture.
The influence of the culture of the target language on the translation view is directly manifested in the translation effect. As far as translation is concerned, it can be roughly divided into three categories: translation without doing, translation with doing, and translation with doing. The translator shows different levels of subjective consciousness in these three states, from repression to freedom, but he has never been free from the influence of the target language culture. Luo Xinzhang's "Shi Yi Zu" makes a thorough analysis of these three situations, pointing out that different aesthetic concepts of translation affect the effect of translation. Here we use two examples to see the impact of translation view on the alienation of the target language:
Example 1:
This woman's hand tied bandages on the secret wounds of all families. Eugenie, accompanied by those good deeds, went to heaven. The greatness of her soul alleviated the narrowness of her education and the habits of her childhood life. This is the history of this woman. She was born in the world but does not belong to the world. She was born to be a brilliant wife and mother, but she has no husband, no children, and no family.
(Translated by Mu Mutian)
Example 2:
This woman's hand has soothed the pain of many families. She marched to heaven with a series of good deeds. The greatness of her mind counteracted her education and early habits. This is the story of Eugenie. She is a monk. She is a natural wife and mother, but she has no husband, no children, and no family.
(Translated by Fu Lei)
Mu Mutian is a poet, whose ability to use Chinese literary language is not inferior to Fu Lei. However, from the above examples, it can be seen that the translation view determines the translator's translation style. Mu Mutian translated but did not do it. He regarded translation as passive imitation, and believed that "the translator always feels like a child racing with a giant," so he deliberately suppressed himself in translation, so as to maximize the spirituality of the original author. His target language was relatively alienated from the standard Chinese language, so that it was not like reading Chinese, but rather like reading the homework of foreign primary school students learning Chinese. In contrast, Fu Lei's translation is much more flexible and free. Fu Lei's translation view emphasizes spirit likeness rather than shape likeness, and there are works in translation. His target language is as close to Chinese language habits as possible, and the degree of alienation is less.
The influence of the target language culture is a traditional force, which like a powerful hand controls every translator's aesthetic consciousness and expression. In order to get rid of traditional concepts, translators need theoretical illumination and guidance of innovative consciousness. The development of translation theories at home and abroad is forcing us to change our traditional concepts. Mr. Qian Zhongshu once pointed out that "tradition is inert and refuses to change, and the evolution of things forces it to change, so a phenomenon of opposites and complements each other has emerged. Because tradition refuses to change, inertia forms habits, habits become laws, and normality is taken as a matter of course and necessity. Tradition has to change, so laws and habits constantly make exceptions, and actually make all kinds of compromises to accommodate the evolving things." The dissimilation of the target language is the erosion of foreign languages and cultures on Chinese. Under the impact of foreign language habits, China's inherent language habits constantly make exceptions and make compromises. Therefore, at the beginning, some differences between the target language and Chinese language habits may create aesthetic barriers to the readers' senses. This kind of obstacle is used to by people over time and becomes a new aesthetic trend. When people read foreign translated works, the mood caused by the alienation of the target language gives people a sense of beauty.
3、 Alienation and optimization
We believe that the foreignization of the target language is a deformation of artistic communication. This "deformation" is not only an objective existence, but also an aesthetic need.
In traditional Chinese translation theory, when looking at the relationship between the translated text and the original, it pays attention to the fidelity of the imitation of the original. His aesthetic concept is similar to the "imitation theory" in literature and art, so "faith" and "faithfulness" become an aesthetic principle. The translations of Lao She and Mu Mutian listed above are the concrete embodiment of this aesthetic principle. However, after all, translation cannot be separated from the original work, and the translator's creation can only be carried out on the basis of the original work. Therefore, the alienation and deformation we are talking about here are limited. The body has changed, but the spiritual charm remains the same. We can imagine that if the translation of "Yanshan snowflakes are as big as a mat" into "Meishan raindrops are as thin as silk", it may not be a good translation either in the West or in China.
The alienation of the target language is different in degree. Western languages (such as English and French) are not very different in syntactic structure and cultural connotation. According to Lawrence Venuti's "foreignization" translation view, it may be feasible in the West to retain the language habits of foreign languages as much as possible in the translation, so as to show the differences in language and culture between different texts and make the translation have an exotic atmosphere. However, in China, the differences in language habits and cultural connotations between Chinese and English, French, German, Russian and other languages are much greater. If we try to dissimilate in translation according to the theory of western scholars, the differences in language habits and cultural differences will inevitably cause the obstruction of Chinese expression and the "dislocation" of culture in the translated text, and the phenomenon of "although translated, still not translated" as Yan Fu said appears.
The foreignization of the target language has different levels. As far as aesthetic ideal is concerned, both Chinese and foreign translators emphasize the transparency between the target language and the source language, without revealing the traces of translation. Gogol believes that the translation and the original should be as transparent as glass; Nida believes that "The best translation does not sound like a translation"; Qian Zhongshu pointed out that the translation should be faithful to the original so that it doesn't read like the translation. These aesthetic concepts show that people yearn for and pursue the highest ideal of translation. In fact, Chinese and foreign languages and cultures are similar but different. Similarity provides the possibility for translation, resulting in translatability. Differences make translation difficult, produce antagonism, and produce alienation of the target language. The constraints of the language habits of the source language mentioned above on the translator force the translator to seek a balance between "differences" and "similarities", and the translator has to retain some characteristics of the expression of the source language in the translation. Therefore, a good translation cannot sound like a translation, the translation and the original cannot be as transparent as glass, and the translation cannot read like a translation. That is to say, the target language cannot remain unchanged. Based on this, when establishing the artistic principle of the generation of the target language, we put forward the principle of "harmony", which is to consider that "harmony" contains "difference", while "sameness" contains no "difference".
The alienation of the target language is the confrontation and dialogue between two languages and two cultures. When a translator translates a work into another language, the target language can be simple, with a strong translation accent, or it can be a beautiful, kind mother tongue with a touch of foreign sentiment, like the morning breeze blowing in the face to give people fresh pleasure. The key lies in whether the translator has a scientific translation view and considerable artistic expression. In a large number of translation practices, Mr. Xu Yuanchong found that Chinese, English, French and other western languages have their own advantages in terms of rhetoric and aesthetic effects. He put forward the idea of developing strengths and avoiding weaknesses and giving full play to the advantages of the target language. On this basis, he put forward the "advantage competition theory" and established a new model of translation theory. We borrow a word "You" from Mr. Xu Yuanchong's theoretical model of "the art of beautification, creating excellence as a competition" to grasp the alienation process of the target language, avoid the shallowness of the target language, and strive for the optimization of the target language.
The process of optimizing the target language is a process in which the translator, under the constraint of the sentence structure of the original work, finds harmony in the opposition between faith and beauty, God and form, transformation and error. The translator tries to eliminate the traces of rigidity and farsightedness that may appear due to the differences in language habits between the two languages, so as to make the generation of the target language conform to the Chinese language habits as much as possible.
Optimization is not domestication, but alienation, a moderate alienation, or "beautiful" alienation.
The opposite of optimization is superficialization, or the alienation of bolting. Shallow translation is often done by passive translators. The translator lacks creativity in translation. He is willing to be the slave of the original author and follows the original work step by step. We can see clearly through the translation examples:
Then there were sighs, the deeper for suppression
And stolen glances sweeter for the theft,
And burning blushes, though for no transgression.
译文1： 何况还叹息，越压抑越深，
还有偷偷一瞥，越偷得巧越甜。
还有莫名其妙的火热会脸红。 （穆旦译）
译文2： 叹息越压抑越沉痛，
秋波越暗送越甜蜜，
不犯清规也会脸红。 （许渊冲译）
The same as the target language, the simplification of translation 1 is obvious. The translator only uses Chinese words to convey the superficial meaning of the source language, and the translator lacks innovation consciousness. Such translation can only lead to the simplification of the target language. The translator of Translation 2 obviously has the concept of overall harmony. He should grasp the deep meaning of this sentence in the cultural context of the target language, give play to the advantages of Chinese, and pursue the aesthetic effect of "harmony but difference". The target language is optimized in the translator's artistic recreation.
Optimization is a re creation. However, the re created translation by the translator often gives people the feeling of "unfaithfulness". This leads to the problem that the target language surpasses the source language (which is also a deep problem in translation theory). Mr. Qian Zhongshu once pointed out that "the translator drives the native language, but his kung fu or non author drives the original text, so the translation is just out of the original work." The optimized target language has a certain distance from the original language, and is superior to the original language in aesthetic form. On the surface, it looks distorted, but in essence, it is the unity of truth and beauty, reaching a higher level of optimization. The famous translator in America, Frederic C. Tsai, used the following examples to illustrate the level of alienation of the target language when he expounded his principle of "faithfulness, expressiveness and stickiness". Professor Zhang and Professor Li had an appointment to meet at a restaurant. Before leaving, Professor Zhang said:
“Well, I’ll be there…”
Well, I'll be there
Well, I'll be waiting for you there
"Let's just say that. I'll be waiting there."
It can be seen from the above three translations that different levels of alienation have taken place in the target language. Translation 1 is a typical faithful translation, with words as sentences, which is impeccable from content to form, but from the perspective of aesthetic effect, it is only a shallow translation. Translation 2 Understanding Xiaochang is an equivalent translation. Translation 3 has a certain distance from the original text. It seems to be a bit disloyal, but actually it has achieved the effect of "letter post", which is obviously the optimization of the target language.
The above translation examples show that the relationship between the translated text and the original text is not a simple relationship of faithfulness and unfaithfulness, but a harmonious relationship as a whole. "Harmony" contains both the translator's faithful attitude and the graceful "difference". "Difference" is the translator's innovation. The translator comprehends and displays the original meaning of the original author from different angles, and the target language will inevitably be alienated to varying degrees. Understanding and expression in translation are uncertain. There is no exegesis in poetry and no definite interpretation in words. Westerners say that words do not have meanings, people have meanings for words. Translators' understanding and re creation are added to the translation. The target language can only seek harmony in the fusion and confrontation between the two languages and cultures. The expression of the target language has not only the translator's subjective feelings, but also the color of the national culture.
4、 Conclusion
To sum up, we can see that the alienation of the target language is a linguistic behavior and cultural phenomenon that widely exists in the translated text. We study the alienation of the target language in order to clarify the relationship between "faithfulness" and "beauty", "sameness" and "difference", so as to reform the translation concept on this basis. The "faithfulness" emphasized by traditional Chinese translation theories has been misunderstood by some contemporary scholars, who believe that "faithfulness" can replace everything. In fact, faithfulness is only the basis of recreation, and faithful translation is not equal to perfect translation. "Faithfulness" is the translator's attitude, or a desire. Translation, like creation, requires not only attitude and desire, but more importantly, aesthetic power and creativity. We believe that translation, as a form of literary text generation, is not a deliberate imitation or strict reproduction of the original, but an unconscious (or even conscious) deformation and alienation. A translator with creative ability should consciously maintain a transcendental momentum, keep a certain distance from the original, and create beautiful translations on the basis of being faithful to the original.