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True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos
Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
2010
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| _version_ | 1867613958583615488 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Gartner, Bernd |
| author2 | Feinauer, A. E. |
| author_browse | Feinauer, A. E. Gartner, Bernd |
| author_facet | Feinauer, A. E. Gartner, Bernd |
| author_sort | Gartner, Bernd |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | University of Stellenbosch |
| description | Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4291 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:24.894Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publishDateRange | 2010 |
| publishDateSort | 2010 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4291 True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos Gartner, Bernd Feinauer, A. E. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch. Translation studies Translating and interpreting Lu, Xun, 1881-1936. True Story of Ah Q -- Translation into English Dissertations -- Afrikaans language Theses -- Afrikaans language Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is an analysis of The True Story of Ah Q in English translation (in Chinese-English bilingual format). By applying new translation theories, specifically those of Christiane Nord and Lawrence Venuti, and by demonstrating their applicability it is hoped that this research project will contribute to these theories becoming more accepted in China. The skopos theory and the concepts domestication and foreignisation are the main translation theories utilised in this thesis. The research was begun with the hypothesis that the translators domesticated the English target text, based on Venuti’s belief that the majority of English translations domesticate the original. The two main research questions are: What is the dominant translation strategy utilised by the translators? Does this strategy fulfil the skopos (i.e. the aims of the translation)? The research will also give suggestions for an improved translation and a more effective translation strategy in light of the skopos. In addition, the study will determine whether the bilingual format is suited for the fulfilment of the current skopos. As pointed out in the publisher’s note, this Chinese-English bilingual version of The True Story of Ah Q is intended to exhibit this modern Chinese classic as a great piece of Chinese literature. The primary aim of the translation is to give readers a real experience of the depth and the heights of Chinese culture. The secondary aims of the translation focus on language learning as well as the function for translators (namely to use this translation as an example for future translations). This research project will determine if the translation has fulfilled these aims. The translation theories on which the analyses in this thesis are based are presented in the literature study (chapter 2). This provides the foundation for the comparison between the Chinese ST and the English TT, the evaluation of the translation, and subsequent conclusions. Chapters 3 and 4 present the application of the theory, divided into an analysis of the macro and microstructures respectively. Translation decisions are analysed on these two levels within the theoretical insights presented in chapter 2. It will be these chapters that provide the foundation for the research findings of this thesis. In cases where improvements of the translation are proposed, suggestions will be made and motivated by theoretical insights. The final chapter (chapter 5) will answer the research questions in detail, based on the individual analyses made in chapters 3 and 4 and motivate these answers based mainly on the translation theories of Nord and Venuti. These answers as well as the suggestions for an improved translation are the main contributions that this thesis makes to translation studies. Lastly, suggestions for further research are made in order to stimulate further research on English translations produced in China. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word die Engelse vertaling van The true story of Ah Q geanaliseer. Met die studie word daar onder meer gepoog om, deur die toepassing van nuwe vertaalteorieë soos dié van Christiane Nord en Lawrence Venuti, en deur die illustrasie van die teorieë se toepasbaarheid, daartoe by te dra dat dié teorieë meer in China aanvaar word. Die skoposteorie en die konsepte domestikering (‘domestication’) en vervreemding (‘foreignisation’) verteenwoordig die vernaamste vertaalteorieë waarop hierdie tesis berus. Ter aanvang van die studie word die hipotese gestel dat die vertalers ’n domestikerende inslag aan die Engelse teks gegee het. Dit word gebaseer op die mening van Venuti wat glo dat die meerderheid Engelse vertalings ’n domestikerende weergawe van die oorspronklike teks verteenwoordig. Die twee primêre probleemstellings wat in hierdie studie gestel word, lui soos volg: Wat is die dominante vertaalstrategie wat deur die vertalers aangewend word? Vervul hierdie strategie die skopos (met ander woorde die doelstellings van die vertaling)? Die studie doen voorts ook voorstelle vir ’n verbeterde vertaling aan die hand en stel ook ’n meer effektiewe vertaalstrategie op grond van die skopos voor. Verder stel die studie ook vas of die tweetalige format inderdaad gepas is om die bestaande skopos te verwesenlik. Volgens die nota van die uitgewer, is die doel van hierdie Chinees-Engelse weergawe van The true story of Ah Q om dié moderne Chinese klassieke werk as ’n belangrike Chinese literêre teks daar te stel. Die primêre doelstelling van die vertaling is om lesers ’n ware ervaring te gee van die omvattendheid van die Chinese kultuur. Die sekondêre doelstellings van die vertaling fokus op die aanleer van taal, sowel as op die pragmatiese waarde daarvan vir vertalers (naamlik om die vertaling as voorbeeld te neem vir toekomstige vertalings). Hierdie ondersoek sal bepaal of die vertaling wel hierde doelstellings vervul het. Die vertaalteorieë waarop die analise in hierdie tesis berus, word in die literatuurstudie (hoofstuk 2) aangebied. Dit verskaf die basis vir die vergelyking tussen die Chinese .bronteks en die Engelsedoelteks, die evaluering van die vertaling, en die daaropvolgende gevolgtrekkings. Hoofstuk 3 en 4 handel oor die toepassing van die teorie, en is verdeel in die analise van die makro- en mikrostruktuur onderskeidelik. Besluite ten opsigte van die vertaling word op hierdie twee vlakke, en op grond van die teoretiese insigte wat in hoofstuk 2 aangebied word, gëevalueer. Dit is hierdie hoofstukke wat die basis vorm vir die navorsingsresultate van hierdie tesis. In gevalle waar verbeterings vir die vertaling aangebied word, word voorstelle op grond van die relevante teoretiese insigte gegee en gemotiveer. Die slothoofstuk (hoofstuk 5) beantwoord die navorsingsvrae in groter detail en is gebaseer op die afsonderlike analises in hoofstuk 3 en 4. Motiverings vir die antwoorde op hierdie vrae word gebaseer op die vertaalteorieë van veral Nord en Venuti. Hierdie antwoorde, sowel as die voorstelle ter verbetering van die vertaling, is die primêre bydrae van hierdie tesis tot vertaalstudie in die algemeen. Ten slotte word voorstelle vir verdere navorsing gemaak om só verdere ondersoeke oor Engelse vertalings wat in China geproduseer word, te stimuleer. Masters 2010-02-12T07:56:37Z 2010-08-13T15:01:09Z 2010-02-12T07:56:37Z 2010-08-13T15:01:09Z 2010-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4291 en University of Stellenbosch 113 p. application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| spellingShingle | Translation studies Translating and interpreting Lu, Xun, 1881-1936. True Story of Ah Q -- Translation into English Dissertations -- Afrikaans language Theses -- Afrikaans language Gartner, Bernd True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos |
| title | True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos |
| title_full | True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos |
| title_fullStr | True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos |
| title_full_unstemmed | True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos |
| title_short | True words are not beautiful : foreignising Ah Q to fulfil the skopos |
| title_sort | true words are not beautiful foreignising ah q to fulfil the skopos |
| topic | Translation studies Translating and interpreting Lu, Xun, 1881-1936. True Story of Ah Q -- Translation into English Dissertations -- Afrikaans language Theses -- Afrikaans language |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4291 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gartnerbernd truewordsarenotbeautifulforeignisingahqtofulfiltheskopos |