摘 要

翻译的可接受性是衡量翻译输出质量的一个重要标准，直接关系到读者的阅读兴趣、对译文的理解以及对译出语文化的认知。目前，中国网络武侠小说发展迅速，引起了国内外武侠小说爱好者的广泛关注。Wuxiaworld是众多中国网络武侠小说英译网站中的一个典型代表。本文选取Wuxiaworld上《斗破苍穹》的译文，通过原文与译文的对比和案例分析，参考网站上外国读者对译文的评价，研究译者在翻译时所采用的翻译原则、翻译策略和翻译方法，探求影响武侠小说英译可接受性的具体因素。在本文的最后，笔者将从中国网络武侠小说的质量、翻译产业的规范性及中国文化的传播三个视角，探讨提高中国网络武侠小说英译可接受性的可行方法，以期能为“讲好中国故事”提供一定的参考性意见。

关键词：网络；中国武侠小说；英译可接受性；斗破苍穹

Abstract

The acceptability of translation is an important factor in measuring the quality of translation. It is directly related to readers' interest, understanding of translation and cognition of the source-language culture. At present, the rapid development of Chinese network martial arts fictions has aroused widespread concern among martial arts fiction lovers at home and abroad. Wuxiaworld is a typical representative of many English translation websites of Chinese martial arts fictions. This paper selects the translation of Battle Through the Heavens on Wuxiaworld. Through the comparison between the original Chinese text and the English translation, the author uses specific examples to analyze the translation principles, strategies and methods used by the translator. Readers’ comments on Wuxiaworld will also be used as a reference to measure the acceptability of translation. Based on the case analysis, the author explores some factors affecting the acceptability of translation. At the end of this paper, the author endeavors to find out some feasible ways to improve the acceptability of translation of Chinese network martial arts fictions from the perspectives of the quality of Chinese network martial arts fictions, the standardization of the translation industry and the spread of Chinese culture, in order to make some suggestions for "telling the Chinese stories well".

Key Words: network; Chinese martial arts fictions; translation acceptability; Battle Through the Heavens

Contents

1 Introduction 1

2 Chinese Network Martial Arts Fictions and Battle Through the Heavens 2

2.1 Chinese network martial arts fictions 3

2.1.1 Definition and characteristics of Chinese network martial arts fictions 3

2.1.2 The status quo of Chinese network martial arts fictions abroad 4

2.2 Introduction to Battle Through the Heavens 5

3 Acceptability of Translation 7

3.1 Concept of acceptability of translation 7

3.2 Significance of acceptability of translation 7

4 Analysis of the Translation of Battle Through the Heavens 9

4.1 In terms of principles for translation 9

4.1.1 In the light of the readers 9

4.1.2 In the light of traditional Chinese culture 10

4.2 In terms of strategies for translation 11

4.2.1 Foreignization 11

4.2.2 Domestication 14

5 Findings of the Acceptability of Translation Based on the Analysis 16

6 Solutions to Increase the Acceptability of Translation of Chinese Network Martial Arts Fictions 16

6.1 Adjusting strategies for proper translation 18

6.2 Improving the quality of Chinese network martial arts fictions 19

6.3 Standardizing the translation industry 19

6.4 Accelerating the spread of Chinese culture 20

7 Conclusion 22

References 23

Acknowledgements 25

Study on the Acceptability of Translation of Chinese Network Martial Arts Fictions:

Taking Battle Through the Heavens as an Example

1 Introduction

Chinese martial arts fictions, known as an important branch of Chinese literature, have experienced ups and downs since their birth. It was not until the 1950s when some noted novelists such as Jin Yong, Liang Yusheng and Gu Long came up with the idea of “New Martial Arts Fictions” that Chinese martial arts fictions were revitalized. At that period, most classic Chinese martial arts fictions were created by novelists from Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the 1980s when China implemented Reform and Opening-up policy, novelists from mainland China began martial arts fiction writing, laying a solid foundation for the creation of later novelists.

Today, Chinese martial arts fictions have altered their forms with much more diversified themes. Meanwhile, the media for display has also changed from books to Internet. Along with the deepening globalization, the idea of “telling the Chinese stories well” raised by Xi Jinping provides an excellent opportunity for the spread of Chinese martial arts fictions in other countries. Therefore, overseas network literature translation websites spring up in recent years, gaining great popularity among foreign readers. Overseas transmission of martial arts culture would promote the internationalization of network literature and improve the status of Chinese literature and culture in the world. Martial arts culture would give full play to the function of cultural capital and symbol, thus enhancing the national identity (Liu amp; Zhang, 2018). There are at least 51 overseas English-language websites such as Wuxiaworld, Gravity Tales, Volare Novels, LNMTL, etc. that translate Chinese network fictions, among which Chinese network martial arts fictions are the absolute main part.

Most translators on these websites are native speakers who have a good command of Chinese and Chinese culture (Zheng, 2018). Due to the huge cultural gap between Chinese and English, it is critical for translators to fully consider readers’ acceptance of the translation when translating Chinese network martial arts fictions. Proper use of translation principles and strategies is of great importance. If the translator chooses to be too close to the original text, the translation will be stiff and difficult to understand. Likewise, if the translator completely ignores the original text and makes the translation completely close to the reader, the translation will distort the original information and lose the aesthetic value of the original text (Luo, 2018).

Although some scholars have analyzed the strategies and methods of translation of Chinese network martial arts fictions, most researches lack analysis of the translation acceptability of a specific Chinese network martial arts fiction. Therefore, by taking Battle Through the Heavens, one of the most popular Chinese network martial arts fictions translated into English, as an example, this paper aims to analyze the translation strategies and the corresponding translation methods applied in the translation of Chinese network martial arts fictions and find out the existing problems which hinder the acceptability of translation in the translation of Chinese network martial arts fictions. At the end of this paper, feasible suggestions on addressing these problems will be given. It is hoped that this research will provide some references for the translation of Chinese network martial arts fictions and be conducive to the spread of traditional Chinese culture. 2 Chinese Network Martial Arts Fictions and Battle Through the Heavens

2.1 Chinese network martial arts fictions

Along with the rapid development of Chinese network literature and the evolvement of media, Chinese network martial arts fictions, which are disseminated both at home and abroad, have stepped into a new era. These fictions are no longer created for sheer entertainment. Instead, they have become a part of Chinese martial arts culture and played an important role in building the soft power of Chinese culture.

2.1.1 Definition and characteristics of Chinese network martial arts fictions

The “network” in “network martial arts fictions” cannot only be understood as a materialized Internet platform from the perspective of technology and media. The term "network" used in our literature research refers to the meaning of “network literature” to a large extent. Therefore, “network martial arts fictions” does not only refer to the original martial arts fictions appearing and serialized on the Internet, which is not the focus and value of this literary research. Its definition should be further extended to “the creation of martial arts fictions in the network literature environment” (Xia, 2017).