论文总字数：27750字

摘 要

由于英汉称谓文化的巨大差异，在翻译称谓语时必然会遇到问题。而《红楼梦》称谓语的复杂以及其所代表的民族文化特征是的在翻译《红楼梦》称谓语的时候更是困难重重。本文从文化和翻译角度，探讨杨译本和霍译本中称谓语翻译的归化翻译策略与异化翻译策略。本文由5部分组成。第一部分做了一个总述，介绍了本篇论文的研究目标，研究的方法论原理以及论文的构成。第二部分进行了概述，介绍了称谓语系统的民族以及文化特以及异化与归化策略和它们长期的分歧。第三部分析了杨宪益和霍克斯的不同翻译目的。第四部分用实例从目的论对比分析杨译本和霍译本的归化和异化策略选择，反应两者不同的翻译方法以及不同的翻译目的。第五部分是对全文的总结。

关键词：归化;异化;称谓语;《红楼梦》;翻译目的

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

3. Domestication and Foreignzation 3

3.1 The Definition of Domestication and Foreignzation 3

3.2 The Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization 4

4. Comparison of Purposes of the Translation of Yang and Hawkes 5

4.1 Yang’s Purpose 6

4.2 Hawkes" Purpose 6

5. Comparative Analysis of the Translation of Address Forms in Two Versions of a Dream of Red Mansions. 7

5.1 Purpose-based Translation Strategies in Both Versions. 7

5.2 The Application of Domestication and Foreignization from the Perspective of Skopos Theory 10

6. Conclusion 10

Works Cited 12

1. Introduction

A Dream of Red Mansions was a great novel written by Cao Xueqin in 18th century. It presents the whole traditional Chinese society in Qing dynasty incisively and vividly to the readers. The book has highly ideological content and artistic greatness which attract all kinds of readers from all over the world. There is no doubt that A Dream of Red Mansions is a quintessence of Chinese literary treasure.

Translation of address forms in china seems particularly difficult and complex in A Dream of Red Mansions. Why？ Sun Weiqun held that “characters appeared in the novel was more than hundreds of people, interpersonal relationship, especially the kinship relationship is very complicated. Specifically, from the vertical, the center of the author"s description-- Jia Fu, is a family of four generations, from the word "water" "into the" grass "word generation, involving five generation kinship; From lateral view, the history of Shi ,Wang and Xue mansion has crisscrossed with Jia"s home and consanguinity as well as affinity in A Dream of Red Mansions.”（孙为群,2001:115-116）.So, it is very meaningful to study the kinship address systems in A Dream of Red Mansions which could represent the kinship address system in ancient time. However, comparing those of English, Chinese address system is much more complex and different, thus making it difficult to translate equivalently.

Meanwhile, the translation versions of A Dream of Red Mansions of Yang Xianyi and David Hawkes are the most highly praised. While Hawke’ translation is regarded as one of the best modern translation works by newspapers and Yang’s the most complete and the most accurate one. Liu Shicong writes: “At then, the intention of translators was to give full play to the cultural and artistic values in the original work, so, they tried to keep the original content as much as possible. For example, they tried to probe into the main theme of the original work and to reflect this theme from different perspectives. They tried to reproduce the vivid characterization of the original work and recreated characters successfully. They even never ignore one culture image in the original work and intended to convey its different connotations. Their hard working to maintain ‘all-round’ indicates they are highly responsible and extremely respect for the original work. Thus, these two versions appeared in 1970s-1980s are all-round translation instead of adapt or abridged translation”. (刘世聪,2004:54-55). In this thesis, we will select some examples from two versions. After comparison and analysis, we will find out the translation method of the two versions and apply this method into practical use.

In this thesis, we will study when to choose domestication or foreignization strategy when we translate address forms.

2. Literature Review

China’ classical novel a Dream of Red Mansions is a typical masterpiece of two English versions. There are numerous address forms with unique Chinese characteristics. Address terms are names that people use to call each other. Man’s communication does not exist without address terms. Confucius said: “If name is not correctly used, the language will go against one’s will, thus one can not do his work well.” The “name” also contains address terms. If address terms are not properly adopted, they would unavoidably affect communication, thus one can not meet his intended purpose. A Dream of Red Mansions is like a shiny pearl among Chinese classical works. In this description of aristocratic family in China’s feudal society of this novel, the address terms used in communication by various kinds of people are rich and colorful, and complex language rules are followed. Due to the specialty of Chinese address forms; we should first have an analysis of them. So before we can correctly translate the address forms, we should first know the characteristics of address forms, which is different from western address terms.

As a classic work in numerous Chinese novels, a Dream of Red Mansions reflects the ups and downs of noble families in Chinese feudal society, including social politics, education, economy, religion, customs and other fields. It contains nearly whole the features of Chinese address systems.

The first feature of address terms in this novel is that there are countless address terms in this novel. With the appearance of hundreds of characters one by one, the work presents a complicated net of address forms.

The second feature is that family members are always classified into paternal and maternal, lineal and collateral, which is affected by feudal ethics. So address terms are used to represent pecking order and seniority order in china’s traditional culture. For example, in the third chapter in A Dream of Red Mansions, Wang Xifeng praises Lin Daiyu in front of Jia:“……况且这通身的气派竟不像老祖宗的外孙女儿，竟是个嫡亲的孙女儿…… ” This sentence typically disclosure the sexist and differentiated family in this novel, which puts much emphasis on the importance of male sex. “孙女” means the daughter of the son while “外孙女” stands for the daughter of the daughter. The two can’t be seen as equal as to their status in a family.

The third feature is that a lot of fictive kinship terms are used to call people who are not his real relatives. For example, Bao yu addresses his maids “姐姐”.

The last characteristic is the large number of compound address forms. Numerous modifiers plus names or objectives are used to show different emotions to the addressee. For example, “秦显家的，好个美人，没脸的，糊涂脂油蒙了心的…….”

As we mentioned above, address forms in A Dream of Red Mansions are so numerous and complicated to translate in a proper way. The most difficult point of translation of address terms is their subtlety and dedication. So we ought to find a right strategy of translating address forms.

1. Domestication and Foreignzation

3.1 The Definition of Domestication and Foreignzation

Domestication and foreignization are two different but most wildly-used common translation strategies. As for their definition, we can refer to Venuti’s definition: “Domestication method, an ethnocentric reduction of the foreign text to target-language cultural values, bring the author back home; and a foreignizing method, an ethno deviant pressure on those values to register the linguistic and cultural difference of the foreign text, sending the readers abroad”(Venuti,1995: 20).

How to make a proper choice o f the two translation methods in translation practice? Guo Jianzhong makes it clear in his essay “Domestication and Foreignizatin—a Cultural Approach to Translation” that we should take the four into consideration in translation: writer’s intention, text type, translation purpose, and the requirements of the reader(郭建中 15).

The classic rule for any translation is the skopos rule. Vermeer is the creator of Skopos theory who considers that “what the Skopos states is that the one must translate, consciously and consistently, in accordance with some principle respecting the target text. The theory does not state what the principle is: this must be decided separately in each specific case” (Vermeer 29). That is to say, the original work is not the only standard in translation, the expected function of the translation version is also important. Liu Shicong holds that “The main principle of Skopos theory is the purpose——the expected function of translation version is of great importance.” (刘世聪,2004: 132)

3.2 The Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization

Being confronted with more and more frequent communication, linguists and translators from different social and cultural background have demonstrated discussion and verification on translation from various views and have put forward great translation methods. “Domestication” and “foreignization” are one of the most typical examples among these methods.

As to the relevant culture transformation, foreignization is source language oriented while domestication is target language culture oriented. That is to say, the translation should try to adapt to the source language and original author’s words and sentence habits. On the other hand, domestication holds that translation should adapt to the culture habits of readers from target language and render the obstacles for target readers. There are also many arguments about which method is better than the other one. The following are the main arguments:

Foreignization supporters hold the following reasons: 1.It is necessary for readers to know about the original foreign culture. 2. Translators should trust their readers have the wisdom and imagination to understand the specific points of foreign works. 3. Foreignization can enrich the culture and expression manners of target languages.

Domestication favorers think of the following points: 1.During the process of translating one language into another, we should not translate the works into a curt and far-fetched sense due to the different language habits. 2. More emphasis should be put on essence instead of forms in translation.

“Foreignization” and “domestication”, which one is a better translation strategy? It’s very hard to answer. But from Skopos theory, we can see that the question of translating address forms is not whether to choose domestication or foreignization but when to choose one of them is based on the specific purpose of target texts and the aim of the author. The two translation strategies are not contradictory, they just represents different translation tendency. Both of them are feasible as long as they can serve the different purposes. In order to further illustrate the relation between writers’ purpose and their choices of translation strategies, the thesis will discuss it through a contrastive study of a novel’s two English versions in the next chapter.

4. Different Translation Purposes of Yang Xianyi and Hawkes

The two translators accepted different cultures and had different cultural belonging senses. So the comparative study of their two versions will make us better understand the Chinese cultural translation and conversion. By reading the two version, it’s not hard to find out Yang Xianyi put the source and culture at the first place, while Hawkes put much more emphasis on the reader’s perspective. Meanwhile, these two versions reflect the different cultural orientations of Yang Xianyi and Hawkes.

In western countries, social address system is very simple. Ideas of “freedom”, “equality” and “democracy” promoted by bourgeois are deeply rooted. Citizens are tending to highlight themselves and publicize their features. Meanwhile, western countries give priority to the nuclear family, with a relatively indifferent kinship. But in china, address system is used to maintain the status and harmony among family members. “Benevolence” and “ritual” are two important core elements; with collectivism unconsciously guide people’s behavior.

Based on Chinese culture, Yang tried to push the Chinese culture to the world. In its translation, he mostly followed the source language culture but Hawkes mainly embarks on the western culture.

4.1 Yang’s Purpose

To exhibit the ordinary Chinese traditional culture and classic literature to western readers, Yang adopted the entire foreignization method in order to show the unique charm of Chinese rich cultural legacies. Somebody evaluates Yang’s version like this: “Yang’s version is seen as a milestone in the history of Chinese and Western cultural exchange. Thousands of years of traditional Chinese culture represented by Cao Xueqin’s original version is faithfully embodied in Yang’ version. (杨家勤，2000:54).

So Yang Xianyi took the foreignization translation method is not only to be faithful to the Chinese cultural heritage, but also faithfully convey the value and soul of Chinese culture. He tried to highlight the spirit of Chinese culture and civilization as much as possible and to descript Chinese people’s life, including their happiness and sorrow, love and regret, pity and resentment as well as joy and anger.

4.2 Hawkes" Purpose

As for the translation purpose of David Hawkes in his translational action, he said in the prelude of his translation version: “In translating this novel I have felt unable to stick faithfully to any single text. I have mainly followed Gao E’ version of the first chapter as being more consistent, though less interesting ,than the other ones; but I have frequently followed a manuscript reading in subsequent chapters, and in a few, rare instances I have made small emendations of my own. My one guiding principle has been to translate everything——even puns. For although this is, in the sense I have already indicated, an unfinished novel, it was written by a great artist with his very lifeblood. I have therefore assumed that whatever I find in it is there for a purpose and must be dealt with somehow or other. I cannot pretend always to have done so successfully, but if I can convey to the reader even a fraction of the pleasure this Chinese novel has given me, I shall not shall lived in vain”

So Hawkes just wanted to introduce this Chinese novel to western readers and wanted to explain everything clearly, which erased the exotic flavor of the target text. But he successfully pandered to the westerners with the adoption of domestication.

5. Comparative Analysis of the Translation of Address Forms in Two Versions of a Dream of Red Mansions

5.1 Purpose-based Translation Strategies in Both Versions

The differences between Chinese and English can be obviously seen. Chinese kinship address forms are inclusive, they cannot only show one’s age and sex, but can also indicate the mother side or father side. And kinship address forms are various even differences exist in different regions. In this thesis, we mainly studied the translation of address forms to the older generation and address forms in paternal and maternal sides.

5.1.1 The Translation of Address Forms for the Older Generation

红玉道：“平姐姐说：我们奶奶问这里奶奶好。原是我们二爷不在家，虽然吃了两天，只管请奶奶放心。等五奶奶好些，我们奶奶还会了五奶奶来瞧奶奶呢。”(第二十七回)

In A Dream of Red Mansions, “奶奶” is used to address those wives of the younger generation. It is used by servants to address their masters. According to ethical norms, when a servant mentions his master, no matter how many people included or how many times his master would be referred to, he must adopt the appropriate address terms to make clear of his social or family status. But in England, people call each other’ name directly regardless of neither position nor generation, which brings a lot of obstacles to translation.

杨译：“She said, ‘Our lady sends her compliments to Her Ladyship. Our Second Master is away from now, so Her Ladyship shouldn’t worry over a couple of day’s delay. When the Fifth Mistress is better, our lady will come with her to see Her Ladyship’.（The 27^th chapter）

霍译：“She said he was to tell them: ‘Our lady hopes your lady is well and she says the Master is away at present and may not be back for another day or two, but your lady is not to worry; and when the lady from the West Lane is better, our lady will come with their lady to see your lady’ (The 27^th chapter)

It’s not hard to find out that in Yang’s version, he generally followed the foreignization method which is source-language targeted and tried to maintain the original cultural connotation. Readers can taste the concrete and exquisite relationship, which attaches much importance to the blood-affinity relationship. Qiujiu said: “With the increasingly frequent deepening of cultural exchange, one culture’s ability to accept and digest another heterogeneous culture is greatly enhanced. So when Yang found this vivid, expressive language expression has been wildly accepted in the target language or use, he did not mean to retain its image”. (邱进，2008：7) It can be evidently inferred that the translation purpose of Yang’s translation strategy is to create the impression of exotic strangeness or cultural distance for western readers, which means that Yang should be entirely faithful to the target text. Therefore, Yang chose the foreignization method of translating address forms. While Hawkes followed domestication method, which his version smooth and have local characteristics. So Hawkes’s translation of address forms might be more acceptable to English readers because it is uncommon to use kinship address forms to a person without blood relationship. “Hawkes was influenced by his mother tongue culture, so he is sensitive to cultural information in the heterogeneous culture. The ultimate purpose of literary translation is to introduce foreign literature to native readers or to introduce national literature to foreign readers, that is to say, the culture level and interest of the readers should be considered in the translation. Therefore, Hawke’s adoption of domestication strategy is understandable.”(225).It can be seen that the purpose of Hawkes is to present this book to his western readers without too much academic considerations. Meanwhile, he wanted to make it an enjoyable process for western readers to read his version.

5.1.2 The Translation of Address Forms for Paternal and Maternal Relationship

“祖婆婆，太婆婆，婆婆，媳妇，孙子媳妇，重孙子媳妇，亲孙子，孙子，重孙子，灰孙子，滴滴搭搭的孙子，孙女儿，外孙女儿，姨表孙女儿，姑孙女儿，哎呦呦，真好热闹！” (第五十四回)

Y: “There were the great-grand-mother, grandmother, mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law, grand-daughters-in-law, great-granddaughters-in-law, grandsons, grand-nephews and a pack of great-great grandsons, as well as grand-daughters and grand-nieces on the paternal and maternal sides and grand-nieces on the brothers’ and sister’s sides….aiya, it was really lively”(The 54^th chapter).

H: “It was a very lively part and everyone in the family was there: the grandmother, the great-grandmother, the granddaughter-in-law, the granddaughter-in-law, the great-granddaughters-in-law, the grandsons, the great-nephews, the great-grandsons, the great-little-medium-grandsons, the granddaughters, the great-nieces, the first cousins once removed, the first cousins twice removed, the second cousins two-and-a-half times removed…..oh, goodness gracious me, it was a really lively party!”(The 54^th chapter).

In this conversation, the author mentioned 16 kinship forms, including the inner and outer kinship address forms, which is a typical feature in china. In Yang’ version, he translated “孙女儿，外孙女儿，姨表孙女儿，姑孙女儿”into “grand-daughters and grand-nieces on the paternal and maternal sides, and grand-nieces on the brothers’ and sister’s sides”, which makes a clear distinction between paternal and maternal address forms. However, Hawkes failed to translate the four Chinese typical address forms properly and transmit Chinese culture to western readers. But he did make the version more understandable to western readers.

From the above-mentioned two examples, it can be seen that different translation purposes determine the adoption of different translation methods. But domestication and foreignization are not entirely opposite translation strategies. They are adopted according to different purposes. We can’t just stick to one strategy in translation process. Neither excessive foreignization nor excessive domestication is conducive to transmitting the culture information. As a chinese, Yang Xianyi translated the address forms in A Dream of Red Mansions with a purpose of spreading the original Chinese culture, while Hawkes wanted to let western readers have an easier access to Chinese culture. Obviously, Hawkes" purpose is to cater to Western readers" reading habits. Considering that too much cumbersome connotation is bound to interrupt reader"s thinking process and eliminate their interest to the translation version.

5.2 The Application of Domestication and Foreignization from the Perspective of Skopos Theory

What makes a good translation? How to evaluate a translation version? The traditional translation theories are based on the original starting point and finish at the original finish line. And equivalent standards are used to measure the quality of translation. But under Skopos theory, equivalent standards are no longer considered as the only measurement. Instead, Skopos theory emphasizes the active involvement of the translator and translation purpose. Meanwhile, it turns the translation focus from the perspective of original text to the recreation of more challenging target language text. It also provides many necessary and effective translation methods into practical translation, such as compilation translation, selective translation and omitting translation.

Two translation versions of a Dream of Red Mansions embody the effect of translation purposes on translation strategies. When considering readability and acceptability, a translator tends to choose domestication while considering about conveying culture features, one should adopt foreignization. Take some address forms in other books for example, when a traslator translate “姑娘”, he should first locate our purpose, if he wants to spread Chinese culture and let western readers know about the pronunciation, than he can translate it into “Kuniang” according to the foreignization method, but if we want western readers to understand smoothly, we can translate it into “girl” according to domestication method. A translator can translate “狐狸精” into “fox-spirit” (according to foreignization) or “witch”(according to domestication) based on different purposes.

5. Conclusion

After the contrastive analysis of address terms of two versions in a Dream of Red Mansion, we can see that both domestication and foreignization have its advantages as well as shortcomings. Different translators with different purposes choose different translation strategies and appeal to different kinds of readers.

To sum up, the translation of address terms is actually concerned with the adoption of domestication or foreignization. Yang’ version clearly adopted the foreignization method while Hawkes presented the tendency of domestication. Both of the two versions have their advantages as well as disadvantages. Foreignization is conducive to maintain the features of original language and culture, providing readers with exotic customs. It is also helpful when readers try to get some knowledge of the Chinese address system. However, it makes the translation look strange and unfamiliar. On the other hand, domestication caters to the expression habits of target language and is more easily accepted by western readers, but it losses a lot of culture-loaded information. So it is hard to say which one is better when we use them to translate address forms. But a translator can locate his purpose and adopt one method. In addition, a good product is of the optimal balance between them according to purposes of translation. In general, Foreignization is related with spreading the culture of source language while domestication is used to make it understandable for foreign readers. Foreignization and domestication can be used flexibly to render cultural differences. With the development of cross-cultural communication and the desire of people to know each other are stronger and stronger, translators should give full play to their initiatives and locate their purposes so as to meet the needs of readers of different readers.

Works Cited

[1] Venuti: The Translator’s Invisibility. London and New York: Routledge.1995

[2] Hawkes,David: The Story of the Stone. London: Penguin Group. 1973

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