翻譯研究的跨學科性質之分析

劉 劍

（三峽大學外國語學院 湖北 宜昌 443002）

0 Introduction

Before the 1970s,translation theory mainly derived from comparative linguistics,and linguistics was seen as the main discipline which functions to influence translation theory establishment.Since the 1970s,translation scholars have begun to draw on theoretical fundamentals and methodologies borrowed from other disciplines.Peter Newmark once mentioned“Translation theory is not only an interdisciplinary study;it is even a function of the disciplines I have briefly alluded to.”(Newmark,P.1981:7)To clarify the significance of interrelated studies for translation theory,I intend to present how translation theory is affected and benefits from relevant disciplines based on the following four perspectives，namely Semiotics(Translation Definition),Psychology (Translation Nature),Machine translation(Translation Classification),Feminism(Translation Criteria).

1 Perspective of Semiotics (Translation Definition)

Translation is definitely not just a simple word-matching process,nor does it merely involve finding comparable grammatical units from one language to another.That is why we can not render hot potato to“熱洋芋”instead of“棘手之事” and “九五折”to 5 percent discount,not 95 percent discount.I first start to clarify the interdisciplinarity of translation theory with the definition of translation in terms of semiotics,the science of signs.In light of semiotics,translation is defined as a cross-language,cross-culture,and cross-social communicative activity.

Here is a case to show in detail what translation is from the perspective of semiotics.The example is as follows:

──您貴姓?—May I know your name,sir?

──不敢，姓王?！狹y family name is Wang,sir.

As we can see that in Chinese the use of “貴”、“不敢”aims to display our Chinese characteristic courtesy.It is never be true for us to translate them to valuable/expensive,dare/afraid which lack the equivalent linguistic meaning.Due to the language and cultural gaps,we find it extremely difficult to get the signs in one language to another fully conveyed.However,with the help of semiotics,we can put ourselves as reader of a translated text in the place of the son,the father,the wife or the husband in the above case.Thus the importance of semiotics,the theory of meaning or signs,for translation and the improvement of translation theory are clear due to the guidance of translation theory in the real process of translating.

2 Perspective of Psychology (Translation Na-ture)

Here I intend to show my idea that translation is inaccessible to some extent from the perspective of psychology.Translation psychology is rather hidden,and not to be explored straightly,thus some indirect and inertwining approaches are really in need to help detecting and explaining the mental activity carried out by translators in their translating.For instance,translators’complex mental activities in translating can be clearly recorded and systematically analyzed a series of graphs or formulas.Related researches proved that the alternative functions in translator’s mental activities include six processes such as question reception,comprehension,recognition,monitoring,generalization,resolution.The harder the translation is,the shorter each of the six processes extends and the more frequent the six processes function.As a descriptive approach of translation theory study,psychology translation theory is not aimed to better the translation quality but to display how the translation method or strategies are selected along the complicated mental activities.We can definitely gain a totally new angle to explore and establish more relevant bond which will gap the distance between translation studies and psychological research for the foundation of a comprehensive psychology of translation.

3 Perspective of Machine Translation(Translation Classification)

As the name suggests,Machine Translation (MT)is the transfer of meaning from one natural language to another by computer or with the aid of computer.The primary purpose of MT is to replace human translation.The ultimate goal of MT is that once the text in source language is put into the computer,the corresponding version in target language will be shown on the screen.The process of MT is currently subdivided into four steps:1.Source Language Input;2.Identifying and Parsing;3.Generating and Synthesizing;4.Target Language Output.MT actually conducts logical operation according to the binary system of linguistic code symbols.From this sense,MT translation as a comprehensive complementary part of human translation provides us a new and applicable approach to quicken and better the translation product based on its convenience.That is also why we in new era of information often need to adapt our theoretical study and research of translation more to the latest technology development in IT industry and probe deeper into MT and its related study for assistance to enrich translation theory.

4 Perspective of Feminism（Translation Criteria）

In the contemporary translation studies,researchers have found the in-build vagueness of translation criteria and begun to reinterpret this concept through other concepts such as functional equivalence,formal equivalence,loyalty and so on.When women began the task of uncovering from history those works by women who have erased by their male counterparts,they put forward totally different criteria to justify and rebuild their selfesteem in the name of translation work to fulfill their political and social ambitions.Under the feminism perspective,translation is not gender-free as supposed in the prejudice dualism mentioned above,and translation can be influenced by the gender issues in the original text,the translation background and the gender of the translator.As generally categorized under cultural studies approach,feminist translation cares little about the questions like how translations should be done and what should be considered to evaluate translations.What it really intends to find out is questions like how gender has influenced translations and how translations can erect cultural unfairness towards women.

5 Conclusion

Apparently,translation theory has gone far beyond the confines of any one discipline mentioned above,showing itself the interdisciplinary nature.There is no doubt that interdisciplinary translation theory will gain insights from more approaches like cannibalism,postcolonism,poststructuralism,and cultural studies.Surely the interdisciplinarity of translation theory will be displayed in an even clearer way when the tie between translation and all other disciplines gets even closer.Then,there is much work to be done about the reason why the correlation can be found between translation theory and other disciplines.

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