Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
Home> Volumes> Volume CHR Vol.6> Article
Research Article

Analysis of the Translation of Local Culture in Mo Yan's Works by Skopos Theory

Siyan MaNingbo University Yuezhu QiaoHubei University* Fangfei YangTianjin University

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Mo Yan's works present the Chinese local culture, which have a profound cultural significance and have had a far-reaching impact on the international scale. However, for many English-speaking readers, some of the words in Mo Yan's works with a special Chinese local culture are difficult and complex to understand. Because of this, an inaccurate translation may cause readers to be biased. This article uses the Skopos Theory as a guideline and takes Howard Goldblatt's English translation as examples to analyse the translation of local culture in several of Mo Yan's masterpieces, so as to achieve the purpose of spreading local culture in translation. The study found that most of Howard Goldblatt's translations of the words related to local culture in Mo Yan's works conformed to the Skopos Theory, appropriately combining Chinese local culture with western culture to promote readers' understanding and provide an effective way for foreign readers to understand Chinese local culture.

Keywords: Mo Yan's novel; local culture; Howard Goldblatt's translation; Skopos Theory
Published: September 14, 2023
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/6/20230269
Volume: CHR Vol.6
pp. 271-276
Download PDF

References

  1. Xiao Shudan. A study on the translation of Mo Yan's novels in the English-speaking world under the threshold of ecological translation [J]. English Square, 2022(22):3-8. DOI:10.16723/j.cnki.yygc.2022.22.028.
  2. Liu Yiqiu. A Study on the Translation Strategy of Mo Yan's Novel from the Perspective of Acceptance Aesthetics [D]. Jinan University,2019. doi:10.27166/d.cnki.gsdcc.2019.000066.
  3. KATHARINA REI,HANS J.VERMEER.TOWARDS A GENERAL THEORY OF TRANSLATIONAL ACTION SKOPOS THEORY EXPLAINED TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY CHRISTIANE NORD ENGLISH REVIEWED BY MARINA DUDENHOFER [M].ROUTLEDGE TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP.2013.
  4. Wang Yuna. Experimental Analysis of Ge Haowen's Strategies for Translating Mo Yan's "Plump Breasts and Fat Ass" from the Perspective of Purpose Theory [J]. Journal of Mudanjiang Education College,2014(04):22+65.
  5. Mo Yan. Red Sorghum [M]. Beijing: China Youth Press, 2004.01.
  6. Mo Yan ; translated from the Chinese by Howard Goldblatt..Red sorghum [M].Viking.1993.
  7. Mo Yan. Big breasts and wide hips [M]. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House, 2019.06.
  8. Mo Yan ; translated from the Chinese by Howard Goldblatt..Big breasts and wide hips:a novel [M].Arcade Pub..2004.
  9. Mo Yan. Frog [M]. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House, 2019.07.
  10. MOYAN.FROG [M]. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL CHINESE EDITION,HOWARD GOLDBLATT.2014.
  11. Mo Yan. Life and death are wearing me out [M]. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House, 2022.01.
  12. Mo Yan ; translated from the Chinese by Howard Goldblatt..Life and death are wearing me out:a novel [M].Arcade Pub.2008.
  13. Shi Hongmei. An analysis of the translation technique of vernacular sentiment in the English translation of Mo Yan's "Fatigue of Life and Death" in a cross-cultural context [J]. Journal of Beijing Printing Institute,2020,28(02):95-97.DOI:10.19461/j.cnki.1004-8626.2020.02.026.