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Abstract: Around 1970th, translation theory comes across feminism, thus the feminist translation theory emerged as the times required. The appearance of feminist translation enriches the modern translation theory, and extends the horizon of translation theory. At the same time, feminist translation has its shortcomings, especially in its exaggeration and arbitrariness. This paper explores the similarities between feminism and translation, the contributions and limitations of feminist translation theory.
Key words: feminist translation; similarities; contributions; limitations
1. Feminist Translation
Feminist translation is the“feminist translators ‘correct’ texts that they translate in the name of feminist ‘truths’.”(Flotow, 2004: 24). The feminist translation gives fresh impetus to the translation area, which extends the field of translation studies updates the concept of translation and provides useful inspiration for translation studies and practices.
2. The Similarities between Feminism and Translation
It seems that there is a kind of mystic and tight contact between female and translation. First of all, the statuses of female and translation are quite similar. Female is regard as the “belongings” of male in the traditional culture, and they live in the patriarchal society dominated by the “patriarchal language”. Translation is always considered as the “accessories” of the source text in the traditonal translation theories, and has been feminized for a long time. Secondly, people hold the similar requirement to translation and female. For a long time translation is demanded to try to be "faithful" to the original, and in traditional culture female is requested to be “faithful” to male. Female, just like Marguerite Duras says “Women have been in darkness for centuries. They don’t know themselves. Or only poorly.” (Flotow, 2004:12). Many scholars tend to compare translation to female, such as the very famous remark by Gilles Mènage “ les belles infidèles”. Translation, “enjoy” the same treatment with female, doesn’t receive the respect it deserves in society. Finally, feminism shares the similar target with the revolution of translation theory.
3. Contributions and Limitations of Feminist Translation
We must recognize that, the appearance of feminist translation, which emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between SL&TL, confirming the value of translation and translator, enriches the modern translation theory, and enlarges the horizon of translation theory. (Liao Qiyi, 2002:107) Meanwhile, we must point out that no theory is perfect. Feminist translation has its shortcomings, such as exaggeration and arbitrariness. 3.1 Contributions of Feminist Translation
The contributions can be summed up into 3 points. Firstly, feminist translation reconsiders some basic questions of translation from the aspect of feminism, such as the essence of translation, translation standard and the relationship between ST&TT, and overthrows the view of “faithfulness” and “equivalence” thoroughly. Feminist translation considers translation as an intercultural and interlingua process with “transgression”, and it's “a substantial interpretative move” (Simon, 1996:P5). By challenging the authority of ST it breaks the binary oppositions in traditional translation theory, Secondly, the status of the translator is reformulated in feminist translation. Translator’s subjectivity is oppressed in the traditional translation theory, and people over stress both the passive and negative aspects of translator. Thirdly, feminism translation eliminates the gender discrimination in translation studies. Feminism translation is not only against the description of translation with some sexism words, but also peripherization of translation and female. All in all, feminist translation theory will make a contribution to elimination of gender crimination language in translation studies, and for women to the winning of the equal rights in society.
3.2 Limitations of Feminist Translation
Although feminist translation is a progress based on structuralism translation theory, and provides new theoretical basis for people to think over translation standard and translator’s subjectivity in traditional translation theory, this does not indicate that the feminist theory has developed and matured. We can say that criticism has been accompanied by its growing process. Feminist translation theorists are overemphasizing subversion and subjectivity. Furthermore, feminist translation theory and practice are also contradictive and self-subversive. Rosemary Arrojo considers feminist translation theory as “opportunism” “hypocrisy” and “theoretical incoherence”. For example, translator is asked to be “faithful” to the tenor of the ST, meanwhile it claims to rewrite the ST in feminist way. These problems need to be continuously improved and perfected.
4. Conclusion
Longing for liberation and respect is the reason why feminist movement develops, and asking for the equal status which translation and translator should have, is the origin of the development of translation theory. So, when translation theory comes across feminism, the feminist translation theory emerges as the times requires. Male and female, author and translator, ST and TT are in three pairs of symbiotic relationship. Neither of each pair can live alone when separated. Flotow prospects the trend of development of feminist translation theory in her work, holding that it will expand in three dimensions, namely “identity politics” “positionality” and “historical dimension”. Feminist translation theory will develop continuously and influence the translation theories and studies further in the future.
Bibliography:
[1] 廖七一. 重写神话：女性主义与翻译研究[J]. 四川外语学院学报. 2002(2): 106-09
[2] Flotow, Luise Von. Translation and Gender: Translating in the ‘Era of Feminism’[M]. Shang Hai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2004.
[3] Simon, Sherry. Gender in Translation: Cultural Identity and the Politics of Transmission[M]. London: Routledge, 1996.
[4] Susan Bassnett&André Lefevere. Constructing Cultures: Essays on Literary Translation[M]. Shang Hai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2001.
作者简介：狄东睿（1984-）女，陕西省咸阳市人，助教，硕士，主要研究方向为翻译理论与实践
Key words: feminist translation; similarities; contributions; limitations
1. Feminist Translation
Feminist translation is the“feminist translators ‘correct’ texts that they translate in the name of feminist ‘truths’.”(Flotow, 2004: 24). The feminist translation gives fresh impetus to the translation area, which extends the field of translation studies updates the concept of translation and provides useful inspiration for translation studies and practices.
2. The Similarities between Feminism and Translation
It seems that there is a kind of mystic and tight contact between female and translation. First of all, the statuses of female and translation are quite similar. Female is regard as the “belongings” of male in the traditional culture, and they live in the patriarchal society dominated by the “patriarchal language”. Translation is always considered as the “accessories” of the source text in the traditonal translation theories, and has been feminized for a long time. Secondly, people hold the similar requirement to translation and female. For a long time translation is demanded to try to be "faithful" to the original, and in traditional culture female is requested to be “faithful” to male. Female, just like Marguerite Duras says “Women have been in darkness for centuries. They don’t know themselves. Or only poorly.” (Flotow, 2004:12). Many scholars tend to compare translation to female, such as the very famous remark by Gilles Mènage “ les belles infidèles”. Translation, “enjoy” the same treatment with female, doesn’t receive the respect it deserves in society. Finally, feminism shares the similar target with the revolution of translation theory.
3. Contributions and Limitations of Feminist Translation
We must recognize that, the appearance of feminist translation, which emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between SL&TL, confirming the value of translation and translator, enriches the modern translation theory, and enlarges the horizon of translation theory. (Liao Qiyi, 2002:107) Meanwhile, we must point out that no theory is perfect. Feminist translation has its shortcomings, such as exaggeration and arbitrariness. 3.1 Contributions of Feminist Translation
The contributions can be summed up into 3 points. Firstly, feminist translation reconsiders some basic questions of translation from the aspect of feminism, such as the essence of translation, translation standard and the relationship between ST&TT, and overthrows the view of “faithfulness” and “equivalence” thoroughly. Feminist translation considers translation as an intercultural and interlingua process with “transgression”, and it's “a substantial interpretative move” (Simon, 1996:P5). By challenging the authority of ST it breaks the binary oppositions in traditional translation theory, Secondly, the status of the translator is reformulated in feminist translation. Translator’s subjectivity is oppressed in the traditional translation theory, and people over stress both the passive and negative aspects of translator. Thirdly, feminism translation eliminates the gender discrimination in translation studies. Feminism translation is not only against the description of translation with some sexism words, but also peripherization of translation and female. All in all, feminist translation theory will make a contribution to elimination of gender crimination language in translation studies, and for women to the winning of the equal rights in society.
3.2 Limitations of Feminist Translation
Although feminist translation is a progress based on structuralism translation theory, and provides new theoretical basis for people to think over translation standard and translator’s subjectivity in traditional translation theory, this does not indicate that the feminist theory has developed and matured. We can say that criticism has been accompanied by its growing process. Feminist translation theorists are overemphasizing subversion and subjectivity. Furthermore, feminist translation theory and practice are also contradictive and self-subversive. Rosemary Arrojo considers feminist translation theory as “opportunism” “hypocrisy” and “theoretical incoherence”. For example, translator is asked to be “faithful” to the tenor of the ST, meanwhile it claims to rewrite the ST in feminist way. These problems need to be continuously improved and perfected.
4. Conclusion
Longing for liberation and respect is the reason why feminist movement develops, and asking for the equal status which translation and translator should have, is the origin of the development of translation theory. So, when translation theory comes across feminism, the feminist translation theory emerges as the times requires. Male and female, author and translator, ST and TT are in three pairs of symbiotic relationship. Neither of each pair can live alone when separated. Flotow prospects the trend of development of feminist translation theory in her work, holding that it will expand in three dimensions, namely “identity politics” “positionality” and “historical dimension”. Feminist translation theory will develop continuously and influence the translation theories and studies further in the future.
Bibliography:
[1] 廖七一. 重写神话：女性主义与翻译研究[J]. 四川外语学院学报. 2002(2): 106-09
[2] Flotow, Luise Von. Translation and Gender: Translating in the ‘Era of Feminism’[M]. Shang Hai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2004.
[3] Simon, Sherry. Gender in Translation: Cultural Identity and the Politics of Transmission[M]. London: Routledge, 1996.
[4] Susan Bassnett&André Lefevere. Constructing Cultures: Essays on Literary Translation[M]. Shang Hai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2001.
作者简介：狄东睿（1984-）女，陕西省咸阳市人，助教，硕士，主要研究方向为翻译理论与实践