Translator’s Subjectivity Shown in the C-E Translation of the Poem Jinse Written by Li Shangyin

陈庆欣

Abstract： The translator is the subject of translation， but the subjectivity of the translator has long been obscured. In fact， the translatorhas to give full play to subjectivity and creativity during the translation process while s/he also suffers a lot of restrictions at the same time， which the article illustrates with the translation of Jinse written by Li Shangyin.

Key Words： translators subjectivitycreativityrestrictionsJinse

The translator is the subject of translation and an important participant in the construction of a national culture， but the subjectivity of the translator has long been obscured. Different writers understand the connotations of subjectivity from different angles.

In Fang Mengzhis (2004：83) point of view， the translators subjectivity refers to the essential idiosyncrasy of translators in translation activity， that is to say， the translating subject plays his or her dynamic role in manipulating or transferring the original text—the object. Zha Mingjian and Tian Yu (2003：20) think that the translators subjectivity means the subjective dynamics of the translating subject.

To sum up， the translator， as the subject of translation， has her/his own subjectivity， which is the externalization of human beings essential characteristics in the activities toward the objective world， and is the special quality with which the subject actively changes， influences and controls the object and then makes the object serve itself.

In effect， the translators subjectivity is manifested in the whole process of translating. During this process the translator must give full play of her/his creativity so as to achieve the translation goals， while s/he suffers a lot of restrictionstoo. We emphasize the translators subjectivity and study his/her creativity， but we dont approve that the translators can exert their subjectivity blindly. An example is given to help better understand how the translators subjectivity and creativity leave imprints on translation.

Source text：

锦瑟

李商隐

锦瑟无端五十弦，一弦一柱思華年。

庄生晓梦迷蝴蝶，望帝春心托杜鹃。

沧海月明珠有泪，蓝田日暖玉生烟。

此情可待成追忆，只是当时已惘然。(萧涤非等，2002：1126)

Target texts：

1.The Sad Zither

—Translated byXu Yuanchong

Why should be the zither sad have fifty strings?

Each string， each strain evoke but vanished springs;

Dim morning dream to be a butterfly;

Amorous heart poured out in cuckoo's cry.

In moonlit pearls see tears in mermaid's eye;

From sunburnt emerald let vapor rise!

Such feeling cannot be recalled again;

It seemed long lost e'en when it was felt then.

2.Jeweled Zither

-Translatedby John A. Turner

Vain are the jeweled zither's fifty strings;

Eachstring， each stop， bear thought of vanished things.

The sage of his loved butterflies day-dreaming;

The king that sighed his soul into a bird.

Tears that are pearls， in ocean moonlight streaming;

Jade mists the sun distils from Sapphire Sward.

Why need their memory to recall today?

Aday was theirs， which is now passed away. (Xu， 1997：338)

Clear indications are provided for the allusions used， but it is still hard to express the poems concrete meanings. The former thinks that the poet is grieving over his dead wife， so he produces the heartbreaking feeling with such terms as “dim morning”and “tears”. In the eyes of the second translator， the poet is lamenting his elapsed youth and his wasting life. Therefore， he uses expressions like “vain”and “day-dreaming”， etc.. Undoubtedly， both interpretations are reasonable. Stapylton once said “it is true that wit distilled in one Language， cannot be transfused into another without loss of spirits” (Venuti， 2004：48). Due to the translatorsdifferent backgrounds， translation purposes， and knowledge bases， etc.， the interpretations are bound to be different.

In conclusion， as the subjective initiative of translation， the translator does possess her/his subjectivity in the whole process of translation. However， the agreement and acceptance of the translators subjectivity does not mean that the translator can translate the source texts paying no attention to the author and the original text and that s/he can present her/his personal views arbitrarily.

參考文献：

[1]Venuti，Lawrence. The Translators Invisibility——A History of Translation. Shanghai：Shang hai Foreign Language Education Press，2004.48.

[2]方梦之.译学辞典.上海：上海外语教育出版社，2004.

[3]萧涤非.唐诗鉴赏辞典.上海：上海辞书出版社，2002.1126.

[4]许渊冲.中诗英译探胜.北京：北京大学出版社，1997.338.

[5]查明健，田雨.论译者主体性.中国翻译，2003，(1).