Translator’s Subjectivity in the Choice of the Original Text

【Abstract】This thesis is an attempt to explore the translator’s subjectivity in choosing the original text to translate，based on the case study of the subjectivity of Lin Yutang as a translator and Lin’s translation of Six Chapters of a Floating Life.

【Key words】Subjectivity； choice.

I. Translator’s Subjectivity Choosing the Original Text

To choose what to translate is the initial step of translation. It cannot be denied that the dominant ideology and poetics in the target society and the patronage are two important deterministic factors in the choice of source texts； nevertheless， the translator still enjoys much of the initiative in choosing what to translate.

A translator may be faced with more than one source text and he/she has to make a choice. Many factors may influence the translator’s choice at this stage：the requirements of a publisher， the potential popularity of a translation and hence its financial implication， the difficulty in translating certain texts， so on and so forth. However， the choice may very well be the result of the translator’s personal interests， of the purpose of his translating activities， of his attitude towards a certain literary trend， of his judgment of the value of the source texts， and of his ideology and political views， etc. Again the translator’s subjectivity is at work here. Steiner holds that in the translation activity， first comes initiative trust， an investment of belief， “underwritten by previous experience”（Steiner，2004；313）， in the meaningfulness， in the “seriousness” of the source text. The translator thereupon ventures a leap whereby he/her grabs something there to be understood and the transfer will not be void.

II. Lin ’s Choice of Six Chapters of a Floating Life： A Case Study

Six Chapters of a Floating Life（Fu Sheng Liu Ji） is an autobiographical story written by Shen Fu（沈复，1764- ？）， a literatus of Suzhou in the Qing Dynasty， mixed with observations and comments on the art of living， the little pleasures of life， some vivid sketches of scenery and literary and art criticism. The title has reference to a line from one of Li Bai’s poems， “Our floating life is like a dream； how often can one enjoy oneself？”

When it comes to Lin’s choosing this booklet to translate， it should be attributed to the accord he found in it with his own life philosophy， aesthetic attitude， and concept about literature in addition to his translation intention， as examined in the previous section.

In the preface to the English version of Six Chapters of a Floating Life， Lin claimed that he was translating the story “because in this simple story of two guileless creatures in their search for beauty， living a life of poverty and privations， decidedly outwitted by life and their cleverer fellowmen， yet determined to snatch every moment of happiness and always fearful of the jealousy of the gods”， he seemed to “to see the essence of a Chinese way of life”. These “two artistic persons”were too good to be successful， for they were “retiring， cultivated souls”； in them lived “the spirit of truth and beauty and the genius for resignation and contentment so characteristic of Chinese culture.” （Lin Yutang， 2000： preface）. This poetic or aesthetic attitude toward life， based on the knowledge of the hardship and fragility of life， was characteristic of Chinese literati’s way of life， and stroke a sympathetic chord in Lin， who also held that to live an aesthetic life was to pause to enjoy the elegance of moments and details of life（as discussed in the previous section）.

Another factor motivating the translation of Six Chapters of a Floating Life was the author’s wife Yun， who was “one of the loveliest women in Chinese literature” in the eyes of Lin . Though cultivated and gentle ， Yun was also sprightly and artistically innocent， which fell out of the traditional Chinese expectation for a wife. For she knew how to read and write and could discuss painting and literature with her husband； she disguised herself as a man in order to see the “illuminated flowers” on the god’s birthday； she wish to travel like a man to all the famous mountains in China； and she yearned to see and know the beautiful things in life， beautiful things “ which lay not within the reach of moral women in ancient China to see.” （ibid： preface）. Lin found that Yun was in accord with his ideal for women， who harmonized Eastern womanish poise with “the more natural sprightliness of a human being， approaching that of European ladies”.

References：

[1]Lin Yutang，2004.Six Chapters of a Floating Life.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

[2]George Steiner，2004.After Babel：Aspects of Language and Translation.Shanghai：Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.