1st Edition

Dialogues on the Theory and Practice of Literary Translation

By Xu Jun Copyright 2020
    252 Pages
    by Routledge

    252 Pages
    by Routledge

    The book is a collection of the dialogues between Xu Jun, a well-known expert in French literary translation and eminent “Changjiang” scholar in translation studies in China, and some celebrated literary translators in contemporary China, some of whom are also literary scholars, linguists, poets, prose writers, and editors. It is a fundamental achievement of research on the literary translation in the 20th century in China, involving multiple literary types, such as novels, poetry, dramas, prose, and fairy tales; and multiple languages, such as English, French, German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and Sanskrit. The dialogues are centered on fundamental issues in the theory and practice of literary translation, such as re-creation in literary translation, the relationship between form and content in literary translation, the subjectivity of literary translators, literary translation standards and principles, the gains and losses in literary translation, the principles and methods of literary criticism, and so on.



    Those translation experts’ experience and multiple strategies not only play an active role in guiding literary translators in practice but also benefit theoretical development in literary translation. Thus, the book will contribute to worldwide translation studies and get well recognized by translation studies students, teachers, and scholars in the world. 

    Foreword to the Chinese edition: Tradition and Innovation



    List of abbreviations



    Part I: On the Importance of Literary Translation



    1. Translation Is Crucial!Ji Xianlin and Xu Jun



    2. The Importance of High-Quality Translations



    Ye Junjian and Xu Jun





    Part II: On the Re-Creation in Literary Translation



    3. On the Re-Creation in Literary Translation



     Luo Xinzhang, Shi Kangqiang, Yuan Xiaoyi and Xu Jun



    4. Translation as the Re-Creation of the Source Text



    Li Mang and Xu Jun



    5. Translation as an Artistic (Re-)Creation Is Boundless



    Xiao Qian, Wen Jieruo, and Xu Jun



    6. Translation as the "Art of Beautification"



    Xu Yuanchong and Xu Jun





    Part III: On Literary Translation Principles



    7. To Set Principles and Do Accordingly: On the Style of Translation



    Guo Hongan and Xu Jun



    8. Faithfulness, Expressiveness, and Elegance vs. Truth, Goodness, and Beauty



    Tu An and Xu Jun



    9. The Unity of Form and Spirit in Poetry Translation



    Jiang Feng and Xu Jun



    10. To Preserve the Original Artistic Style as Much as Possible



    Lü Tongliu and Xu Jun





    Part IV: On the Literary Translator



    11. On the Subjectivity of Literary Translators



    Yang Wuneng and Xu Jun



    12. To Be Honest and to Translate Earnestly



    Cao Ying and Xu Jun



    13. The Translator Should Have Multiple Strategies



    Li Wenjun and Xu Jun





    Part V: On the Gains and Losses in Literary Translation



    14. The Gains and Losses in Translation



    Fang Ping and Xu Jun



    15. Translation Is Well-Known, But Its Gains and Losses Are Only Known to the Translators: On the Translation of Le Rouge et le Noir



    Zhao Ruihong and Xu Jun





    Part VI: On Literary Translation Criticism



    16. Orienting Literary Translation



    Xu Jun and Yuan Xiaoyi



    17. From "Dreaming" to Reality



    Xu Jun and Yuan Xiaoyi





    Part VII: Other Relevant Issues



    18. Translation and Creative Writing



    Zhao Ruihong, Yang Yi and Xu Jun



    19. Language and Translation



    Chen Yuan and Xu Jun



    20. Translating and Introducing Latin American Literature in China



    Lin Yian and Xu Jun





    Appendix



    Postscript to the Chinese Edition



    Biography

    Xu Jun is Distinguished Professor of Translation Studies in the School of International Studies, Zhejiang University. His major research interests cover literary translation, translation theory, and translation criticism. His publications include five monographs including《论翻译》(On Translation), 《二十世纪法国文学在中国的译介与接受》(The Translation and Acceptance of French Literature in China in the Twentieth Century), and dozens of papers published in the core journals of translation studies in China and abroad.