English Translations of Shuihu Zhuan : A Narratological Perspective

This book offers a novel perspective on the intersection of translation and narration in literary translation by investigating how three translations of __Shuihu Zhuan__ present the original narrative mode to the target readership in terms of four narrative elements—voice, commentary, point of view and motif—in different periods of history. It not only validates but also quantifies the differences in strategy-making patterns between translators, as well as between different narratological categories. The established theoretical frameworks (including a narrative-descriptive model and a sociological explanatory framework) and the data collected may provide methodological and empirical support for further studies on shifts of narrative features in translation. The tendencies manifested by different translators and identified by the study may also shed new light on the teaching and learning of translation skills. The book offers a valuable reference guide for scholars, practitioners, translators and graduate students in the fields of e.g. language, translation, literature and cultural studies, and for anyone with an interest in Chinese classical literature, Chinese-English translation, narrative studies or cross-cultural studies. Front Matter ....Pages i-x Introduction (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 1-13 Theoretical Framework and Research Model (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 15-33 Preliminaries (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 35-50 Narration and Voice (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 51-81 Commentary in Translation (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 83-124 Point of View in Translation (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 125-163 Motifs and Themes as Constructed in the Three Translations (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 165-198 Findings and Explanations (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 199-219 Conclusion (Yunhong Wang)....Pages 221-228 Back Matter ....Pages 229-232