A Study on the Present Situation of Ethnic Classics Translation in China

王婧

【Abstract】Because of language barriers， Chinese minority literary classics fail to obtain its corresponding attention and aspect. The present situation of translation is not optimistic. Under the background of multi-culture， the study of minority language and literary translation has great significance to promote the communication between all ethnic groups and between Chinese and foreign culture. Through the discussion of the meaning of minority language translation， the present situation research， countermeasures and relevant policies， the thesis calls on both researchers and translators to study and research the national minority literary classics in future and carry forward national literature and culture.

【Key words】English translation of ethnic classics； translation policy； translation strategy

CHAPTERⅠ THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCHING MINORITY CLASSICS TRANSLATION

1.1 Promoting Cultural Communication， Enhancing the Status of Minority Culture in Social Culture

A nation translates and spreads his own literary works to other ethnic groups in order to raise his own cultural level through mutual influence. Literary communication between different ethnic groups is always promoting mutual exchanges and influencing each other. The pure literature without foreign influence will not exist at all. Literary communication is not a monodirectional and simple activity but has specific goals and tendency. Because literary exchanges are not just for the sake of communication， but in order to improve it. Therefore， the communication of minority literature continues to exist in the relationship of mutual promotion.

1.2 Enriching and Developing the Translation of Minority Literature

The translation of minority classics is a heavy and arduous task. There are many disciplines related with the research of minority works， such as literature， ethnology， history， linguistics and translatology and so on. Of course we can say it is a cross-disciplinary research. Although many translators have begun to this aspect of research， it is far from enough and the further research is needed. So it is necessary that more translation scholars should treat the translation of minority literature more seriously and spread it to the whole world.

CHAPTER Ⅱ. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF MINORITY CLASSICS TRANSLATION AND ITS COUNTERMEASURES

2.1 Being Faithful to the Original Works and the Principles of “Faithfulness， Expressiveness and Elegance”

Since the new period， with the continuous development of China's economic and cultural undertakings， the minority literature creation has also made remarkable achievements. Fifty-five minorities in our country at present have their own written literature writers. And some ethnic groups with small populations groups begin to form their own writers. The ethnic mother tongue creation of Mongolian， Tibetan， Uygur， Kazak， Korean， Zhuang， Yi， Dai， Hani， Jingpo， Kirgiz and Xibe present unprecedented momentum.

The Mongolian translator Hazen is engaged in translation work for many years. When it comes to further improve the quality of ethnic minority works translation she said， “In recent years， the themes of ethnic minority works in our country are continuo usly deepened， and the subjects become increasingly diverse， emerging a large number of outstanding works.”

2.2 Improving Literal Translation to Literary Translation

Since the founding of new China， especially since the reform and opening up， the ethnic literary creation， publication， judgement， research and teaching of China's minority group have formed a relatively complete system. Therefore， how to improve the quality of China's minority literary translation becomes a topic to be researched. Nowadays， the main problem of China's minority literary translation is that the translation of literature should equal to ordinary reading materials and articles， whats more， the tendency of adopting “direct translation” and “awkward translation” brings awkward and rough article and lack of the sense of literature. As a result， translators are inquired to bear and take their responsibilities for their duties and ethnic literature regardless of the loneliness and poverty.

CONCLUSION

Minority classics translation is an important research field. Countries and ethnic regions should formulate relevant policies and encourage expertised， competent experts and scholars to sort literary works which accumulate the essence of the ethnic minority culture. Furthermore， it encourages translators to translate minority classics into Chinese and English which is widely used in the world so that the diversification of China's cultural forms can be truly known to the world. This article intends to start further discussion on this issue and attracts more scholars to focus on minority classics translation field---very important but being paid little attention so far.

References：

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