Analysis of Lin Yutangandrsquo;s english version of lt;emgt;Six chapters of a floating lifelt;/emgt; from the perspective of hermeneutic translation theory

Abstract

Literature has long been the source of frequently-opted translation material, so studies on literary translation have gained popularity among scholars who are committed to better applying theory to literary translation practice. Generally speaking, it is easier to figure out new approaches to literary translation by studying the translated texts of a high-status translator as a case from the perspective of a certain theory than purely analyzing the theory and putting it into practice. This paper, taking hermeneutic translation theory as a theoretical frame, aims to find out how this theory is reflected in Lin Yutang’s English version of Six Chapters of a Floating Life and what implications for literary translation practice can be drawn from it by the method of textual analysis. Since the combination of the translation of literature written in classical Chinese, a special form of literary translation, with hermeneutic translation theory may offer a fresh and innovative insight into literary translation studies, thorough analysis is of great value. A detailed analysis shows that George Steiner’s four-fold motion, namely trust, aggression, import and compensation, is fully reflected in Lin Yutang’s translation of Six Chapters of a Floating Life, and this discovery may shed light on the future literary translation practice and research