Getting Experience through Experiments and Practice: Learning to Translate Ancient Chinese Poetry

Abstract

The translation of ancient Chinese poetry (TACP) is one important aspect of literature translation, and perhaps even more difficult than the translation of English poetry into Chinese. The difficulty is partly attributed to the gap between the learning of E-C translation and its counterpart, the former still facilitating language acquisition while the latter moving away from it, and partly to the lacking of workable learning activities of TACP in the classroom. This study sheds light on TACP in the classroom in the L2context. It examines various procedures leading to the realization of learners’ way to TACP, and suggests that average language teachers with a mind to the genre are capable of devising similar activities as discussed in the thesis. The purpose of this study is to promote TACP from the classroom setting, with average college learners as the subject, and to promote literature translation on a grassroot basis. The study draws on the argument that language learning and motivating materials are mutually promoting and on common-sense view that practice makes perfect. The design of the procedures and activities are based on the previous teaching experience gained from a literature translation course. Given that both the students and the teachers involved in TACP are learners, the success of the classroom interaction to tackle the ancient poetry lies in the specific steps of work, the low-level challenge of the activities and the interest and enthusiasm put in by the students and the teacher.