论文总字数：34367字

摘 要

所谓脏话就是粗鲁庸俗的话语。虽引人不悦，却是语言的有机组成部分。它是一种不可避免的社会语言现象，是人们用以发泄自己内心不满的一种方式。不管是在汉语亦或是英语当中，脏话都无处不在。脏话不仅仅出现在人们的日常生活中，在文学作品中也常常出现。然而在不同的语言当中，由于受到不同文化价值观的影响，骂人的言语就千差万别。为了更好的传达文学作品中的内涵，对其中脏话的翻译进行研究也就很有必要。

随着中国文学的不断发展，涌现出越来越多出色的文学作家。其中以2012年诺贝尔文学奖的获得者莫言为代表，本文以莫言的《酒国》为例分析对比美国著名文学翻译家葛浩文对该作品中脏话的翻译。

本论文旨在用功能主义理论研究《酒国》中脏话的英译，并且运用不同的翻译方法对其中具体的脏话进行分析比较。进而提出了运用功能主义理论指导对文学作品中脏话翻译的可能性。

关键词：脏话；《酒国》；功能主义；翻译方法

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 3

2.1 Brief Introduction to MoYan and The Republic of Wine 3

2.2 Brief Introduction to Howard Goldblatt and English Version The Republic of Wine 4

2.3 Brief Review of Functionalism 6

2.4 Swear Words in The Republic of Wine 8

2.5 Previous Studies on Swear Words and Their Translation 8

3 Methodology 10

3.1 Data Sources 10

3.2 Research Methods 10

4. Analysis of Translation of Swear Words in The Republic of Wine 10

4.1 Reduction 10

4.2 Substitution 11

4.3 Pragmatic Equivalence 12

4.4 Literal Translation 13

4.5 Free Translation 14

5. Discussion 16

6. Conclusion 17

6.1 Majoring Findings 17

6.2 Limitations and Suggestions for Future Studies 17

Works Cited 19

1. Introduction

1.1 Stimulus of the Research

Nowadays, more and more foreign friends are willing to be ardent readers of Chinese novels. Swear words, as a part of linguistic entity, have been studied as a linguistic phenomenon recently. In most English versions of previous Chinese works, little attention has been paid to swear words, and many translation problems, even total loss of original meaning can be found easily in literary works. The vulgarization in literary works is becoming a trend. Swear words, which are considered as taboos, come to the fore since 1980. Swear words used in literary works can manifest personality. Different kinds of swear words can be found in literary works in various ways. Even the dialects in different regions are used frequently in some literary works. Swear words in literary works can vividly reflect the typical traits of personality; in addition, they can help promote the progress of the plot. So the translation of swear words by linguistic scholars is an urgent topic that indispensably calls for an in-depth study.

1.2 Research Purpose and Significance

People all around the world pay more attention to Chinese literature nowadays, especially the writer Mo Yan. His works are popular among the westerners. Swear words are easily found in Mo Yan’s works. So in order to let readers understand the connotation of his works, it is indispensable to study swear words and their rendition.

An analysis of analyze translation theories and translation skills may help in letting the reader-writer communication go smoothly. Besides, there are not many systematic and specific studies in swear words, so this thesis takes Mo Yan’s The Republic of Wine as an example to study the swear words translation. Chinese swear words are not only delicacies but also a carrier of Chinese tradition and culture. So the translating of swear words is not merely a process of literary rendering, but rather transmission of the culture-loaded tradition. A study on translating Chinese swear words contributes significantly in both theoretical and practical ways. This Thesis aims to study the translation of the swear words in The Republic of Wine under the framework of Functionalist approaches to translation based on its English version. The analysis of problems existing in rendition can give the translator insights into how to improve the quality of translating swear words.

1.3 Research Questions

The present thesis attempts to explore the translation of swear words in the following aspects:

1. What translation methods and strategies are adopted in rendering swear words in The Republic of Wine?

2. What can possibly be the factors that impact the translator’s methods?

3. Is rendering swear words in The Republic of Wine conducted smoothly from the perspective of Functionalist approaches?

1.4 Structure of the Research

This thesis is composed of six chapters.

The first chapter is introduction. In this chapter, it includes stimulus of the research, research purpose and significance, research questions and ends with the structure.

The second chapter is literature review. This chapter starts with the brief introduction to MoYan and The Republic of Wine. Then this chapter will be followed by the introduction to Howard Goldblatt and The Republic of Wine. Next, brief review of functionalism is contained. Finally, swear words in The Republic of Wine and previous studies on swear words and its translation are offered.

The third chapter is the methodology. In this chapter, the data sources, the research methods and research process are explained.

The fourth chapter is the analysis of swear words translation methods in The Republic of Wine.

The fifth chapter is the discussion. It focuses on the reasons why the thesis takes the above-mentioned translation methods in light of Howard Goldblatt’s translation views and functionalism.

The sixth chapter offers a conclusion. In this chapter, the author establishes major findings of the research. Furthermore, limitations of the thesis are discussed and then the suggestions for future studies are also advanced.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Brief Introduction to MoYan and The Republic of Wine

Born in Gaomi, Shangdong province, Mo Yan is an outstanding Chinese contemporary litterateur and playwright. The 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to him, the first Chinese who got this award. Besides that, in early 2011 he also won the eighth Maodun Prize in literature for his full-length novel Frogs. His novels were spread to different countries then.

Zhang (2006:102）comments on Mo Yan’s novels by saying that the novels written by Mo Yan are greatly influenced by the folk stories, legends, oral literature, songs and operas which exist in Gaomi District of Shandong province. The revel character of folk literature is embodied not only in the thoughts but also in the language, structure, and narrative structure of his novels. In the new-era literature, Mo Yan is one of the representatives of folk culture.

Mo Yan’s being the first Chinese winner of Nobel Prize in Literature does not occur by accident because he “merges folk tales with hallucinatory realism merges history with the contemporary”, which is quoted in the website: http://www.nobelprize-museum.org/nobel/nobelprizeinfo.aspx?id=725.

The Republic of Wine is a satiric novel written by Mo Yan. The novel uses the drink “wine” describing the current situation of Chinese officialdom; it denounces the corruption in officialdom. The literary techniques of this novel are considered to be the most imaginative and complex by American sinologist Howard Goldblatt.

Mo Yan spent three years to write this novel from 1989 to 1992, he attempts to tell the story in story. Narrative technique with virtual-real synthesis is used to describe a bloody story about ‘cannibalism’. This work reflects that with the rapid development of urbanization, the humanity and morality was lost by people. It is somewhat irony.(Hu Bei amp; Wang Mengjie， 2013:110）

2.2 Brief Introduction to Howard Goldblatt and English Version The Republic of Wine

2.2.1 Introduction to Howard Goldblatt’s Translation Career

Howard Goldblatt is regarded as the foremost translator of introducing modern and contemporary Chinese literary works to the western countries. He has translated nearly 50 novels by the writers from mainland of China, Hong kong and Taiwan in the past 20 years, including Xiao Hong’s Selected Stories of Xiao Hong, Field of Life and Death , Zhang Jie’s Heavy Wings, Gu Hua’s Virgin Widows, Su Tong’s Rice, My Life as Emperor ,etc. He began to cultivate his interests in Chinese after he joined the military academy and then was sent to Taiwan. Since he took his responsibility on communication, enough time could be utilized by him to study Chinese culture. He once said without contact with Chinese at that time he could not be a successful person today.

Generally speaking, Howard Goldblatt’s translation work promotes the cultural exchange and cooperation between China and the West. He has made great contributions to the development of Chinese literature translation. And he says that he will never stop his work of translating.

2.2.2 Howard Goldblatt ’s English Version The Republic of wine

As the foremost translator of introducing modern and contemporary Chinese literary works to the western countries, Howard Goldblatt succeeds in translating Mo Yan’s novel The Republic of Wine. He has done a very good job in the translation of this book into English and makes the book the best seller in western countries. The “translator’s cultural identity” is widely used in translating The Republic of Wine into English. Besides, Howard Goldblatt also makes great use of “defamiliarization”. As an American, though Howard Goldblatt masters a lot of knowledge of Chinese and Chinese culture than others, he still knows the American culture much better than the Chinese culture. That’s why he chooses to miss some essential specific culture-loaded meanings.

In a word, the limitations in the translation do not affect the contributions that Howard Goldblatt has made. Mo Yan once said,

Without Goldblatt’s hard work, my novels would be translated by someone else and published in the United States. But it is certain that there can not be an English version as perfect as Goldblatt’s. Many friends of mine who are proficient in both Chinese and English tell me that his translations are on a par with my originals. But I prefer to believe his versions glorify my works. (Mo Yan，2000:170）

2.2.3 Howard Goldblatt’s Views on Translation

Having translated over 50 Chinese literary works, Howard Goldblatt (2000) gradually formed his own views on translation:

a) Remaining faithful to the two constituencies.

“The satisfaction of knowing I’ve faithfully served two constituencies keeps me happily turning Chinese prose into readable, accessible, and-yes-even marketable English books” Goldblatt (2002) was quoted as saying in the Washington Post. Faithfulness is the first guidance on his C-E translation in which he tries his best to present the original form and meaning in another language. So-called “fidelity” does not mean translating word for word or blindly following the original works.

b) Translation as betrayal and rewriting:

It is inevitable to change the original works during the process of translation. But this “betrayal” does not merely add the information at translators’ own will, and it should change on the basis of the characteristics, culture and environment of the receptor language.

In Goldbatt’s view, it is an unavoidable fact that translation can only complement not replicate source language. Translation is rewriting in another language, which can make a better understanding for the target reader.

c) Translation as a cross-cultural activity

The aim of translation is promoting communication in different cultures. Goldblatt acknowledges that different nations have cultural diversities; actually they are a premise that makes cross-cultural communication become true. He holds the opinion that translation is not just a code switching at the technical level; in essence, it is a dialogue between two kinds of culture.

2.3 Brief Review of Functionalism

‘Functionalism” means focusing on the function or functions of texts and translations. (Nord, 2001:1). Functionalist Theory was produced in the 1970s, which was initiated and developed continuously.

2.3.1 Katharina Reiss and Text Typology

Reiss（1971) proposed the category of functions and text typology in a book namely possibilities and limitations of translation. She made an amendment on “category of functions”,and equivalence was not considered to be the default goal and regular standard to translation.

Establishment of the “text type”- a phenomenon going beyond a single linguistic or cultural context, because the following essentially different forms of written communication may be regarded as being present in every speech community with a culture based on the written word and also because every author of a text ought to decide in principle on one of the three forms before beginning to formulate his text.

a. The communication of content---informative type

b.The communication of artistically organized content---expressive type

c.The communication of content with a persuasive character---operative type.(Liu Junping amp; Tan Jianghua，2012:153）

Apart from the text type, Reiss also lists a series of linguistic elements and extra-linguistic determinants by which the adequacy of TT may be assessed, namely:

1. Linguistic elements: semantic, lexical, grammatical and stylistic features

2. Extra-linguistic determinants: situation, subject field, time, place, receiver, sender and “affective implications” (humor, irony, emotion, etc.) (Munday, 2001:75)

In a word, Reiss’s translation theory makes a splendid breakthrough against tradition translation so that the later researchers can make a progress based on her theory.

2.3.2 Hans J.Vermeer and Skopostheorie

Hans J. Vermeer, Reiss’s student, is one of the representatives of Skopostheorie. He insists that every translation is directed at an intended audience, since to translate means “to produce a text in a target setting for target purpose and target addressees in target circumstances”. (Nord, 2001: 28). The term Skopos usually refers to the purpose of the target text. For Vermeer, translation is not a mere code-switching operation, but an intentional human action between two languages. Skopostheorie focuses on the purpose of the translation. So Vermeer proposed three key rules of skopostheorie: skopos rule, coherence rule, fidelity rule. (Nord, 2001:139)

2.3.3 Justa Holz-Manttari and Translational Action

Justa Holz-Manttari bases her theory of translational action on the principles of Theory of Action and Theory of Communication. Viewing translation as a complex switching activity of cross-culture and cross-language, she thinks that translational action is a whole complex of action involving team-work among experts, from the client to the recipient, whereby translator plays his own role as expert. “Special emphasis is placed on the actional aspects of the translation process, analyzing the roles of the participants and the situational conditions in which their activities take place. (Nord, 2001:13)

2.3.4 Christiane Nord and Function plus Loyalty

Christiane Nord is the last leading representative of the school in German translation. She makes a systematic elucidation on the Functionalist Theory. She found two deficiencies on Skopos Theory: First, different levels of the readers hold different expectations to target language. Second, the aim of translation may breach with the intention of source language. So she proposed the Function plus Loyalty. Function refers to the factor that makes a target text work in the intended way in the target situation. Loyalty refers to the interpersonal relationship between the translator, the source-text sender, the target-text addresses and the initiator. (Nord, 2001:126).

2.4 Swear words in The Republic of Wine

The Republic of Wine forces us to face the most primitive desire of humanity. The description in this novel shows great irony of the society. Mo Yan’s novel is greatly affected by dialect in Gaomi, so the language in this novel are full with rural flavor and there are lots of phrases and expressions in the form of swear words. They are sometimes vulgar and vicious. But these swear words are indispensable in this novel for these swear words vividly reflect the typical character and personality; in addition, they promote the development of the plot.

2.5 Previous Studies on Swear Words and Their Translation

2.5.1 Similarities and Differences of Swear Words between China and West

Swear word can be explained as a rude word that you use when you are angry, or in pain. Both in China or in the west countries swear words are always considered as charged words. Though it is impolite to use these words, swear words still exist in different languages.

In the west countries, swear words can be classified as follows.

Stigmatized words refer to words which are used for specific action in specific culture, and are related to reproduction such as fuck and shit. Religion terms refer to words like hell and damn. Some of swear words are related to excretion such as piss, shit. These are the source of swear words. (Qiu Wei amp; Zhang Fake, 2005: 25）

In China，swear words are affected by many cultural factors. Some scholars made classifications of swear words. One of the classifications can be described as: words related to persons including sex, family name, beauty and ugliness, physiology or profession; different kinds of animals; plants; calamity, god and monsters; tools and devices; time and region.(Sun Shunlin, 2005:3-4）

Influenced by different cultures and values, the same object may show different meaning. For example, a long history of China makes Chinese hold the obsession to hierarchy, especially in a family. So viewing oneself as other person’s ancestor or seniority in the literary works or in people’s daily life is a way that people curse others.

2.5.2 Previous Studies on Translation of Swear Words

Some researchers have studied swear word and its translation and lots of achievements have been made. There were few studies on swear word before 1990s.

More researches have been carried out on swear words since 1990s. Sun Shunlin (2005) attempts to make a systematic study on cursing in his book titled On Chinese Cursing Culture. In this book, he states the origins of cursing and expresses different ways to curse and makes classification of swear words.

Bao Huinan（2001）has also discussed swear words and focuses on the influence of the effects of culture on swear words. And then he discuss the pragmatic functions of swear words. Some translation methods are also stated in rendering swear words.

In his book A Practical Coursebook on Translation, Feng Qinhua (2010) holds the opinion that as an important part of slang, swear word and its translation should not be neglected.

3 Methodology

3.1 Data Sources

This thesis attempts to make a systematic study of rending swear words in Jiu Guo, which is completed in 1992 and written by Mo Yan who won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature. English version The Republic of Wine is written by Howard Goldblatt who is the foremost translator of introducing Chinese works to English readers. This thesis is based on the source text Jiu Guo and target source The Republic of Wine.

3.2 Research Methods

Several research methods are used in this thesis. Analysis, case study, comparison and evaluation and descriptive approach are employed in this thesis. In addition, this thesis is studied in qualitative ways.

4. Analysis of Translation of Swear Words in The Republic of Wine

4.1 Reduction

Generally speaking, reduction can be achieved by simply using fewer words to render the same meaning. Sometimes it is the deletion of or omission of unimportant and redundant elements. Omission sometimes refers to the total elimination of parts of a text.

[Source Text1]

他们杀了一个男孩让我吃，想堵住我的嘴，阴谋家，畜生，禽兽。 （莫言，2003:84）

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