Questions a Translator Faces

A Short Poem (R. Kipling)  I keep six honest serving men;  (They taught me all I knew);  Their names were What? and Why? and When?  and How? and Where? and Who?  (Quote from Roger T. Bell, Translation and Translating: Theory and Practice. London: Longman, 1991:7)

 The Same Six Serving Men a Translator Keeps Translator What? Why?When? Who? How? Where?

Roger Bell’s Model  Questions a translator asks about a text.  What? is the message contained in the text;  Why? orients us towards the intention of the sender; (informing/persuading/expressing … )  When? is concerned with the time of the communication;  How? a) the manner of delivery (serious/ironic); b) the medium of communication (verbal/speech/writing … ) ;  Where? is concerned with the place of the communication  Who? refers to the participants involved in the communication. (Source: Ditto)

An Extended Model Questions a translator asks before setting his/her pen. What? is the content you are going to translate. Why? Refers the purpose of your translating When? is concerned with the time (difference) of communication How? refers to the way and media you are going to use in your translating? Where? Is concerned with the place (difference) of communication. Who? refers to the translator and the target readers. Or the other participants in the translation process.

Application of the Model

Analysis of the Original Text What? “ visiting ” (traveling) Why? Informing and expressing When? 19th century How? 1) the manner of delivery: natural, humorous, rhythmic, fluid, lucid … 2) the medium: writing (prose, travel notes) Where? England Who? Washington Irving ( ): American romanticism writer; the founding “ Father of American Literature ” ; the first American writer who is recognized by Europeans … & American and British readers as well as other possible readers who know English.

Analysis of the Translation Task What? “visiting” (traveling) Why? Informing (expressing, or any other functions…for fun, for example) When? 21st century How? 1) the manner of delivery: faithful or creative…; 2) the medium: writing (or speech, or other ways) Where? China Who? The translator (you) who has different background & Chinese readers and possible readers who know Chinese.

译文比较  译文 1 ：

译文 2 ：

译文 3 ：

 译文 4 ：

 译文 5 ：

 译文 6 ：

Source: the original text and all the versions are quoted from Li Ming( 李明 ), Translation Criticism and Appreciation( 《翻译批评与鉴 赏》 ). Wuhan: Wuhan University Press, 2006:32-42