On Translation of Language Deviation from the Perspective of Peter Newmark’s Translation Dichotomy

胡娜 延宏

【Abstract】Language deviation can bring fresh vitality to literary creation. In literary works translation，through adoption of proper translation strategies， the effects created by language deviation in the original text can be efficiently reproduced. Here， the writer attempts to make a narration and relevant analyses on it.

【Key words】language deviation（語言變異）； stylistics； translation； dichotomy（二分法）

Literary stylistics is a study of literary discourse by use of all kinds of linguistic tools. The typical means is to make a multi-layer linguistic description of phonetics， syntax and semantics by theories from various sub-disciplines of linguistics. Language deviation refers to a kind of language form diverging from the linguistic norm， which includes phonological deviation， grammatical deviation， lexical deviation， semantic deviation and etc.

1. Newmarks translation dichotomy

In 1981， Peter Newmark put forward two translation strategies of “semantic translation” and “communicative translation” in Approaches to Translation. “Semantic translation” refers to that lexicon and sentence structure are taken as the core of translation. Besides， nuances of lexical meaning are pursued. Comparatively， “communicative translation” focuses more on readers experience， aiming at presenting the effect equivalently with the source text as far as possible.

2. Translation of language deviation in stylistics

Language deviation in stylistics can be divided into different types at distinct levels.

2.1 Phonological deviation

Deviation is the divergence from phonetic standard. It often reveals the social class and the society property of language users， featuring by the change， ellipsis or repetition of syllables， phonemes and tones. For example： und hah isnt that mowt comed in frough thfield， be this time？ What is he abaht？ Girt eedle seeght！ Translated version：為什么到現在還沒回來？發生了什么事？一直在外面游蕩是很危險的！This sentence is said by Joseph， a servant in Wuthering Heights. He is a Yorkshire man with Yorkshire dialect， uneducated. Phonological deviation in this quoted passage exactly shows his social status and language characteristics. Through semantic translation strategy， the translated version clearly transmits the artistic conception of the source text.

2.2 Lexical deviation

Lexical deviation makes the literary creation a combination of both appearance and spirit. For example：哥兒，有畫兒的‘三哼經，我給你買來了！ Translated version：Here， son！ She said cheerfully， “I've bought you that book of Holy Seas with Pictures ”. This sentence is said by Mother Chang， a long-term hired hand in the writers home. As an uncultured servant， when buying the book Shan Hai Jing for her master， she miscalled it as “san heng jing”.This case belongs to lexical deviation， projecting Mother Chang the image of a simple and good rural woman. In the translated version， through communicative translation strategy， “三哼經” is colloquially translated as “Holy Seas with Pictures”， perfectly presenting Mother Changs language features.

2.3 Grammatical deviation.

Grammatical deviation refers to the alternation or segment of grammatical structure. It may not change the semantic meaning of the source text， but will undoubtedly bring some freshment to the readers. For example， in Life and Death are Wearing Me Out， the phrase “根不正苗不紅”is translated as “with no red roots to fall back on”. “根正苗紅”is a special appellation in the special years during which people born in military or peasant families tend to be recognized as “根正苗紅”. The negative form here expresses the self-mockery of the author and the rejection to socialism. By adopting semantic translation， the effect of the original text is reproduced.

3. Conclusion

The difficulty in translation lies in how to maintain the pragmatic functions of the original text without losing its beauty and creativity. And literary translation calls for even higher standards of quality. By deliberately pondering on the real writing intention of the writer and the based on the strategies of semantic and communicative translation， language deviation translation can eventually find proper solutions.

References：

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[4]Yang Hui，Hu Yongjin，Xin Xiao.Stylistic Functions and Translation Strategies of Language Deviation[J].Journal of Suzhou University，2015，30（2）：81-84.

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作者簡介：胡娜（1991-），女，漢族，陜西漢中人，西安理工大學人文與外國語學院碩士研究生，研究方向為外國語言學與應用語言學。