The Analysis of Translators’ Subjectivity from the Perspective of Bourdieu’s Theory of Habitus

【Abstract】Theory of habitus is one of three core concepts of Pierre Bourdieu. This thesis analyzes how habitus influences translators subjectivity in translation motives， style and strategy， then exploring the reasons why they have different habitus.

【Key words】Theory of habitus； Translators subjectivity； Bing Xin； Eileen Chang

【作者簡介】閆曼曼（1993.8.3- ），女，漢族，現就讀于西安外國語大學英文學院2016級翻譯學專業，主要研究方向：翻譯學。

1. Introduction

Theory of habitus is proposed by Pierre Bourdieu， applied to the study of translation since 1990s. The translators habitus mainly refers to the individual translation habits caused by translators family background， living expereinces and many others. This thesis mainly discusses how translators habitus and translators subjectivity affect each other in translation motives， style and strategy.

2. Translators Subjectivity

This part discusses the impact theory of habitus has on translators subjectivity.

2.1 Translation Motives

Translators habitus influences translation motives. This part discusses how translators habitus impacts on translation motives from the Maslowan perspective.

In physiological needs， Eileen Chang for absence of money desires to own money in hand. She translates not only for catering to the interest of the readers， but concerning her livelihood. Bing Xin has a wealthy life. So she translates not to survive but mainly for dream.

Safety needs influences habitus. Eileen Chang is treated badly by her father and abandoned by Hu Lancheng， causing her insecurity. In The Old Man and the Sea， she translates man into humans fight not only men. Bing Xin living in a happy family translates to convey the Chinese youths love to let them fight for the motherland through translation. She uses all kinds of strategies to rewrite “Old Peking”.

In self-actualization， Eileen Chang desires to make a name for herself in the literary world， finding several publications with strong comprehensive ability， able to push her status to the top. In her later life， her passion of creation dries up. She badly needs some works to get her self-actualization. Bing Xin as an educator and patriot hopes to acquire public recognition to expect through translating China can get peace and people can regain freedom.

2.2 Translation Style

Habitus also influences translation style. Bing Xin reads many foreign works. Her translations have aesthetic value. And influenced by habitus formed by her family environment， she has her own political opinion. She translates some works from Afro-Asian countries with distinct political tendency. Eileen Chang translates the works of nature of commoners， disliking politics. Her political attitude originates from her suffering of Hongkong， making her meditate on uncertainty of fate. In The Old Man and Sea， she reinterprets the meaning of the elderly， the complex emotional world and “ stable” behind flying life.

2.3 Translation Strategy

Habitus influences translation strategy. Bing Xin lives in a family full of strong literary air. She has her aesthetic value in reading. Her standard is “Shun” “Zhen” “Mei”. To make the translations conform to Chinese language habit， her translations almost show “Shun”. And she also integrates “Zhen” and “Mei” into her created works， related to her living background. Eileen Chang in The Old Man and the Sea adopts foreignization in words but changes into domestication in the idea.

3. Forming Causes of Translators Habitus

This part summarizes the causes of habitus. Family environment influences translators habitus. Eileen Chang lives in a broken family， making her translation style different from Bing Xin. Social identity also affects habitus. Eileen Chang is a writer and translator but Bing Xin， besides these two， an educator， causing different habitus. Their social practices are very different， causing their different opinions they have on the same issues.

4. Conclusion

The researches of exploring the influence of habitus theory on translators subjectivity are not enough. This thesis mainly analyzes translators subjectivity from theory of habitus， taking Bing Xin and Eileen Chang for example and explores the reasons of different habitus. It aims to help more readers understand habitus theory in the study of translation.

References：

[1]Nym Wales.（1935）.Old Peking.Asia Magazine.