Exploring the “critical points” in the translations of discourse for international communication : an empirical approach to critical translation studies

Abstract

本文在对翻译学发展路径进行回顾和前瞻的基础上,分析了批评翻译学的来龙去脉,明确了批评翻译学路径在揭示翻译活动与社会、政治、意识形态之间互动关系中的作用。本文提出,以系统功能语言学评价理论的视角,运用批评性话语分析的方法,剖析译者翻译抉择的"关键之处",可作为批评翻译学实证研究路径的突破口。作为实证研究的案例,本文介绍了一项关于中国对外传播政治话语翻译"立场表达"的研究,展示了基于语料库的批评性话语分析的研究方法。 Based on a retrospection and prospection of various research approaches to Translation Studies, this article proposes the research approach of "Critical Translation Studies"(CTS), which is functional in revealing the interaction between translation/interpreting activities and their social, political and ideological embedding, especially in the translations of discourse for international communication. An empirical approach to CTS is conceptualized, featuring the application of the perspective of "Appraisal Theory" and the method of Critical Discourse Analysis into the exploration of "critical points" in translation/interpreting. A case study is presented to illustrate the utilization of such an approach, which analyzed "stancetaking" in the interpreting activities of Chinese political discourse with the method of corpusbased Critical Discourse Analysis.