Abstract

The expression of affective meaning is closely related to the accordance of propositional meaning and associative meaning. Different cultures necessarily have differences. Thus the phenomenon that propositional meaning and associative meaning have no equivalence in the target language leads to the loss of affective meaning. By virtue of the Chinese versions of Oliver Twist translated by the two translators Rong Rude and Fang Huawen, this paper applies intensive comparison and analysis to the problem from the factors of distinction, religion believes, social conventions and historical culture in order to seek for the method and strategy decreasing the loss of affective meaning in translation. In the summary of this paper, the flexible utilization of translation strategy and the different definitions of translation standard are prerequisite and needful for improving and perfecting the translated works in the translation practice. Simultaneously, this paper has its certain limitation, and provides a new angle of view for the future translation study.

Key words: Oliver Twist; affective meaning; cultural differences; translation strategy

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Affective Meaning and Cultural Differences-2

2.1 Affective Meaning-2

   2.1.1 Overview-2

   2.1.2 Classification-3

2.2 Cultural Differences-4

   2.2.1 Overview-4

   2.2.2 Inevitability-5

   2.2.3 Factors-5

3 Oliver Twist and Two Translated Versions-8

3.1 The Introduction of Charles Dickens and His works-8

3.2 The Story and Creation Background of Oliver Twist-9

3.3 Two Translated Versions-10

4 Analysis of Two Chinese Versions of Oliver Twist-11

4.1 The Loss of Affective Meaning in Two Chinese Versions-11

   4.1.1 The Loss Caused by the Distinction-11

   4.1.2 The Loss Caused by the Different Believes-13

   4.1.3 The Loss Caused by the Different Social Conventions-15

   4.1.4 The Loss Caused by the Different Historical Culture-17

4.2 Translation Strategy-18

   4.2.1 Free Translation-19

   4.2.2 Compensation-19

5 Conclusion-20

5.1 Major Findings-20

5.2 Limitations and Suggestions-21

References-23