Academic Lecture: On Yanfu’s “Faithfulness, Expressiveness, and Elegance ”and “Unorthodox Translation”
Academic Lecture: On Yanfu’s “Faithfulness,Expressiveness, and Elegance ”and “Unorthodox Translation”
CFL Academic Lecture
Title: On Yanfu’s “Faithfulness,Expressiveness, and Elegance” and “Unorthodox Translation”
Speaker: LvShisheng, Professor from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
Time: 1:30 pm on May 20th, 2015
Place: The first floor of CFL Lecture Hall
Abstract: Thelong controversy about Yanfu’s view of translation--Faithfulness,Expressiveness, and Elegance, isactually the debate over the relationship between translation theory andtranslation practice. Current studiesand evaluations interpreted the three principles in isolation, or analyzed therelationship between translation theory and translation practice in a singleway; these were ascribed to the complexity of the essence of translationactivity and people’s insufficient understanding of the universal relationshipbetween theory and practice.This paper, based on the recognition thattranslation activity is a complex social and cultural activity, re-interpretedthe true meaning of Yanfu’s thoughts of Faithfulness, Expressiveness, andElegance in three dimensions--theory, practice and social history. Thepaper mainly analyzed the connection between the translation of Evolutionand Ethics and the social and historical background to clarify the innerlink between Yanfu’s translation thoughts and unorthodox translation. Theauthor holds the view that the thought of Faithfulness, Expressiveness, andElegance is an ideal translation,the unorthodox translation of Evolutionand Ethics is an attempt of such ideal translation, it is a rational choiceunder specific historical environment. The principles of Faithfulness,Expressiveness, and Elegance are general principles of translation, whileunorthodox translation is the adjustmentof the general principle in certain period of time. In short, the principle of Faithfulness,Expressiveness, and Elegance and the translation practice of Evolutionand Ethics form a historical unity.
Introductionabout Professor Lv Shisheng
Holding a PhD degree. Professor Lv Shishengis the Dean of College of Foreign Studies of Shanghai University of Finance andEconomics. Recently, he focuses his research interest on the study ofTranslation of Chinese Literature into foreign languages, Translation Theoryand Business English Theory.Many of his papers were published on some importantacademic journals at home and abroad, such as Babel of InternationalFederation of Translators, The Journal of Translation of CUHK (ChineseUniversity of Hong Kong) and Chinese Translation Journal of TAC. Professor Lvhas participated in several research programs funded by National Social ScienceFund, Ministry of Education, NOCFL (China National Office for Teaching Chineseas a Foreign Language) and Tianjin provincial social science and UNAgency.
AdjunctResearch Positions: Professor Lv is the Vice Chiarman of National Institution of Business English,executive director of Tianjin Translators Association, council member ofShanghai Translators Association, etc. He is also a researcher in TranslationStudies Center for CPC Literature, TFSU, an adjunct professor of CFL ofHeilongjiang University. At the same time, professor Lv is an editorial boardmember of ChinaBusiness English and Foreign Language Education Research.
