1、BG1Chapter 5Polysystem TheoryBG2Introduction of Itamar Even-ZoharProfessor Emeritus of Culture Research,of University of Tel AvivCultural theorist,not a translation theorist.One of forerunners of translation studiesItamar Even-Zohar(Picture taken 1993,Santiago de Compostela)Command a working knowled
2、ge of:Hebrew(mother tongue),Arabic,English,French,Swedish,Spanish,Norwegian,Danish,Italian,Russian,German,Icelandic,and a few other languages.BG3System PolysystemSystem:lThis concept is introduced by Tynjanov.lElements,Tynjanov argued,do not exist in isolation,but always in an interrelationship with
3、 other elements of other systems.systemsLiterary structureSemi-literary structureExtraliterary structureinterrelateddecidingSpecific element functionBG4System PolysystemEven-Zohar adopted Tynjanovs concept of system.He developed the polysystem hypothesis while working on a model for Israeli Hebrew l
4、iterature.In a series of papers written from 1970 to 1977 and collected in 1978 as“Papers in Historical Poetics”历史诗学论文集历史诗学论文集,he first introduced the term“polysystem”to refer to the entire network of correlated system within society.Thus it is a global term covering all of the literary system,both
5、major and minor existing in a given culture.BG5PolysystemLiterary SystemExtraliterary SystemCanonized formNon-canonized formesteemed discourses and genres:Poetryless worthy genres:Childrens literaturePopular fictionPatronageSocial conditionsEconomicsInstitutional manipulationBG6 He is not specifical
6、ly a translation theorist,but a cultural theorist.But his pioneering work continues to exert considerable influence on translation,particularly when studying translation in emerging cultures or cultures in crisis.His thinking about translations led him to some of the most provocative hypotheses abou
7、t literary system.BG7Polysytem with translation theories “It is necessary to include translated literature in the polysystem.This is rarely done,but no observer of the history of any literature can avoid recognizing as an important fact the impact of translations and their role in the synchrony and
8、diachrony of a certain literature”.(Even-Zohar,1978)BG8 Just as the philosopher Chomsky uses linguistics to study how the human brain function in his philosophy,Even-Zohar regards translated literature as an effective way to study how the polysystem pose effect on translated literature.He believes t
9、hrough the analysis of the relationship of translated to original literary works,he could arrive at a better understanding of the nature of polysystem.Polysytem with translation theoriesBG9Polysystem theory Even-Zohar incorporated the data collected from his observations on how translations function
10、 in various societies.He developed an approach”Polysystem theory”to explain the function of all kinds of writing within a given culture.His data showed that translated literature functions differently depending upon the age,strength,and stability of the particular literary polysystem.Polysystem dete
11、rmines the polysystem theoryBG10 Even-Zohar explored the relationship between the translated texts and the literary polysystem in three aspects:Reclassifications of the position of translation within varying cultural systems.How texts to be translated are selected by the receiving culture.How transl
12、ated texts adopt certain norms and functions as a result of their relation to other target language system.BG11Reclassification Previous classification:All the translations were invariably classified as secondary system.The literary translation was considered secondary activity,mechanical,rather tha
13、n creative,neither worthy of serious critical attention.Even-Zohar argued:It depends!Not all polysystems are the same.Such classification was inaccurate.BG12Polysystems of larger,older culturesAnglo-American&FrenchLength and self-sufficiency of their traditionsRelegate translated literature to the m
14、argins of societySecondary systemReason:Have All！Well-developed literary traditionsMany different kinds of writingOriginal writing produces innovations in ideas and forms independent of translationBG13 In this historical situation,translation often(but not necessarily always)assumes forms already es
15、tablished as a dominant type within a particular genre,and the translated literature tends to remain fairly conservative,adhering to norms which the“higher”forms have already rejected.Interestingly,despite playing a secondary role,translations produced under these circumstances may paradoxically int
16、roduce new ideas into a culture while at the same time preserving traditional forms.BG14Polysytem of younger or smaller nationsIsrael&the Low CountriesThe translated literature played a more central roleReason:To learn All！拿来主义拿来主义BG15Three circumstances:Maintaining a primary position When a literat
17、ure is young,or in the process of being established.i.e.Israel;Czech in 19th；我国清末明初；我国清末明初Translation fulfills the need of a young literature to use its new language for as many different kinds of writing as possible.Since it cannot create all forms and genres,translated texts may serve as the most
18、important for a certain amount time.BG16Three circumstances:Maintaining a primary position 2.When a literature is“peropheral”,or“weak”or both.i.e.Israel;the Low Countries；我国文革期间；我国文革期间They cannot produce all the kinds of writing a stronger,larger system canthus its inability to produce innovations a
19、nd subsequent dependency upon translation to introduce precedent-setting texts.In such circumstances,translated texts serve not only as a medium through which new ideas can be imported,but also as the form of writing most frequently imitated by“creative”writers in the native language.BG17Three circu
20、mstances:Maintaining a primary position 3.When a literature is experiencing a“crisis”,or turning point.i.e.North American in the 60s;五四前后五四前后,文革后文革后Established literary models no longer stimulate the new generation of writers who then turn elsewhere for ideas and forms.BG18Why Israel attaches so muc
21、h importance to translated literature?Geographical crossroadIsraelIntellectual contactsSocial forcemultilingualismreligioneconomyWestern cultureDiplomatic forceMajor literatureexiles“Third World”cultureCanon literarySocial crossroadHistorical forceBG19Globalization of“Israelis situation”The above si
22、tuation is not only the Israel was in,but also all the nations on the earth are in.As the globalizations in commerce,culture and other aspects,no nation is an island.All the countries are at the crossroads,all are the center,and all are exposed to the poly-interactions.So highlight the importance of
23、 translation is crucial.BG20The future of the world may depend upon the accurate translation of one word.-Pall EngleTo understand ones past,ones identity,an understanding of translation in and of itself is crucial;translation ceases to be an elite intellectual“game”,a footnote to literary scholarshi
24、p,but becomes fundamental to the lives and livelihood of everyone in the entire region(and maybe the world).-Edwin GentzlerBG21 我国学者张南峰先生对“多元系统理论”在翻译学的建立方面所产生的影响也给予了极高的评价，认为：“在西方，令翻译研究取得学科地位并走到学术研究系统中心的，是多元系统理论以及其他文化学派的翻译理论和研究模式”。BG22 In summary,Even-Zohar recognized both the“primary”(creating new i
25、tems and models)as well“secondary”(reinforcing items and models)importance of translated literature in literary history.Classification of the position of translation within caring cultural systemsBG23How translated texts adopt certain norms and functions as a result of their relation to other target
26、 language systems.（翻译规范行为策略都是如何受其他相关系统影响的）（翻译规范行为策略都是如何受其他相关系统影响的）translated literature is itself a system with primary and secondary positions occupied by different texts.Translation strategies depend on the position of translated literature within the polysystem.BG24Translated literature resumes:A
27、 primary position:Function:To introduce“new”to the receiving cultureResults:1.translators feel freer to break the literature conventions of the receiving language;2.Translated texts closely reproduce the original texts forms and textual relations.Translated text is often a more“adequate”match of the
28、 source text which may in turn lead to innovations to the recieving culture.译本更接近原著BG25Translated literature resumes:A second position:Function:To find ready-made models in the receiving culture.Results:1.translators will stick to receiving cultures conventional models and they will confrom the orig
29、inal form in the source texts to pre-established norms in the receiving culture.2.Translated texts may revise or change the original texts forms and textual relations.Translated text will show lower degree of adequacy of the source text.译本与原著差异较大BG26 Primary adequate source Introducing new work into
30、 receiving culture19th century Anglo-American translations Secondarynon-adequate sourceFinding ready-made models at the expense of the originalCertain modern translations(Nidas Bible translation)The position of translation influence on translation normsBG27Comments on PolysystemAdvantages:Even-Zohar
31、s polysystem theory demonstrates an advance in the development of translation studies specifically and translation theory in general.It is the integration the study of literature with the study of social and economic forces of history.BG28Comments on PolysystemAdvantages:1.His attention and thought
32、given to the role of translation within a literary system,is traditionally ignored by literary theorists.2.By expanding frequently on linguistic models or undeveloped literary theories,and embedding translated literature into a larger cultural context.3.Even-Zohar opened the way for translation theo
33、ry to advance beyond prescriptive aesthetics.BG29Comments on PolysystemProblems:1.His work and hypnoses focused primarily upon the literary,the extraliterary was significantly absent from his analysis.2.His tendency to overgeneralize and establish universal laws based on very little evidence which n
34、eeds more analysis.literary theories,and embedding translated literature into a larger cultural context.3.His methodology and discourse and his uncritical adoption of the Formalist framework limit the scope of his investigation.4.His formulation of principles occasionally contradicts that which he i
35、s trying to prove.BG30 Therefore,we should look at Zohars polysystem theory in a dialectical way.Even though there exist some weaknesses,his contribution to literary theory can not be ignored,especially to the field of translation theory.BG31His work is highly innovative,making manifest the temporal
36、 nature of aesthetic presuppositions by looking at actual translations within the larger sociological context.His work makes a significant contribution not only to the field of translation theory,but to literary theory as well,as it demonstrates the importance of translation within the lager context of literary studies specially and in the evolution of culture in general.-Edwin GentzlerBG32 Thank you very much!tust_
