On the Translatability of MoYan’s Novels and the C-E Translation

Abstract

Literature works of supranational or international significance must have considerable “translatability” internally. Mo Yan’s works show obvious world characteristics in the theme and techniques of creation, which constitute the internal “translatability” of his works. This paper discusses the translatability of Mo Yan’s novels from four aspects: the theme, the structure, the image and the language of the novels, and then analyzes the translatability of the theme reflected in the English translation. The paper finds that, the translatability in the theme of creation is embodied in its most basic and natural desires and emotions of human beings, and the universality beyond time and space, that the translatability of the novel structure is embodied in the strong story-telling feature and the obvious plot of the novel, that the translatability of the image is embodied in its clear and common reference of the images, and that the translatability of the language is embodied in the language characteristic of story-telling, and the less profound and obscure language expressions. This paper also takes the English versions of Red Sorghum and Big Breasts & Wide Hips translated by Howard Goldblatt as examples to analyze in detail the embodiment of translatability in the theme of the novel. It is found out that due to the translatability in the theme of the original novels, the English translation greatly represent the themes expressing humanity, free life and religion.