This paper compares the linguistic acceptability in the Chinese translations of Peter Pan from a diachronic perspective, in terms of how changing socio-cultural factors over different time periods influence the linguistic acceptability of the target text. Linguistic acceptability is defined in relation to the extent to which translation conforms to dominant conventions and expectations in the target language. Relating to the polysystem theory, the paper first analyses the different roles translated literature has played in the Chinese literary system from the 1920s to the present, highlighting how, as translated literature moves from a central to a peripheral position, the preferred method of translation changes from innovative methods compromising the acceptability of the target text to conservative methods prioritising high acceptability. As part of the target literature polysystem, translation practice inevitably bears the mark of history. Three translations of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, completed respectively in 1929 (Liang’s), 1991 (Yang’s) and 2011 (Ren’s) are compared in terms of their linguistic acceptability, illustrating how the changed position of translated literature results in the change of preferred translating methods, signalling a move from language reform to cultural resistance in the prevalent translation norms in China.

Keywords: translation; polysystem theory; linguistic acceptability; language reform; China  

Aisyah, A. (2017). Korean-English language translational action of K-Pop social media content: A case study on Bangtan Sonyeondan’s (BTS) official twitter. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature. Vol. 23(3), 67-80.

Cao Yongli. (2012). Shiyi Yingyu shouzimu suolüe ci yu Hanyu cunjiexing (English acronyms and the purity of Chinese). Journal of Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences. Vol. 31(4), 107-110.

Evan-Zohar, I. (1978/2004). The position of translated literature within the literary poly-system. In L. Venuti (Ed.). The Translation Studies Reader (2nd edition, pp.199-204). London; New York: Routledge.

Kinsui, S. (1997). The influence of translation on the historical development of the Japanese passive construction. Journal of Pragmatics. Vol. 28 (6), 759-779.

Lei Zhairong. (2005). Ruhe kefu fanyi Yingyu beidongju shi chuxian de “yang” hua xianxiang (How to avoid the overuse of “bei” in translating the passive voice in English). Xiangnan University Journal, Vol. 26(4), 46-48.

Li Qin (2009). Zhongguo fanyi wenxue yu bentu shehui wenhua (Domestic culture and translated literature in China). Guizhou Social Science. Vol. 6, 109-112.

Li Li. (2010). Shengcheng yu jieshou: Zhongguo ertong wenxue fanyi yanjiu (Generation and Acceptance: The Translation of Children’s Literature in China). Wuhan: Hubei Renmin Publishing.

Li Yingyu. (2012). A Corpus-based Study on Europeanised Translation. Shanghai: Funan University Press.

Liu Danqing. (2010). Chinese as a verby language: On typological differences between verby languages and nouny languages. Chinese Teaching in the World. Vol. 24, 3-17.

Lefevere, A. (1992). Translation, Rewriting and the Manipulation of Literary Fame. London; New York: Routledge.

Lu Xun. (1930/2005). Yingyi yu wenxue de jiejixing (Hard translation and class in literature). In The Complete Works of Lu Xun Vol. 4 (pp.199-227). Beijing: Renmin Wenxue Publishing.

---------- (1932/2005). Zailai yi tiao “shun” de fanyi (More on fluent translations). In The Complete Works of Lu Xun Vol. 4 (pp.133-135), Beijing: Renmin Wenxue Publishing.

Lü Shuxiang. (2002). The Complete Works of Lü Shuxiang Vol. 6. Shenyang: Jiaoning Education Press.

Ma Qiaozheng. (2008). Tanxi “fanyiqiang” de genyuan yu duice (The causes and countermeasure of “translates”). Journal of Xi’an University of Arts and Science. Vol. 11(1), 104-106.

Puuritinen, N. (1994). Translating children’s literature: Theoretical approaches and empirical studies. In C. Robyns (Ed.). Translation and the (Re)production of Culture (pp. 273-283). Leuven: The Cera Chair for Translation.

Tymoczko, M. (2010a). Translation, resistance, activism: An overview. In M. Tymoczko (Ed.). Translation, Resistance, Activism (pp. 1-22). Amherst & Boston: University of Massachusetts Press.

Tymoczko, M. (2010b). (Ed.). Translation, Resistance, Activism. Amherst & Boston: University of Massachusetts Press.

Taviano, S. (2013). English as a Lingua Franca and translation. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer. Vol. 7(2), 155-167.

Toury, G. (1980). In Search of a Theory of Translation. Tel Aviv: Porter Institute for Poetics and Semiotics.

----------- (1995). Descriptive Translation Studies and Beyond,

Amsterdam & Philadelphia: Benjamins.

Wang Kefi & Hu Xianyao. (2008). A parallel corpus-based study on lexical features of translated Chinese. Translation Quarterly. Vol. 6, 16-21.

Wang Li. (1943/1985). Zhongguo Xiandai Yufa (The Grammar of Contemporary Chinese). Beijing: Commercial Press.

---------- (1984). The Complete Works of Wang Li. Vol. 11. Ji’nan: Shangdong Education Press.

Wen Yongchao. (2012). The rationale for the existence of English acronyms in Chinese—A concurrent discussion on the pureness of

Chinese. Foreign Language and Literature Studies. Vol. 28(5), 96-99.

Xia Yun. (2010). A corpus-based study of normalisation in English-Chinese translated fiction. Unpublished PhD thesis, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Xiao Shiying. (2006). Fanyiqiang de jufa jiegou tanxi (The grammatical structure of translatese). Journal of University of South China. Vol. 7(5),

-2.

Xie Yaoji. (2001). Hanyu yufa ouhua zongshu (The Europeanisation of Chinese grammar). Chinese Studies. Vol. 1, 17-22.

Yoshihiro, O. (2005). Amalgamation of literariness: Translation as a means of introducing European literary techniques to modern Japan. In E.

Hung & J. Wakabayashi (Eds.). Asian Translation Traditions (pp. 135-154). Manchester: St Jerome Publishing.

Yu Guangzhong. (1987/2007). Zhongwen de changtai yu biantai (The normality and abnormality of Chinese). In Luo Jinde (Ed.). Yu Guangzhong’s Papers on Translation (pp. 151-168). Beijing: China Translation and Publishing Corporation.

Zhang, Wei. (2015). Multilingual creativity on China’s Internet. World Englishes. Vol. 4(2), 231-426.

Zhu Ziqing. (1935/2000). Baihua yu wenyan (Vernacular Chinese and Classical Chinese). In The Complete Works of Zhu Ziqing Quanji (8), (pp. 3271-3273). Changchun: Shidai Wenyi Publishing.