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THE PURPOSE OF ADDING NOTES

HOW TRANSLATORS ADD NOTES ON TRANSLATED LITERATURE WORKS

I. Introduction 1.1 Research Motivation Huge numbers of notes are added in certain translated literature works. Reasons why the translator adds so many notes to the target readers vary: sometimes its the target readers decoding ability1; sometimes its the works complexity. Translator should notice the target readers decoding ability while translating. If the target readers reading capacity is limited, such as children, the translator needs to translate the source text in a way that children can comprehend more easily. The translator might even need add notes to explain some proper nouns so that the target readers can get the background knowledge of the source text. However, sometimes what notes provide is more than background knowledge. Certain literature works are so complex that the target readers not only need to understand the background knowledge but also need to know the rhetoric, allusion, or even the meaning of other foreign languages like French or Latin. For example, Ulysses by James Joyce is a

Nida, Eugene. Principles of Correspondence. The Translation Studies Reader. Ed. Lawrence Venuti. New York &London: Routledge, 2004.

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literature work that is so hard to read even for source readers, let alone target readers. In Xiao Qians translation of Ulysses2, the footnotes under the text appear in every page. Sometimes the notes even take the same portion as the text itself. In the prologue, he says he is against adding notes in literature works because they would bother the readers; even if this literature work requires notes to explain the text, he would try to make the notes concise.3 Nevertheless, in Ulysses he did what he disagreedadding lots of notes. He says though he believed notes should be omitted or be concise, when he met

Ulysses, it turned into a different story. Ulysses itself in the original language is
difficult for the source readers. The translator cannot omit the notes since his job is to make target readers understand the literature work. Therefore, Im curious what other translators would do if they have similar problems, so I chose Thoreaus Walden4 as the case to study and take five Chinese translations to make comparison and contrast to know how the translators add notes and what kinds of notes they add in the same source text. 1.2 Research Question and Purpose This research collects five Chinese translations to make comparison and

Joyce, James. Ulysses. Trans. Xiao Qian. Hong Kong: Owl Publishing House, 1999. () See Ulysses. (Hong Kong: Owl Publishing House, 1999), p.20. 4 Thoreau, Henry David. Walden And Civil DisobedienceAuthoritative Texts Background Reviews and Essays in Criticism. Ed. Owen Thomas. New York & London: W.W. Norton &Company, INC: 1966.
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contrast to find out how the five translators add notes and what kinds of notes they add. The five translators are as follows: Wu Ming-shi (1964), Kong Fan-yun (1984), Chen Ci-yun (1994), Meng Xiang-sen (1994), and Chen Bo-chang (1998). This research has three questions: 1) What kind of note is all the translators add the most? 2) Whats the relationship between the note and the text? 3) What could we infer from the differences of notes adding? The research takes the first chapter Economy in Walden to see how these five translators add notes. The reason why of taking Walden as the case to study is that Thoreau cites many biblical allusions, metaphors, historical people or events in his text. If the translator only translates the source text without providing additional information, then the target readers cant get the idea what Thoreau gives and thus they lose the joy of reading Walden. The research aims to find out whether the translators notes really work, i.e. target readers have better understanding about the text, since Xiao Qian thought notes bother reading. And if the notes function work, what kind of notes help the most? The research hopes the finding can help the translator about how to add notes while they do the translating. Review II. Literature Review

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In Nidas Principles of Correspondence, he mentions a term gloss translation. He says that sometimes the formal equivalence cannot help the target readers understand the source culture; hence the translator attempts to reproduce as literally and meaningfully as possible the form and content of the original.5 Since it concerns the different cultures, the translator needs to provide explanation to the term s/he translates. In the essay of Nidas, he gives an example of the literal translation holy kiss, whose meaning would be more close to hands shaking in English-speaking cultures. For the target readers who want to know more about the source culture, it would be better to add a note to explain holy kiss and remain the literal meaning in the target text. In Genettes interpretation of notes, it belongs to the category of paratext6 which is outside the text itself, e.g., titles, signs of authorship, dedications, epigraphs, prefaces, notes, intertitles, epilogues, and the likethat mediate the relations between text and reader(ibid., p.xi.) There are several kinds of notes; among them, gloss translation is under the subcategory of allographic notes (ibid., p.322) because those notes are added by others rather than the author. Genette said that what we find in notes, them, are

5 6

See Principles of Correspondence. (New York &London: Routledge, 2004), p. 156.

Genette, Grard. Notes. Paratexts: Thresholds of Interpretation. Trans. Lewin, Jame E. New York: the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambrifge, 1997.

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definitions or explanations of terms used in the text, and sometimes the mention of a specific or figurative meaning (ibid., p. 325.) But no matter what kind of the note is, all of them serve as additional information to help the target readers. III. Methodology This research takes five Chinese translators versions of Economy in

Walden by Thoreau. The researcher counts the number of notes each

translator adds and finds out whats the difference between them. Besides, this research will divide different kinds of notes as proper nouns (including peoples names, geographical names, historical events), allusions (including biblical allusions Greek mythology and the citations from other literature works), other foreign languages (including Latin and French), and the explanation of the source text (including explaining the undertones, figurative speech, and Thoreaus background.) Besides, this research investigates how people think about notes in translated literature works through questionnaire. Those questions aim to discover whether the target readers think the notes really help their understanding. The subjects are chosen from the researchs classmates who major T&I; therefore, the result of the investigation is highly related to the

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target readers who have better understanding about English-speaking culture. The discovery might be quite different from the average-level target readers. Discussions IV. Findings and Discussions 5.1 Comparison and Contrast between the Five Versions of Notes Table1 The Number of Notes Wu Ming-shi Publish Year The Translators Background

Style

55 notes in the brackets 57 1964 Chinese Literature & 2 endnotes Notes added by 68 1984 Engineer translators opinion Literal translation. No 0 1994 English Literature further explanation. 129 1994 Philosophy Theoretical 0 1998 Chemistry adopted source text Translated notes

Kong Fan-yun

Chen Ci-yun Meng Xiang-sen Chen Bo-chang

The number of notes varies from different translators. It has nothing to do with the time when the translation is published, i.e., the number of notes doesnt go down as time goes by, but to do with the translators thoughts about

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how to add notes. It would be clearer if we take a look on how the translators translate the source text. First we would discuss the two translators, Chen Ci-yun and Chen Bo-chang , because they have no notes added in the translation. In Chen Ci-yuns version, the source text is literally translated which means he doesnt explain the metaphor, allusions, or other historical events. He translated what the source text is written. For example, in the source text, it mentions: But men labor under a mistake. The better part of the man is soon ploughed into the soil for compost. By seeming fate, commonly called necessity, they are employed, as it says in an old book, laying up treasures which moth and rust will corrupt and thieves break through and steal.7 Here Thoreau refers to a biblical allusion Matthew 6:19. The old book is the Bible but in Chen Ci-yuns translation, its translated into: 8 No note to indentify the old book, and no adoption to change the old book to
7

See Walden And Civil DisobedienceAuthoritative Texts Background Reviews and Essays in Criticism. (New York & London: W.W. Norton &Company, INC: 1966), p.3. 8 Thoreau, Henry David.

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the Bible. Target readers who are familiar with the Bible might immediately get the idea; however, most people might not notice these words are from the Bible. Though Chen Bo-chang doesnt add any notes neither, his translating strategy is quite different from Ceng Ci-yuns . We take the same passage to compare with Cgen Ci-yuns version to see how Chen Bo-chang translates the same passage without adding notes: ()9 Cheng Bo-chang translates the meaning which Thoreau wants to convey by changing a way to say it. He doesnt literally translate the old book; instead, he adopts the strategy of explicitation.10 From the two translators versions, we know how they take their translating strategies when they have the allusions in the source text. Then we continue to see the other three translators notes in detail: Table2
This term was first described by Vinay and Darbelnet. They define explicitation as the process of introducing information into the target language which is present only implicitly in the source language, but which can be derived from the context or the situation. See Comparative Stylistics of French and English: A Methodology for Translation. (Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamin: 1995.)
10 9

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The Number of the notes Wu Ming-shi Kong Fan-yun Meng Xiang-sen

proper nouns

allusions

other foreign languages

the explanation of the source text 2 25 22

46 27 75

4 17 17

1 0 4

As weve mentioned before, the four kinds of notes are proper nouns, allusions, foreign languages, and the explanation of the source text. First we see the proper nouns: its the highest in number than other kinds of notes. Proper nouns include peoples names, historical events, and geographical names. We take Meng Xiang-sens version as an example: in the source text Thoreau refers to a term Sandwich Islanders11; Meng Xiang-sen translates it as and adds a note to explain what is Sandwich Islanders: .12 What the three translators have in common is that they add 12 notes of the same proper nouns. Aside from proper nouns, they dont add the notes of the same terms; therefore, we can know that proper nouns are often the targets which translators would want to explain by adding notes.
A mid-nineteenth century name for the Hawaiian islanders. See Economy. Walden. (New York & London: W.W. Norton &Company, INC: 1966), p.2. 12
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Then in another kind of note, allusions, only Wu Ming-shi has lesser notes than the other two translators who have 17 notes each. Allusions include biblical allusions, Greek mythology, and other literature works. In the source text, Thoreau talks about the deconstruction of his cabin: I was informed treacherously by a young Patrick that neighbor Seeley, an Irishman, in the intervals of the carting, transferred the still tolerable, straight, and drivable nails, staples, and spikes to his pockets, and then stood when I came back to pass the time of day, and look freshly up, unconcerned, with spring thoughts, at the devastation; there being a dearth of work, as he said. He was there to represent spectatordom, and help make this seemingly insignificant event one with the removal of the gods of Troy.13 There are only two translators, Wu Ming-shi and Meng Xiang-sen , add notes on that. They identify the removal of the gods of Troy as an allusion of Greek mythology but their notes are a little different. First we see Wu Ming-shis translation and note:

13

See Economy. Walden. (New York & London: W.W. Norton &Company, INC: 1966), p.29-30.

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( removal of the gods of Troy )14 Target readers might have no difficulties in reading the text until they read the last words. Though Wu Ming-shi translates the removal of the gods of Troy and identifies the source of the allusion, he doesnt connect the text to his note in order to shed light on Thoreaus meaning. On the other hand, Meng Xiang-sen adopts a different strategy: U (15) Here Meng Xiang-sen chooses not to literal translate the removal of the gods of Troy but changes to say it by explaining and adds a notes to
- -
15 14

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indentify the source of these words. From the two translators different translating strategies, we know that adding notes might not be enough to help the target readers fully understand the text. The better way to do it is to explain the source text and then add a note to identify its background; in that way, the target readers can know why Thoreau associates those nails of his cabin as the gods of Troy. Then we come to see the third kind of note, foreign languages. Thoreau uses French or Latin in some terms which often imply that they have special meanings and impress the source readers. However, if it comes to translation, it becomes an obstacle to the translator. He is already translating. How does he translate and add a note on non-English language into the target text in order to produce the similar effects on the target readers? Again, Wu Ming-shi and Meng Xiang-sen are the only two translators who add a note on the same Latin word. First we take a look on the source text: Pray, for what do we move ever but to get rid of our furniture, our

exuvi; at last to go from this world to another newly furnished, and

leave this to be burned?16

Exuvi is a Latin word that means cast off. Here it refers to the skin that a

16

See Economy. Walden. (New York & London: W.W. Norton &Company, INC: 1966), p.44.

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snake sheds. Thoreau compares moving to shedding, and the furniture is like the skin of the snake which would be abandoned in order to move without heavy burden. In Wu Ming-shis version, he translates and adds a note in that way: exuvi( ) 17 Exuvi remains as it is, and Wu Ming-shi adds a note behind it to explain the meaning. And in Meng Xiang-sens version, he also takes the same strategy: exuvi (exuvi move )18 Meng Xiang-sen also remains the Latin word without translating it into Chinese, which could impress the target readers because they read a word that they might have never seen before. But Meng Xiang-sen adds

18 17

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another note to make the text more explicit. He points out the word move and connects it to exuvi. He explains the rhetoric which Thoreau uses to help the target readers understand the text. Multilingual text is not easy to translate and challenges the translator how to produce the similar effects to the target readers. Wu Ming-shi and Meng Xiang-sen choose to reserve the original word is one of many translating strategies. How the target readers feel depends on their decoding capability. If they are children, they might just ignore the Latin word and focus on the note; if they are scholars, they might pay extra attention to the Latin word and keep a critical eye on the note to see how the translator explains the word and connects the word to the meaning of the passage. The interesting part is the explanation of the source text, which includes explaining the undertones, figurative speech, and Thoreaus background. This kind of note is more than giving a definition of a term, or identifying the source of an allusion. Its more like an explanation of the authors writing skills, or information about the authors background which is related to the text. The purpose is to let the target readers get a picture of the text. When the readers know how to read the text in what angle, they catch the meaning more easily. The example we take is Thoreaus idea of clothing, and he expresses his idea

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in details: While one thick garment is, for most purposes, as good as three thin ones, and cheap clothing can be obtained at prices really to suit customs; while a thick coat can be bought for five dollars, which will last as many years, thick pantaloons for two dollars, cowhide boots for a dollar, and a half a pair, a summer hat for a quarter of a dollar, and a winter cap for sixty-two and a half cents, or a better be made at home at a nominal cost, where is he so poor that, clad in such a suit, of his own earning, there will not be found wise men to do him reverence?19 And Kong Fan-yuns translation is as follows: ( )20

19 20

See Economy. Walden. (New York & London: W.W. Norton &Company, INC: 1966), p.16. -

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If Kong Fan-yun doesnt add a note, the target readers wont have any problems of reading the text. But his note provides the background of Thoreaus writing, and that makes the readers not only comprehend the text but also have deeper understanding of what is behind the text. What supports the joy of reading doesnt only include the text itself; if the readers know extra information about the text, e.g., the background of the writing or the writer, they would pay more attention on the text. 5.2 The Result of the Questionnaire Table 3 Question Would you read the notes in the translated literature works? Do you think notes help your understanding of the text? Do you still have the rough memory of the notes content? Would you read the translated literature works in the motivation of interest? The result shows that most subjects think notes help their understanding Yes (5) So-so (2) No (0) Result

Yes (7)

No (0)

Yes (4)

No (1)

A little (2)

Yes (7)

No (0)

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though how much they absorb the content of the notes varies. According to Xiang Qians thoughts, he thinks notes would bother the process of reading; however, what surprises us is that the number of notes becomes more than in the past, i.e., from Wu Ming-shis 57 notes in the year of 1964 to Meng Xaing-sens 129 notes in the year of 1994. Though among them there are two translators who have no notes in their translations, their translating strategies are the reason why they choose not to add any notes. Moreover, the target readers might not as what we suppose that they dont want to bother reading notes. Instead, they are patient to read the extra information outside the text. I suppose the translators mentality might change over time as well. As people pay more attention and efforts on the circles of translation, the translators are also self- requiring higher. They cannot control who will be their target readers, so they need to be well-prepared to deal with the situation by conveying their understanding to the target readers as fully as possible. Therefore, they add more and more notes in order to help the target readers get the clear idea and also at the same time defense themselves against these scholars who keep a critical eye on their translation. But all in all, since notes are paratext, that means we can choose to read them or not; therefore, as Genette says:

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Above all, we must observe that notes, even more than prefaces, may be statutorily optional for the reader and may consequently be addressed only to certain readers: to those who will be interested in one or another supplementary or digressive bumped, precisely, into a note.21 Xiang Qian also holds the same thoughts as Genette. He says that the target readers are not only the average literature adults, but also the unusually high capacity of specialists22 in order to help the researchers of

Ulysses to understand this literature better; as a result, he couldnt help but

add so many notes. V. Conclusion Translators take different translating strategies when they are going to translate different source texts. Sometimes, they need to give extra information to the target readers by adding notes. Most time they add notes about proper nouns, and the others are like allusions, non-English languages, and explanation of the source text.
23

21

Genette, Grard. Notes. Paratexts: Thresholds of Interpretation. (New York: the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambrifge, 1997), p.324.

See the terms of he average literature adults and the average literature adults in Nidas Principles of Correspondence. The Translation Studies Reader. Ed. Lawrence Venuti. New York &London: Routledge, 2004, p.165. 23 See Ulysses. (Hong Kong: Owl Publishing House, 1999), p.20.
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The joy of reading is not only reading the text itself; furthermore, it also includes knowing the background knowledge of the writing or the author. The target readers might also want to know the information; consequently, those notes come to play the role of providing the extra information behind the text. Translators should notice that adding notes is not enough to help the target readers understand the text; they should connect the note to the text itself, and even translate the text by explaining it. In that way, the purpose of translating just works. This research has some limitations: the chosen sample of the source text is not enough because it only takes one chapter of the whole book; moreover, the samples of the target texts are not enough neither. Actually, there are around 30 Chinese versions of Thoreaus Walden over time, but there are only five versions to be discussed here, so in the future if this research could be explored further, the samples of the target text could be collected as many as possible. Besides, the subjects on behalf of the target readers should be more and cover people with different decoding capacities as many as possible; in that way, the research could be more convincing. In conclusion, adding notes is a way for translators to reach the purpose of translating to help the target readers understand the text. As long as they have

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this in mind, they would not just translate the literal meanings of the source text but connect the bridge of the two different cultures.