The Translation of Sound from the Postcolonial Perspective: A Case Study of the English Translation of Sandalwood Death Written by Mo Yan

Abstract

Mo Yan, as the first Chinese Nobel Laureate in Literature, holds significant importance in the overseas dissemination of his translated works. The intentional retreating of Sandalwood Death writing makes it a unique narrative where characters, folklore, and culture weave together in a polyphonic tapestry of the era. Drawing upon post-colonial translation theory, this analysis delves into Howard Goldblatt's English translation of Sandalwood Death, focusing on the translation and retransmission of sound embodied in characters (narrative translation of characters), folklore (translation of idioms and proverbs), and culture (terms, Maoqiang). The study suggests that the translator employs a plethora of estrangement strategies, reflecting an overall trend of post-colonial translation. Many Chinese cultural terms seamlessly integrate into Western discourse, illustrating the potential for establishing a balanced discourse between East and West. This investigation explores the nuanced interplay of voices, unraveling how translation choices contribute to a broader discourse of cultural equality and understanding in the context of post-colonial translation.