英语Dissertation开题报告范文：Function and Application of Descriptive Translation Studies

Descriptive Translation Studies Dissertation Proposal写作说明

对于学习英语语言学、Translation Studies、Applied Linguistics和跨文化研究的留学生来说，Dissertation开题报告不仅要说明准备研究什么，还需要解释研究理论、研究对象、分析方法以及预期贡献。

本文是一篇关于 Descriptive Translation Studies（描述翻译学） 的英语Dissertation开题报告范文，主要探讨描述翻译学在翻译实践与翻译分析中的作用。研究将以中国古典名著《红楼梦》的两个英文译本为案例，对杨宪益与David Hawkes的翻译策略进行比较。

这类翻译学Dissertation Proposal通常需要包括Introduction、Research Background、Methodology、Outline、case study和References等内容。真正的难点不只是英文表达，而是如何把理论、文本案例和研究问题联系起来。

优客网 ukthesis 创立于1999年，长期整理英语Dissertation、翻译学论文、Research Proposal和留学生开题报告等学术资料，并提供dissertation结构辅导、Proposal润色、literature review修改和reference格式检查等写作支持。

Function and Application of Descriptive Translation Studies

1. Introduction

The intention of this study is to explore the possible advantages of Descriptive Translation Studies and its application in translation practice and translation analysis.

Since the early twentieth century, Translation Studies has gradually moved away from its marginal position within other related disciplines and established itself as an independent academic field. Since then, different schools of thought have emerged, each presenting its own theoretical basis and research approach. Descriptive Translation Studies, commonly referred to as DTS, is one of these influential approaches.

DTS studies translation from an empirical perspective. Translation is regarded as a social activity that has considerable importance within the receiving culture and the target community. For this reason, translation is examined not only as a linguistic process or a comparison between two languages, but also as an activity situated within wider social and cultural contexts.

My attention was first drawn to DTS because of its emphasis on observation, description and explanation. Its subject matter includes what actually happens in translation practice: the intended function of a translation, the translator’s choice of strategies, the process of drafting and revision, and the final translated product as it appears in the target culture.

The methodology of DTS is primarily descriptive. It moves away from a strongly prescriptive approach and from the traditional problem-and-solution model. Translation phenomena are recorded and examined as they occur. Through the accumulation and analysis of data, underlying patterns and principles of translation may be identified. These findings can contribute not only to theoretical research but also to translation practice.

This Dissertation will apply a descriptive method to its case study.

An important analytical concept within DTS is the idea of the norm. Norms operate at different stages of translation description and explanation. Function, process and product, together with the relationships among them, form the basic structure of descriptive research. Translation phenomena can therefore be analysed and explained with the assistance of translation norms.

The case study selected for this Dissertation is the Chinese classic The Dream of the Red Chamber, also known as A Dream of Red Mansions or The Story of the Stone. Two English versions, translated respectively by Yang Hsien-yi and David Hawkes, will be compared in order to examine their different translation approaches.

The study will focus on selected aspects of the two translations. Through detailed observation and explanation, it is hoped that the analysis will demonstrate how Descriptive Translation Studies can be used to understand practical translation choices.

2. Outline

2.1 Development and Major Concepts of DTS

This section will introduce Holmes’s basic map of Translation Studies and discuss the relationship between translation function, translation process and translation product.

Important concepts in DTS will also be examined, including:

pseudo-translation;

multiple translation;

translationese;

translation norms;

target-culture expectations;

the relationship between source and target systems.

The purpose of this section is to establish a theoretical foundation for the later case study.

2.2 Methodology

This section will discuss the methodology of Descriptive Translation Studies before applying it to the selected case study.

Particular attention will be given to:

the descriptive approach;

the semiotic perspective;

translation norms;

target-oriented analysis;

the relationship between translation choices and cultural context.

The study will not attempt to determine whether one translation is absolutely correct or incorrect. Instead, it will describe the choices made by the translators and explain how those choices relate to their historical, cultural and linguistic contexts.

2.3 DTS in Contrast with Other Translation Theories

This section will compare Descriptive Translation Studies with other translation theories and evaluation criteria.

The comparison will include:

equivalence theory;

prescriptive translation theories;

the Chinese criteria of xin, da and ya;

source-oriented and target-oriented approaches.

The objective is to identify the distinctive features of DTS and consider its possible advantages in the study of translated texts.

Unlike traditional approaches that often judge translations according to fixed standards, DTS focuses on describing what translators actually do and explaining why particular strategies are used.

2.4 Case Study

This section will examine the English translations of The Dream of the Red Chamber, also translated as The Story of the Stone.

The two main translations selected are:

the version translated by Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys Yang;

the version translated by David Hawkes.

Selected translation examples will be analysed in the light of Descriptive Translation Studies.

The analysis may consider:

cultural references;

names and titles;

idiomatic expressions;

poetry and wordplay;

social relationships;

stylistic choices;

domestication and foreignisation;

differences in target readership.

The examples will be selected according to their relevance to the research Questions rather than entirely at random. This will make the case study more focused and academically convincing.

2.5 Conclusion

The conclusion will summarise the theoretical discussion of Descriptive Translation Studies and the findings from the case study.

It will consider the possible advantages of DTS in the analysis of literary translation, especially its ability to explain translation choices within social, cultural and historical contexts.

The conclusion will also identify limitations of the study and suggest areas for further research.

Possible directions for future research may include:

a wider comparison of different English versions of Chinese literary classics;

the role of target-culture norms in literary translation;

the relationship between translators’ backgrounds and translation strategies;

the application of DTS to contemporary translation practice.

Note: While the main research topic will remain unchanged, the organisation of chapters and individual sections may be adjusted during the Dissertation writing process.

Appendix 1: Quotation Examples

The following examples illustrate how quotations may be presented in the Dissertation.

“It is therefore pointless to try to make translation criticism more scientific than is sensible in view of its complex subject matter and available methods. Translating is a mental, multi-factorial activity which cannot exhaustively be investigated within a linguistic framework that ignores the person of the translator.”
— Wilss, 1982, p. 217

中文引文示例：

“‘噢，这就是恐水病吧？你们贵族圈子怎么流行起这种病来啦？真够呛的！费芬斯小姐，您喝点茶大概没关系吧！’”
——张南峰，1990：59–60

实际使用时，需要按照学校要求统一采用Harvard、APA、MLA或Chicago引用格式。

Appendix 2: Reference Examples

Wilss, W. (1982). The Science of Translation: Problems and Methods. Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag.

Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. New York: Prentice Hall.

Delabastita, D. (1991). “Translating Puns: A False Opposition in Translation Studies.” Target, 3(2), pp. 137–152.

正式提交Dissertation前，应检查作者姓名、出版年份、书名、期刊卷期和页码是否准确。

Appendix 3: Title Page Example

下面这部分是单独的英文论文封面范例，与前文的DTS研究主题并非同一篇论文，建议作为格式参考单独展示。

School of International Studies
University of International Business and Economics

Pragmatic Strategies in Advertising: Implicatures

Wang Ying

A thesis submitted to the School of International Studies of the University of International Business and Economics in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.

April 2002
Beijing, China

如果用于本文主题，封面应修改为：

School of [School Name]
[University Name]

Function and Application of Descriptive Translation Studies

Student Name

A Dissertation Proposal submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.

Supervisor: [Supervisor’s Name]
Submission Date: [Date]

Key Points for Writing a Translation Studies Dissertation Proposal

A strong Translation Studies Dissertation Proposal should normally include:

A clearly defined translation topic.

An appropriate theoretical framework.

A focused Research Question.

A clear explanation of the selected texts.

A justified case-study method.

Relevant academic literature.

Transparent criteria for selecting translation examples.

A clear distinction between description and evaluation.

Accurate referencing and bibliography.

The Proposal should explain not only what texts will be studied, but also why those texts are suitable for answering the Research Question.

常见问题FAQ

1. Descriptive Translation Studies是什么？

Descriptive Translation Studies是一种以观察、描述和解释实际翻译现象为重点的研究路径。它关注翻译在目标文化中的功能，以及译者在特定社会文化背景下作出的选择。

2. 翻译学Dissertation可以研究《红楼梦》吗？

可以。《红楼梦》有多个具有代表性的英文译本，适合研究文化词汇、人物称谓、诗歌翻译、翻译规范和译者策略等问题。

3. 杨宪益和David Hawkes的译本可以怎样比较？

可以从文化表达、语言风格、读者定位、人物称谓、诗歌处理和翻译规范等角度比较，但需要提前设定清晰的分析标准。

4. Dissertation开题报告一定要有Research Question吗？

通常需要。Research Question可以帮助限定研究范围，也能决定文献综述、案例选择和研究方法。

5. ukthesis可以提供哪些相关写作支持？

ukthesis可以提供英语Dissertation开题报告辅导、翻译学Proposal润色、Literature Review修改、论文结构优化和Reference格式检查等服务。