A Study on Translation Strategies of Hawkes’ English Translation of Hongloumeng from the Perspective of Dynamic Equivalence Theory

Abstract

The English translation of Hongloumeng is of great significance to the dissemination of Chinese culture, and among them, Hawkes’ English translation is the most famous one. Based on the Dynamic Equivalence Theory, through the analysis of four levels: lexical, syntactic, textual and pragmatic, this study explores how to use the Dynamic Equivalence Theory to cross the linguistic and cultural gap between Chinese and English, and convey the original meaning to the target language readers. The study finds that Hawkes’ translated version mainly adopted the domestication translation strategy. In the lexical and textual levels, it mainly adopts methods such as free translation and idiomatic translation, while in the syntactic and pragmatic levels, it mainly uses techniques like division, conversion, and addition. The study enriches the practical path of Dynamic Equivalence Theory in the field of literary translation, and is also helpful to promote the spread and acceptance of Hongloumeng in the whole world.