Vol. 66:3 (2020) ► pp.505–529
Translation, rewriting and formation of Singapore’s bilingual education policy
A comparison of English and Chinese editions of My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore’s Bilingual Journey by Lee Kuan Yew
Individuals inevitably have their own perception of Singapore’s bilingual education policy, especially those who experienced its formation and history from the pre-independence days of the 1950s to the 1980s. The book, My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore’s Bilingual Journey by Lee Kuan Yew, the founding Prime Minister of Singapore, provides much information and insights into this part of history. Through the comparison of the English and Chinese editions, this paper discusses the poetics, patronage and ideological differences related to the reasons for the translation and rewriting by Lee Kuan Yew of the Chinese edition. It suggests that Lee Kuan Yew had different intentions for the English and Chinese editions in relation to the respective readerships; as regards the English readership, the author intends the readers to gain knowledge of the historical background and to emphasize to them the importance of Mother Tongue; as regards the Chinese readership, he seeks to address any misunderstandings and misgivings towards the government that this group of readers may have and to gain their support for the bilingual policy.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.About Challenge
- 3.The rewriting of Challenge
- 3.1The Chinese edition as a translation and rewriting of the English edition
- 3.2Poetics and rewriting
- 3.3Patronage and rewriting
- 3.4Ideology and rewriting
- 3.5The overlapping of all three aspects
- 4.Conclusion
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References
https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00169.cui