Publications

Publication details [#56332]

Jiang, Jing (姜静). 2023. 汉学家司登德的歌谣翻译及其海外传播研究 [The Translation and Overseas Dissemination of Sinologist George Carter Stent’s Collections of Ballads and Songs]. Foreign Language and Literature Research (外国语文研究) 9 (4) : 83–94.
Publication type
Article in jnl/bk
Publication language
Chinese
Source language
Target language
Person as a subject
Title as subject
Journal DOI
10.16651/j.cnki.fllr.2020.0041

Abstract

As early as the late 19th century, George Carter Stent introduced the translations and adaptations of Beijing ballads and songs to the English world. His two collections, The Jade Chaplet and Entombed Alive, reaped ballads and songs from folk music and librettos about folk tales, local landscapes, and artifacts popular in Beijing in the 19th century. The ballads and songs in Entombed Alive are typically based on their Beijing origins and could thus be used as significant resources for the study of Beijing history, culture, and folk customs. The two collections by Stent drew much attention from the English world in the 19th century, resulting from the folk customs conveyed by the collections, Stent’s position as a famous sinologist, his rhymed translation skills, and the way of publication. However, these two collections were forgotten in the 20th century. This change may be concerned with the selection and compilation of ballads and songs and the design of content. It reveals that there should be a comprehensive consideration of the translation purpose, target readers, the selection and compilation of materials, the translator's positioning, and the way of publication to promote the circulation of prestigious Chinese popular literature and folk customs in the English world.
Source : Based on abstract in journal

摘要

早在19世纪下半叶,英国人司登德就将歌谣引入了英语世界。司登德的歌谣代表作《二十四颗玉珠串》和《活埋》收录了19世纪时期流行于北京街头的俗曲唱本,涉及历史故事、民间故事、风物传说等内容。《活埋》一书收录的歌谣尤其具有北京地域特征,为研究北京历史文化和民俗风情提供了重要历史文献。这两部歌谣译作在19世纪时颇受瞩目,与作品传递的历史和民俗文化信息、司登德汉学家的身份和翻译技巧、译作出版方式不无关系。但因作品标注不清、内容芜杂、分类不明等原因,这两部作品在历史中却归于沉寂。这种变化说明优秀的民间文学作品要成功地传播民间文化,必须综合考虑译介目的、读者定位、选材编排、译者身份和出版方式等因素的影响。