Comparative Literature: East & West

Series 1

ISSN: (Print) 2572-3618 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcle19

Application of Polysystem Theory in the Field of

Translation

Xizhi ZHANG

To cite this article: Xizhi ZHANG (2014) Application of Polysystem Theory in the
Field of Translation, Comparative Literature: East & West, 20:1, 138-143, DOI:
10.1080/25723618.2014.12015480

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/25723618.2014.12015480

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 Application of Polysystem Theory in the Field of
Translation

XizhiZHANG
Lijiang College of Guangxi Normal University

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Polysystem theory is based on Russian Formalism and Czech Structuralism.

It was suggested by Even-Zohar in the 1970s, when he was working on Hebrew
literature models. Even-Zohar thinks that all literary relational phenomena
should not be regarded as isolated, but should be put into a network. A literary
system is "the network of the relations that is hypothesized to obtain between a
number of activities called 'literary', and consequently these activities
themselves observed via that network" (Even-Zohar, 28). Shuttleworth and
Cowie define a polysystem as "a heterogeneous, hierarchized conglomerate (or
system) of systems which interact to bring about an ongoing, dynamic process
of evolution within the polysystem as a whole" (qtd. in Munday, 108). This
article elaborates the use of polysestem in the translation field with reference to
translations of Russian literary and Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tales in
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 China. In this article the translator's subjective initiative ignored by polysystem
theory is clearly pointed out with particular reference to Toury.
In relation to the literary and cultural aspects, polysystem theory is based on
three oppositions, namely: the opposition between "canonized and non-
canonized products or models", between "the system's centre and periphery",
and between "primary and secondary activities". (Even-Zohar, 15-21) Then the
concept of a polysystem can be applied in the translation field. Even-Zohar
thinks that, generally speaking, translated literature is located in the periphery of
the home system, but its position is changeable and it may occupy the centre on
the following three occasions: (1) when a literature is "young"; (2) when a
literature is either "peripheral" or "weak", or both; (3) "when there are turning
points, crisis, or literary vacuums in a literature" (200-20 1).
A polysystem contains "the conception of a system as dynamic and
heterogeneous" (12). This concept stresses two features of polysystem theory.
The first one is dynamic change. That is to say, the position of all types of
literature (including translation works) is not static but changeable. According
to Even-Zohar, the position of translated literature can determine the
translational norms, behaviours and strategies. If the translated literature
assumes the center, the distinction. between a translated work and an original
work becomes "diffuse" (203). In this case the translation involves primary and
creative activity. On the one hand, the translator tends to break the conventions
of his home literature repertoire and adopt foreinization strategy. His translation
products will be regarded as "adequate". On the other hand, when the translated
literature has a disadvantage within the system, the policy for translation tends
to be domestication, and the product may be regarded as non-adequate (ibid).
This can be demonstrated by character names in Chinese translation novels.
Take the novel Bacwmu lfBaHOBU~ lfanaeB (Chapayev) for example. When the
novel first reached China in the 1920s or so, the translator gave it a Chinese-
style name ll18 f3E (Xia Boyang) as the equivalent of Chapayev because
Russian literature then stood in a peripheral position in the Chinese literature
system. But during the 1950s and 1960s, when China carried out a "lean to one
side" policy, many Russian novels were imported into China. At this time,
shackled by an ultra-"Leftist" ideological trend, Chinese home literary activity
was deeply in crisis, so Russian literature had the absolute advantage in the
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 Chinese literature repertoire. The Chinese versions of Russian literary works in
that period were characterised by foreignization: Even the long and
multisyllable Russian names retain their sound forms in transliteration, despite
their alien and inconvenience in Chinese eyes .. From the position of translated
Russian literature in China we can see clearly that the position of translated
works is never at a standstill. It may stay negative in the peripheral position for ·
a time. However, it can move into a prominent position in favour of the target
readers, and, especially the translation initiators who are the policy makers, as is
shown in the example above.
The second feature of a polysystem is heterogeneousness. The traditional
concept of literature is limited to the canonized works only, excluding those
with narrow readership (e. g. children's literature) as well as excluding
translated works. Even-Zohar reacts against such traditional aesthetic values and
takes all genres of literature into consideration (qtd. in Munday, 108). This
feature of a polysystem can be demonstrated by H. C. Andersen's fairy tales. As
an essential part of Danish literature, they make an everlasting contribution to
Danish literature and culture. As translated works, the Chinese versions of the
tales have deeply influenced several generations of Chinese readers. The
archetypal characters and phrases of the tales, such as the ugly duckling, the red
shoes and the emperor's new clothes, have been assimilated into the Chinese
language.
The foregoing description implies that polysystem theory breaks the limitation
of static and isolated modes of synchronic research, and put translation studies
into a broader realm. Because the theory absorbs translated works into the
national polysystem, the position of translated works is elevated. Because all the
elements within the system are viewed in relation to other elements (Hermans,
107), a polysystem enables translated works to attract more attention and
increase their influence. The main function of translated works can be regarded
as "a leading factor in the formation of new models for the target culture,
introducing new poetics, techniques and so on" (Munday, 109). Let us take
Rabindranath Tagore's anthology of Stray Bird as an example. After its
publication in China, the versicles became popular in Chinese poetry circles.
Among the poems, Bingxin's collections of Stars and Spring Water are most

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 representative. In her Stars, Bingxin says her poems are influenced by Tagore
(Shi, 2).
Although polysystem theory broadens the research scope of translation
studies, it has imperfectness. The most notable is that the boundaries between
the three oppositions in polysystem theory are not clear. The dividing standard
is subjective and varies from nation to nation. Moreover, it does not provide any
clear basis for its terms, such as "young" "peripheral" and "weak". When it
comes to Western peripheral literature, Even-Zohar adopts a phrase "the
literatures of small nations" (20 1). He does not make clear what "small" refers
to-politics, culture or literature. In reality, it is hard to use one adjective to
summarize a political and cultural position. It is not rare to see the imbalance
when a country's political position declines in a certain period whilst its
national cultural reputation remains undamaged. Take Egypt for example. It
used to be a prosperous country thousands years ago culturally and
economically. In recent years, its economy has been in deep recession. However,
the economic failure does not affect its cultural position-one of the four
ancient civilized countries in the world.
Polysystem theory can be regarded as dynamic functionalism which stresses
"the complexity, openness and flexibility of cultural systems existing in a
historical continuum" (Hermans, l 06). Because of its dynamic features, it
breaks through the prescriptive translation standards which pursue a perfect
equivalent text. In the prescriptive approach, any modification and adaptation
may be considered as unfaithfulness or errors. The non-prescriptive approach in
polysystem theory paves the way for Toury's descriptive translation studies
(DTS). In a polysystem, the relationship of the translational adequacy to the real
equivalence is changeable: When the translated work "assumes a central
position", the translator tends to produce TT "close to the original in terms of
adequacy". "When translated literature occupies a peripheral position", the TT
appears to be "a non-adequate translation" (Even-Zohar, 203). From the point of
view of the target text system, Toury bases his translation norms on these new
definitions of equivalence and adequacy. In initial norms, he defines adequacy
and non-adequate translation as adequate translation and acceptable translation.
Furthermore, he points out there is no clear-cut differentiation between adequate
and acceptable translations. They are a continuum showing the dynamic feature.
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 However, Toury fully considers the subjective initiative lacking in
polysystem theory. From the point of view of translated products, polysystem
theory emphasizes the objective rules of translation literature as translated
products, but ignores the subjective factors in the translating process, which
should not be ignored. Lefevere says, "on every level of the translation process,
if linguistic considerations enter into conflict with considerations of an
ideological and/or poetological nature, the latter tend to win out." (qtd. in
Munday, 127)
As the main operators of translational activity, the translator and the initiator
may pursue different strategies when facing the same position of a translation
works. In Toury's words: "A translator's behavior cannot be expected to be
fully systematic." (215) The translator or initiator's decisions may advance or
lag behind the evolution of the system. The reasons vary from their own
aesthetic values to special requirement of their readership. In considering the
subjective factor, Toury puts the translation between the two positions: at one
end are rules and at the other end are idiosyncrasies. The effect of norms
depends on their positions in the continuum between these two. (Toury, 206)
Polysystem theory places translation works into the literature system in a
clear social and historical background. It gives general guidance for promoting
translational activities. However, when it comes to practical translation, it
ignores the roles of the translator, especially his role in decision making. In fact,
just as an example cited by Hermans (110) that the Dutch Neoclassical society
Nil Volentibus Arduum strengthened neoclassicism by their translations of
plays, the translators can rebuild the polysystem as well as their national culture
by their translated works if only they have broad horizon and sharp eyes to
perceive the critical moment, political or literary, and use their initiative to
make the translating process a "primary" activity.

References :
Even-Zohar, !tamar, "The Position ofTrans1ation Literature within the Literary Po1ysystem",
Lawrence Venuti, ed., The Translation Studies Reader. Abingdon: Routledge, 2004, 199-204.
Hermans, Theo, Translation in Systems. Manchester: St Jerome, 1999.
Munday, Jeremy, Introducing Translation Studies: Theories and Applications. Abingdon:
Routledge, 2008.

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 Tagore, Rabindranath, A Select Collection ofTagore's Pomes, trans. Zheng Zhenduo. Changsha:
Hunan People's Publishing House, 1981.
Toury, Gideon, ''The Nature and Role of Norms in Translation", Lawrence Venuti, ed., The
Translation Studies Reader. Abingdon: Routledge, 2004,205-218.
::PJi. lltr§. ~~~. W<. ~j(;~VJI:~. *iP= mJWiA~tilllbH±, 1981.

Xizhi ZHANG, B. A. in English Education and Teaching Qualification in

Secondary School, Guangxi Normal University; M. A. in Translation from
Exeter University, UK. She serves as lecturer at Lijiang College of Guangxi
Normal University, where she teaches undergraduate courses in Translation
Methodology and Practice. Her main research interest is translation studies.
Her publications include "Evaluation of Venuti's Strategies of Domestication
and Foreignisation from Translated Texts" in Journal of Language and
Literature Studies, vol. 2, 2013, 55-57. and "A Study of the Effectiveness of
Translation Methodology Teaching for Undergraduate Students" in Hongxue,
(forthcoming).

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