The Influence of Feminism on TranslationAbstract: With development of translation study, translators and scholars started to pay attention to how culture factors influence upon translation work. Feminism is one of these new schools, proposed by a group of feminists that gender and sexual elements should be considered in translation. This paper aims to make a brief introduction of this famous school and tries to assess its influence in an objective and proper way.I.Background and Description of feminismTranslation studies, from traditional perspective, are mostly discussed in the interior of the text on such as lexicon level, grammar level, and discourse level. Until 1950s, scholars and translators gathered their focus on the “Cultural turn”: the term used in translation studies for the move towards the analysis of translation from a cultural studies angle. (Jeremy Munday, 2001). A lot of theories sprout up, of which most representative three are: rewriting, feminism and postcolonial translation theory. Feminism translation theories, with the most controversies among them, deserve a further discussion.In retrospection of the history of description of translation theories, we do find that most of them are related to gender, more specifically, to woman. Feminism translation theory is such a school focusing on this issue. To assess this series of theories critically, a comprehensive review and analysis is made about the influence of feminism on translation theories, translators, translation practices and translation works in this paper.II.Major points of view in this areaInitially, feminism is not a translational notion, but a sociological one. Feminism can be defined as a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Simon de Beauvoir’s most famous assertion, from her The Second Sex, that “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” can be seen as the fundamental theory of feminism. Deducted from Simon’s words, translation is also gendered not by its nature, but the impacts and definitions given by human beings.So early in 17th century did people start to connect translation and gender. A famoustranslator John Florio (1603) said “Translations are defective and therefore all translations are reputed females.”And Sherry Simon, the most well-known pioneer of feminism translation school, in her Gender in Translation: Cultural Identity and the Politics of Translation (Simon, 1996), originally takes gender-studies factor into account in translation. She states that “Both women and the translation to the bottom of the social ladder” (Simon, 1996).In a word, translation work, compared with the source text, is always so-called second rate, between which the relationship is similar in gender—women are always inferior to men. That similarity brings possibility of the combination of the female and translation (Geng Qiang, 2004).III.The influence on translationAs a new-generated school, feminism translation theory did infuse new blood in people’s notion on translation in modern time. But it brought about a huge impact against traditional theories, with both praise and criticism. In this part, an elaborated analysis is made upon the influence on translation in three aspects.1.On translation theoryThe most shocking earthquake occurred in translation theory. When illustrating problems like what translation is and how translation works, translators and scholars tend to use a lot of descriptive words and even metaphors to make their viewpoints vivid and easy to be understood. Unfortunately, many of them are involved with terms about women, which in feminists’ eyes, suggesting obvious sexism and crude inequality. The most widely-known one is perhaps an assertion by Gilles Menage’s “Les belles infidelles”, which means “unfaithful beauty”, used to describe those translation works full of fine words but are not so close to the original one. Feminists also criticize these widely-used words in translation like fidelity, faithful and traitor for they indicate an unequal relationship between wife and husband.Feminists hence propose to avoid using such feminine-oriented terms, or at least discriminative words about women when describing translation theories. The influence of this campaign is indeed positive and significant. Their proposals help removing malefic factors of negative old-fashion from translation theory and generating a healthy academic atmosphere for translators. By adding gender factor into consideration, a hot topic then in politics, feminists strengthened a progressive trend associating translation and culture background rather thandiscussing translation solely limited translation itself. Translation, is not only a literal and inter-culture movement, also could be a political weapon. Just as a famous paragraph said by a committed feminist translator, Susanne de Lotbiniere-Harwood is “My translation practice is a political activity aimed at making language speak for women. So my signature on a translation means: this translation has used every translation strategy to make the feminine visible in language.” (Cited in Simon, 1996)2.On translation practiceIn practice, feminists attempt to omit suspiciously discriminative phenomenon in any language and highlight those feminine factors in the text by using some translation methods. Louis von Flotow (1991) summarized three main methods feminists often use in their translation practice: supplementing, prefacing and footnoting, hijacking. Supplementing is a common methods not merely used by feminists translators. But in their translation, the method mainly aims to supplement those meanings about gender which are absent in source text. An instance is in word HuMan, an extraordinarily capitalized M ironically demonstrates the sexism hided in the text. Prefacing is a much more ordinary method, including explaining writing background, demonstrating author’s intention, and introducing translation strategies, in order to underscore feminine factors in translation works. Hijacking means operating and appreciating the text and rewriting according to translators’intentions. Feminist translators often rewrite a text without gender significance into a new version to make the text expose feminine meanings. These main methods and others show a sense of independence and creativity of feminists.The influence of feminists’ creation in translation practices, positively, increases variety of translation strategies and techniques. But some of them, especially hijacking, did receive a severe controversy and even serious criticizing words. First of all, one result of hijacking is destruction of the source text by adding many translators’ subjective intentions. In the second place, hijacking strategy confusingly mixes translation and composition. Given too much transfiguration, it is hard for readers to justify a text of feminist translators on earth a translation work or an originally writing one.3.On translatorsWhen talking about translator, the influence of feminism is quite beneficial, for not only increasing status of female translators, improving their rewards, but recognizing their contribution and their creativity in translation.Both in translation and politics, feminists achieved their purpose of letting voices of females be heard. More attention started to be paid on female translators and their works, in which differences translation style from male translators to be recognized. In this aspect, feminism deserves its high reputation in history of translation.IV.Problem and CausesThroughout feminism translation theory, the problems and controversies it caused are almost as many as its contribution. The most famous one, as just mentioned, is feminist translators operate and appreciate source texts too much, for political accomplishment, which renders a harmful result that a yawning gap between their translated works and the original one. It is totally unbeneficial for translation practice.This result may attributes to their over-emphasis on “feminism” rather than “feminism and literacy”. After all, translation is a study related to language and literacy. Culture elements such as politics, should be considered, but too much participation will goes to reverse.V.Proposed solutionA possible solution for problems caused by feminism translation theory could be Androgyny, which refers to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics (Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed.), is firstly used in ethics then in literacy and translation. Virginia Woolf, in her book A Room of One’s Own (1957), came up with this notion in literal composition for the first time. She says there is a sex ambiguity in one’s minds: one represents the masculine, the other the feminine and only when two sides stay in harmony, they could generate fantastic inspiration in a composer’s mind.Androgyny is perhaps a final target for all sexists. Indeed it is hard to be totally achieved in composition and translation, but some instances prove that it could be successfully accomplished in arts and literacy. One of four famous characters of Beijing Opera, Mei Lanfang is well-known for his marvelous and delicate performance as a woman, yet he is masculine performer. Most of great male writers also create many feminine characters in their fictions, poems or operas. Therefore, the same thing is likely to happen in translation as longas translators combine advantages of both sexes together when they try to adopt feminism translation strategy.VI.ConclusionIt is really a progress for translators and scholars to take external cultural elements such as politics, social ethics into account rather than only make a translation study in the Ivory Tower. Many new schools sprout up and majorities of new ideas grew up. It is necessary for translators to assess feminism translation strategy and its influence objectively and properly. What’s more, translators should have a capacity of avoiding too much external factors in translation practice. Best translation works, with no doubts, are those mostly close to the original text. Over emphasizing cultural factors may confuse and mislead translator, strain their focus from translation itself, which ultimately could be a catastrophe for translation. VII.References1 Munday J. Introducing translation studies: Theories and applications[M]. Taylor & Francis, 2008.2 耿强. 西方女性主义翻译理论述评[J]. 西南科技大学学报(哲学社会科学版), 2004, 3: 002.3 初雪燕. “双性同体”——女性主义翻译的健康发展之路[J]. 现代交际: 下半月, 2010 (007): 124-125.4 蒋骁华. 女性主义对翻译理论的影响[J]. 中国翻译, 2004, 25(4): 10-15.5 黄彩霞. 翻译的性别隐喻及女性主义翻译策略[J]. 中美英语教学, 2007, 4(11):66-68.6 张建萍, 赵宁. “翻译的性别” 和“性别中的翻译”——从女性主义翻译理论谈起[J].南京理工大学学报(社会科学版), 2009, 2: 019.。
对男女平等的讨论英语作文题目，A Discussion on Gender Equality。
Gender equality, a fundamental principle of human rights, is a concept that has gained increasing attention and significance in contemporary society. In this essay, we will delve into the multifaceted aspects of gender equality, exploring its importance, challenges, and implications for individuals and societies.To begin with, gender equality entails ensuring that both men and women enjoy the same rights, opportunities,and treatment in all spheres of life. This encompasses various dimensions such as economic participation,political representation, education, healthcare, and social interactions. Achieving gender equality is not merely a matter of fairness and justice but also a prerequisite for sustainable development and societal progress.One of the key arguments in favor of gender equality isits role in fostering economic growth and prosperity. When women are empowered with equal access to education and employment opportunities, they contribute significantly to the workforce and GDP of a nation. Studies have shown that closing the gender gap in labor force participation could boost global GDP by trillions of dollars. Moreover, promoting gender equality leads to better utilization of human capital, innovation, and productivity enhancement.Furthermore, gender equality is essential for building inclusive and democratic societies. Equal representation of men and women in decision-making processes ensures diverse perspectives and better reflects the interests and needs of the entire population. Women's participation in politics and leadership positions is not only a matter of rights but also contributes to more effective governance and policy outcomes. Countries with higher levels of gender equality tend to have lower levels of corruption and greater social cohesion.However, despite the progress made in recent decades, gender inequality persists in various forms and contextsaround the world. Discrimination, stereotypes, and cultural norms continue to limit the opportunities and rights of women and girls in many societies. Gender-based violence, unequal access to education and healthcare, wage gaps, and underrepresentation in leadership positions are among the persistent challenges that need to be addressed comprehensively.Education plays a pivotal role in challenging gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality from an early age. By incorporating gender-sensitive curricula and promoting values of respect, empathy, and equality, schools can contribute to shaping attitudes and behaviors that reject discrimination and promote gender equity. Moreover,investing in girls' education has been identified as one of the most effective strategies for breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering future generations.In addition to policy interventions, fostering aculture of gender equality requires collective efforts from various stakeholders including governments, civil society, the private sector, and individuals. Campaigns to raiseawareness, legal reforms to ensure equal rights and protections, affirmative action measures to promote women's participation in decision-making, and initiatives to challenge harmful gender norms are all integral components of advancing gender equality.In conclusion, gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development, fostering inclusive societies, and promoting human rights. While progress has been made, much remains to be done to address the systemic barriers and challenges that perpetuate gender inequality. By working together and upholding the principles of equality and justice, we can create a world where every individual, regardless of gender, can fulfill their potential and contribute to a more equitable and prosperous future.---。
Gender and Differences课后答案 篇一： 题目： 一、英语学科阅读理解章节（中等难度） Read the following passage and answer the questions. In many societies, there are different expectations for men and women. For example, in some cultures, it is more acceptable for men to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), while women are often encouraged to focus on fields like education, nursing, or humanities. This gender based division has both historical and cultural roots. However, in recent years, there has been a growing movement to break down these gender barriers in career choices.
Question 1: What are some of the traditional career fields for men and women according to the passage?
Question 2: What is the trend in recent years regarding gender and career choices?
答案： Answer to Question 1: For men, traditional career fields include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). For women, traditional career fields are education, nursing, or humanities. Answer to Question 2: In recent years, there has been a growing movement to break down gender barriers in career choices.
性别歧视英语作文Title: Tackling Gender Discrimination: A Call for Equality。
Gender discrimination, a pervasive issue in our society, continues to hinder progress towards true equality. Despite significant strides in recent years, disparities in opportunities, treatment, and perception persist based on one's gender. This essay explores the various dimensions of gender discrimination and advocates for concerted effortsto combat this injustice.To begin with, gender discrimination manifests in numerous aspects of life, ranging from employment opportunities to educational attainment and even in social interactions. In the workplace, women often face unequalpay for equal work and are underrepresented in leadership positions. Studies have shown that for every dollar earned by a man, women earn significantly less, reflecting a systemic bias that devalues women's contributions.Furthermore, gender stereotypes dictate career choices, limiting women's access to traditionally male-dominated fields such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).In education, gender discrimination can be observed in the differential treatment of boys and girls, both in classrooms and in extracurricular activities. Teachers' unconscious biases may influence grading practices, resulting in the underestimation of girls' academic abilities. Moreover, societal expectations regarding gender roles may discourage girls from pursuing subjects like mathematics and physics, perpetuating the gender gap in STEM fields.Beyond these institutionalized forms of discrimination, gender bias pervades social interactions, shaping perceptions of masculinity and femininity. Boys are often discouraged from displaying vulnerability or expressing emotions other than anger, while girls are expected to conform to narrow standards of beauty and behavior. Such stereotypes not only limit individual freedom but alsocontribute to a culture of toxic masculinity and gender-based violence.Addressing gender discrimination requires a multifaceted approach involving legislative measures, educational initiatives, and cultural change. Firstly, governments must enact and enforce laws that promote gender equality in all spheres of life, including the workplace, education, and healthcare. This entails implementing policies that guarantee equal pay for equal work, provide support for working parents, and combat gender-based violence.In addition to legal measures, educational institutions play a crucial role in challenging gender stereotypes and promoting inclusivity. Teachers should undergo training to recognize and mitigate unconscious biases, fostering an environment where all students feel valued and respected regardless of their gender identity. Furthermore, curricula should be revised to highlight the contributions of women and LGBTQ+ individuals in history, science, and the arts, challenging the dominant narrative that privileges maleachievements.Cultural change is perhaps the most challenging aspect of combating gender discrimination, as it requires challenging deeply ingrained beliefs and norms. Media representation plays a significant role in shaping attitudes towards gender, and therefore, media producers have a responsibility to portray diverse and nuanced depictions of masculinity and femininity. Likewise, community leaders, religious institutions, and grassroots organizations can promote dialogue and awareness-raising initiatives to challenge harmful stereotypes and promote gender equality.In conclusion, gender discrimination remains a pervasive problem that undermines the principles of equality and justice. By recognizing the various forms in which discrimination manifests and taking concerted action to address them, we can create a society where individuals are judged based on their merits rather than their gender. Only through collective effort can we dismantle the barriers that perpetuate inequality and create a worldwhere everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of gender.。
