Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Lin Wang
• Saengchan Hemchua

Shinawatra University, Thailand

Abstract

This paper briefly introduces Bakhtin’s dialogism and the two basic concepts of the self and others. A detailed descriptive analysis of Lin Yutang’s translation reveals that Lin Yutang displays his dialogic consciousness in his awareness of others, which can be drawn from his statement about the translator’s responsibilities, namely, the responsibility for the author, the reader, the sponsor, and even the arts. The authors point out that Lin’s consciousness of dialogue is the key factor for his successful dissemination of Chinese cultures to the West. Then, by tracing back the original roots of Lin’s consciousness of dialogue, the paper digs into his views on Chinese and Western cultures. It is expected to illustrate the applicability of Bakhtin’s dialogism in translation theory and unveil the dialogic nature of Lin’s translation thought as well, hoping to provide some guidance for the contemporary dissemination of Chinese literature and classics.

Keywords

• Bakhtin
• Dialogism
• Self and others
• Lin Yutang
• Translation thought