A Paratextual Study of the Publication and Translation of American Ethnic Literature in Taiwan

[[abstract]]近三十年來，少數民族文學作品快速增長，儼然成美國文學「典律」之一； 在台灣，少數當代國際知名的美國族裔文學作家的作品，透過著名出版社的推波 助瀾之下，在90 年代之後相繼出現在大型書店及圖書館，雖然已在台灣出版的 翻譯作品為數不多，卻也為台灣讀者引薦另類較不為人知的美國族群文學與文化， 這樣的選材已有別於過去出版社翻/重譯讀者爾孰能詳的英美經典文學名著。在 翻譯過程中，出版社與譯者的介入與干預無可避免，譯文常會因出版社為本地讀 者設想之下，為了讓譯文兼具可親性與易讀性，而開啟「文化過濾網」的機制， 使異域文本受到某種程度的變形和改寫。 鑑於美國少數族裔文學的譯本陸續在台灣出版，本文將透過類文本分析， 探討這類文學作品在台灣如何被引介給台灣讀者，本文將針對以下三部份作深入 討論：(1)台灣出版社與譯者的跨文化認知及溝通模式：針對譯著文本的設計， 探討出版社與譯者在出版與翻譯過程中的介入與操控，這些介入與操控如何影響 異域文本中他者的文化呈現，對於族群異質性投射出什麼樣的想像。（2）從後殖 民性的角度探討台灣出版界出版這些譯本的價值規範機制，此套機制如何界定或 建構所謂文化差異與他者之文化價值。（3）在商品全球化的推波助瀾之下，這 些譯本的出版是否變成文化差異同化的推手，或在目的語文化中變裝成為一新興 文類，能擴展國人對於外來文化差異的認知。 初步研究結果顯示，出版社與譯者在出版與翻譯過程中的操控與介入，如： 譯著文本的設計與譯者在譯序/導讀/譯注的書寫，均有助於強化美國少數族群文 學中他者的文化呈現，由學者所翻譯的作品尤其顯著。若從後殖民性的角度來看 台灣出版界出版這些譯本的價值規範機制，明顯可見這些譯本數量不多，其功能 並非被設定為消彌或補強外來文化差異的認知，因為從出版社的網路及平面行銷 文宣來看，這些作品中所透露出的異國風情鮮少被拿來當作行銷手段，因此這些 作品的輸入絕非是對於霸權文化的崇拜，且出版社在挑選及鎖定的特定後殖民文 學作品與作家時，其選擇機制仍以原著或其作者是否曾得過有名之文學大獎為主， 而被挑選出的作家其作品並非每本都會被翻譯出版，後續之研究擬將透過訪談贊 助者（如：出版社）方式，針對其挑選機制作深入探討。[[abstract]]In the past three decades, the publication of American ethnic literature has been increased in numbers and becomes the “canon within the canon of American literature.” Lots of well-known works are being translated and published in Taiwan after 1990. Although the amount of translated works is not great in numbers, this selection of non-classical American literature for translation and publication is significant. During the process of translation and production, the translators’ and publishers’ intervention and manipulation is inevitable. To increase the readability and accessibility, the ethnic text may undergo certain transformation and adjustment with a purpose to cater for the target-text readers’ need and expectation. Whereas the translation and publication of American ethnic literature is a unique phenomenon, this paper aims to conduct a paratextual study of how American ethnic literature is mediated for the readers in Taiwan. The investigation and discussion is centered around the following three aspects: (1) the design of translation that shows the publisher’s and the translator’s intrusion and intervention, (2) the publisher’s value-regulating mechanism from the perspective of postcoloniality, (3) whether the comprehension of cultural differences can be expanded in the era of globalization and commodification. As tentative findings show, the translators’ and publishers’ intervention and manipulation (i.e. design of translation, annotation) strengthens the representation of ethnic other. This tendency can be found particularly in the translation done by the scholars. From the perspective of postcoloniality to measure the publishers’ value-regulating mechanism, it is apparent that the ethnic works selected for translation is small in number. Moreover, the function of these works is altered. They do not merely serve to mediate or increase the awareness of cultural difference. It is found that the publishers seldom appropriate the concept of ethnicity as their marketing strategy. Therefore, it can be concluded that the ethnic texts imported from America are not due to the worship of hegemonic culture. When selecting the texts for translation and publication, the publishers’ selection criteria mainly relies on the author’s fame and the awards received. Also, not every work written by the same author is published. Further research on the publisher’s selection mechanism will be conducted by means of interviewing the editors of these translation works.[[note]]NSC102-2410-H327-01