Translator’s Ideology, Dominant Ideology and the Use of Pseudonym

An Analysis of a Chinese Version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm

Abstract

This article seeks to decipher the intricate relationship between translation, the translator’s ideology, the dominant ideology, and the use of pseudonym. It does so through analyzing Liang Shiqiu’s Chinese version of George Orwell’s political satire  Animal Farm, written under the pen name of Li Qichun. We will investigate the similarities and differences between Liang’s translations under the pseudonym and the ones written under his real name. In addition, we will explore the conflicts that existed between the translator’s ideology and the dominant ideology of the time when the translation was produced, trying to solve the riddle of why he used the pen name Li Qichun when translating  Animal Farm. The study indicates that although there is a similarity between Liang’s translation of  Animal Farm under the pen name of Li Qichun and his translation work under his real name, the differences are significant. In terms of the translator’s ideology, Liang was against any form of totalitarianism. The purpose behind translating  Animal Farm was to combat totalitarianism, but ironically and paradoxically the society in which the translation was produced was also a totalitarian society. Through reference to the pseudonym we may discover the interactions and conflicts that exist between the translator’s ideology and the dominant ideology of a certain special historical period.