A Study on the “Truth-Seeking and Utility-Attaining” in Julia Lovell’s Translation of The True Story of Ah Q from the Perspective of Translator Behavior Criticism

Abstract

This study employs the framework of translator behavior criticism to conduct a systematic examination of Julia Lovell’s English translation of The True Story of Ah Q, utilizing the “intra-translation and extra-translation dichotomy.” The research investigates how extra-translation factors—such as the translator’s identity, translation motivations, and target readership positioning—shape the formation of the translated text. Through an analysis of intra-translation elements, including linguistic stylistic features, strategies for handling culture-loaded terms, and the use of paratexts, the study reveals the dynamic balance of Lovell’s translation within the “truth-seeking—utility-attaining” continuum. The findings demonstrate that as a Western sinologist-translator, Julia Lovell’s cultural identity, combined with the market-oriented approach of Penguin Books, has collectively shaped a distinctly “reader-oriented” characteristic in her translation. In rendering culture-specific items, she predominantly adopts domesticating strategies, enhancing readability through simplified sentence structures and other accessibility measures to achieve utilitarian goals. Simultaneously, the translator retains an appropriate degree of foreignness in the treatment of key cultural concepts, reflecting a dialectical balance between “authorial fidelity” and “reader adaptation.”