English Stylistics in a Chinese-English literary translation classroom

This study describes a stylistics-based pedagogical approach to literary translation. Such a stylistic approach was conceived in an attempt to resolve what might be seen as a paradox in today's classroom: that despite style being persistently invoked as a top priority in literary translation, it is seldom examined in systematic detail or dissected into operable parts. It is proposed here that a set of tools can be defined, taught and explored through the discipline of stylistics to assist in the accomplishment of the style imperative. The study examines first the theoretical background to the approach and pedagogical motivations underpinning it. It then details the design and implementation of a semester-long course entitled 'Translating Chinese Literature' that engages third-year translation majors in inverse literary translation at a Chinese university, zooming in on a module of linguistic foregrounding. In conclusion, outcomes of the approach are shown with reference to questionnaire responses.