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Abstract

With literature serving as a means to convey cultural norms and values across generations, the relationship between culture and literature is intricate and expansive; therefore, translation plays a crucial role in broadening cultural understanding, especially in a globalized world. However, the translation process faces challenges in preserving cultural perspectives due to inherent cultural and linguistic disparities. This paper focuses on the challenges faced in translating Achebe’s Things Fall Apart into Chinese and emphasizes the need for a holistic framework—Eco-Translatology, which considers the ecological perspective, the translator’s selection and adaptation, and the textual environment, to address the challenges encountered in translation. By adopting a multi-dimensional perspective incorporating linguistic, communicative, cultural, esthetic, and rhetorical dimensions, the study explores practical ways to bridge cultural, linguistic, communicative, and esthetic gaps, offering fresh insights and perspectives for translators working on English-Chinese translations, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the translational challenges and proposing practical solutions in the translation of cultural elements.

Keywords

Eco-Translatology multi-dimensional perspective translators’ Adaptive selection/selective adaptation English-Chinese translation

Introduction

The complex intertwining between culture and literature has been long and encompassing (Saroukhil et al., 2018). Thus, literature has been used as a tool to broaden the concept of culture further. Intrinsically. Literature is a medium to project and transfer norms and values, either orally or written, from one generation to another. A prevalent method through which literature serves this purpose is through translation (Sun, 2022).

In a globalized world, translation is a fundamental tool that serves many purposes. Translating informational, scientific, cultural, and literary texts helps create clear communication and cultural exchange, even when the languages and cultures are distinct (Köksal & Yürük, 2017). Translation entails a text’s reproduction, exchange, and transfer from the Source Language to the Target Language (Palumbo, 2009). Cultural translation is “a translation in which the content of the message is changed to conform to the receptor culture in some way, and/or in which information is introduced which is not linguistically implicit in the original” (Nida & Taber, 1974 p. 199). Evidently, the cultural translation of various literary texts has enabled readers of other nationalities, races, and ethnicities to understand other people’s cultural norms, values, and ways of life. For instance, translating Things Fall Apart’s literary text (abbreviated as TFA in this paper) into Mandarin allows Chinese readers to understand African culture’s norms, values, and richness.

However, significant challenges are still faced in projecting and preserving crucial cultural perspectives during translation due to inherent cultural and linguistic disparities. These existing cultural and linguistic differences cause problems in translation, so it becomes crucial that translators find cultural equivalents to convey the meaning to the target audience (Al-Adba, 2022). The concept of culture-specific items or phenomena “that is present in culture X but not present (in the same way) in culture Y” (Nord, 2018, p. 34). These culture-specific items with no equivalents available in the target language and culture often serve as impediments and hindrances to the translator in providing a powerful context for these kinds of cultural exchange that rapid globalization requires. Consequently, most translators adopt principles, methods, and strategies to overcome such challenging tasks, making their translational task simpler and more comprehensive to Target-text (TT) readers.

Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) is an African novel about Okonkwo, the tragic hero and lead character facing his struggles and the impact of British colonialism on Igbo society. Through the narrative, Achebe describes the richness and complexities of Igbo culture and society, articulating an insider’s sense of the African experience. It is a seminal African novel celebrated for its portrayal of African life and traditions, one of the few books in West African school curricula and enjoying popularity around the world as it has been translated into different languages such as 这个世界土崩瓦解了 (Zhe ge Shijie Tou Beng Wajie le, abbreviated as ZSTBW in this paper) in Chinese.

Previous literature on Things Fall Apart has been explored and examined from various perspectives, such as literary (Altintas, 2015; Arbaoui, 2018; Dlnya, 2021; Rashid, 2018), linguistics (Abua Ebim, 2021; Livina Nkeiruka & Otagburuagu, 2022; Purnomosasi et al., 2021), and Translation (Arenberg, 2016; Ayoola, 2021; Babaii & Rashed, 2017; Mary, 2018; Mkhize, 2000; Moruwawon, 2012; Paziraie, 2012). The translation of Things Fall Apart into 61 languages has led researchers to explore and investigate the various translations of different languages, such as English, French, German, Yoruba, Swedish, Swahili, Xhosa, and other languages except for Chinese. Meanwhile, it is also noticeable that most previous literature primarily focused on using theories such as the Critical Discourse Analysis (Abua Ebim, 2021), Functional Approach (Purnomosasi et al., 2021), Foreignization and Polysystem (Arenberg, 2016), and Van Leeuwen model (Babaii & Rashed, 2017), within-to-within approach (Ayoola, 2021) to analyze challenges and problems in the translation of Things Fall Apart. However, those prior studies had shortcomings since their prognostics might be myopic and focus primarily on linguistic equivalence or communicative effectiveness.

The utilization of Eco-Translatology as a theoretical framework becomes crucial in addressing the need for a holistic approach that supports translational activities from an ecological perspective. Eco-Translatology, introduced by Hu Gengsheng in 2001, is widely employed in various texts (Amenador & Wang, 2022; Bo, 2014; Ganggui & Hongguo, 2022; W. Guo, 2021; C. Guo & Liu, 2022; Jun, 2020; Li et al., 2022; Ma, 2014; Qianting, 2020; X. Xu & Zhou, 2015; Yu, 2017; Zeng, 2019; Zhou & Zhang, 2019), interpreting the translation process by considering the text, its environment, and the translator’s selection and adaptation. With the increasing concern about climate change and its disastrous effect on contemporary human life and society, which was a result of industrialization, various scientists and ecologists from multiple fields of study, such as ecology, anthropology, and a host of others (Hu, 2020), have clamored for the need for Eco-environmental, Eco-protection, and Eco-friendliness. This Ecological movement has rapidly integrated into other disciplinary fields, such as social sciences and humanities, leading to new areas of study like Ecocriticism, Ecolinguistics, and Eco-Translatology.

Eco-Translatology is a new paradigm of translation that combines ecology and translation. It is a translation theory propounded by a Chinese scholar, Gengshen Hu to strike a new path in the field of translation. Eco-Translatology, as a field of translation, interprets translation activities from the ecological perspective. According to Hu (2020), Eco-Translatology is the “holistic study of investigating the interaction and interrelation between textual ecology, translation-community, ecology, and translation-environment ecology and cross-discipline aimed at a synthetic description of translation activities from an ecological perspective” (p. 15). Various scholars used Eco-Translatology as a framework for examining translation texts from different perspectives, such as feminism (Yu, 2017), Geotourism (Li et al., 2022), documentary (Yang, 2019; Zhou & Zhang, 2019), Literary texts (W. Guo, 2021; Junyang, 2022), Food (C. Guo & Liu, 2022; L. Xu & Huang, 2023) Chinese-English Translation of Public Signs (Amenador & Wang, 2022; Ganggui & Hongguo, 2022; Ma, 2014; Zeng, 2019), Animation (Qianting, 2020) Advertisement (Bo, 2014), and a host of others.

Eco-Translatology, embodying the philosophical concept of “harmony and balance,” has come up with many new ideas and research focuses of translation studies like translational eco-environment and the translator’s adaptation and selection to address various concerns in translation, such as translation process and strategies. The principle of multi-dimensional transformation and multi-dimensional selections is a theoretical perspective of Eco-Translatology classified into linguistics, communicative, and cultural dimensions (Hu, 2020). However, aside from the proposed well-known three dimensions, the addition of esthetics and rhetorical dimensions in this study add more to the existing dimensions and illustrate the textual transplant from the Source-Text (ST) ecology to the TT Eco-environment.

Since Eco-Translatology focuses on the coordination and maintenance of balance and harmony of the textual ecology, the translator, through selective adaptation and adaptive selection, is saddled with the responsibility of maintaining the ST ecological elements during transplanting through adaptive selection enhancing the survival in TT ecological environment. This implies that the translator is required to scrutinize and examine the language, the transmission and interpretation of cultural connotations of source and target languages, and the realization of bilingual/communicative intention. The linguistic adaptive transformation entails the transformation during the transplanting process at the various linguistic levels, such as the vocabulary, sentences, and syntactic structure. The cultural dimension involves the translator’s adaptation of the ST cultural elements while transplanting them into the TT ecology to ensure balance, harmony, and textual survival in the TT environment. The esthetic dimension entails the translator’s adaptation and selection of the ST environmental elements maintaining the beauty and style in the TT ecology to create an artistic effect on the TT readers. The rhetorical dimension refers to the translator’s adaptation and selection of the ST ecological elements, such as the style, tone, and impact of the ST elements in the TT ecology, considering the translator’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques. On the other hand, the communicative dimension involves a translator ensuring the transformation of the author’s intention or purpose is transmitted and effectively communicated to the TT readers.

Research Methodology

This study did not utilize any numerical or quantitative data but adopted the interpretive approach of qualitative research, which is particularly suitable for attaining a profound and comprehensive understanding of the research objectives (Wang et al., 2019). Therefore, this study analyzes Gao’s Chinese translation of Things Fall Apart using the Multi-dimensional perspective of Eco-Translatology.

Data Collection

The source text is Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, written in 1954, one of the most well-known significant texts in the history of African literature. To gather data for the analysis, the researchers conducted a meticulous and in-depth close reading of Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and its translation Zhe ge Shijie Tou Beng Wajie le to identify instances of translation challenges and selective adaptations made by the translator during the process of rendering the work into Chinese. By focusing on specific linguistic, cultural, communicative, esthetic, and rhetorical dimensions, the researchers aimed to uncover the intricacies and complexities of the translation process.

Results and Discussion

In This Section, Numerous Instances of the Samples Collected Are

analyzed to highlight the translation challenges and selective adaptations made by the translator during the transplanting process into Chinese, focusing on linguistic, cultural, communicative, esthetic, and rhetorical dimensions.

Linguistics Dimension

The linguistic dimension involves the linguistic transformation of the ST lingual form into the TT environment during the transplanting process. The translator must be creative and skilled during the transplantation process, scrutinizing the language form at various levels and aspects to enhance quality transformation.

ZSTWB and TFA have different language forms and structures. The ZSTWB language form is paratactic, while TFA is hypotactic. The translator transforms the language form and structure to conform to the TL ecological system. Paratactic languages do not require conjunctions to create a meaningful relationship with other elements, as opposed to Hypotactic languages, which are concerned with the integrity of the sentence structure. During transplanting, the translator should creatively adjust the sentence structure and improve the language content to enhance vividness and clarity for TT readers.

Example 1

TFA: The drums beat, and the flutes sang, and the spectators held their breath. Amalinze was a wily craftsman, but Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water. Every nerve and every muscle stood out on their arms, on their backs and their thighs, and one almost heard them stretching to breaking point.

ZSTBW: 鼓声咚咚，笛子呜呜，观众们屏息凝神。阿玛林兹是个机变百出的能手，但奥贡喀沃滑溜得像水里的鱼。两人胳膊，背和大腿上的筋络根根浮现，肌肉块块暴凸。

In Example 1 above, ZSTBW expresses the fierceness of the wrestling competition that makes everyone absorbed in watching it and not wanting to miss even a bit of it. The translator uses the idiom “屏息凝神” for “held their breath” not only to transplant the meaning of “held their breath” (屏息）) but also adds “凝神” (with rapt attention), it is in line with the TL ecological form and fully expresses the fierceness. In this way, it is also conducive to portraying the hero Okonkwo’s greatness in defeating his rival, the Cat. The verb phrases “浮现”, and “暴凸” vividly show how they try their best to win the match, that every nerve and muscle can be seen clearly from a distance, which helps to create a mental image for the reader to perceive the fierceness of the wrestle fully and to understand how difficult for them to win the wrestling competition.

Example 2

TFA: “Umuofia Kwenu,” he bellowed a fifth time, and the crowd yelled in answer. And then suddenly like one possessed he shot out his left hand and pointed in the direction of Mbaino and said through gleaming white teeth firmly clenched: “Those sons of wild animals have dared to murder a daughter of Umuofia.”

ZSTWB: “乌姆奥菲亚人团结一心! 他第五次大声喊道，人群以喊叫作答。接着他像着了魔似的，猛地伸出左手，指着恩拜诺的方向，咬紧一口亮闪闪的白牙，从牙缝里挤出话来: “那些畜生养的居然敢杀害乌姆奥菲亚人的女儿。”

In ZSTWB, the translator used the Target language structure, which is paratactic. The adaptive selection of the paratactic structure makes the TT sentence stylish and meaningfully connected without using conjunctions, unlike TFA, which uses the conjunctions “and” in linking up with other sentence elements. This is clearly illustrated in ZSTBW and TFA where the TFA subject of the sentence “Darkness held a vague terror for those people” is placed at the object position in ZSTBW “……“……黑暗永远意味着一种难以捉摸的恐惧.”.” This sentence structure makes the TT readers clearly assimilate and understand the TT effectively.

Example 3

TFA: The total effect was gay and brisk, but if one picked out the flute as it went up and down and then broken up into short snatches, one saw that there was sorrow and grief there.

ZSTWB: ：整体效果是愉快活泼、生气勃勃的，可是当人们单独聆听他忽高忽低、时断时续的笛声时，就会发现其中蕴含的哀愁和悲伤。

Chinese are prone to use four-character idioms to convey meanings and express feelings, while in English use simple words or the “adjective +and +adjective” structure. In the above case, the translator transplants “gay,”“brisk,”“go up and down,” and “broken up into short snatches” as “愉快活泼,” “生机勃勃,” “忽高忽低,” and “时断时续” respectively. The translator’s linguistic transformation of these four-character idioms ensures balanced, smooth, catchy, and substantial effects in meaning and emotion, better communicating its linguistic transformation to Chinese readers and aligning with Chinese characters.

Cultural Dimension

The transformation of the cultural dimension involves transplanting and analyzing the ST and the TT cultural elements. The translator should consider “the obstacles caused by the cultural differences and striving for balance and harmony between the cultural ecologies of the two languages to guarantee the smooth realization of information exchange” (Hu, 2020, p. 163). This means that in the transformation process, the translator should avoid distortion of content and nature and strike a balance between the cultural elements of ST and TT ecology. This strategy “gives the reader a concept with which he/she can identify something” (Baker, 1993, p. 31). In ZSTBW, the translator used the extending substitution technique (Hu, 2020) to evade some transplantation problems relating to cultural differences between the Igbo and the Chinese culture.

Example 4

TFA: The crowd then shouted with anger and thirst for blood.

ZSTBW: 群众愤怒地咆哮起来，杀意冲天。

In example 4, both the TFA and ZSTBW express strong emotions, specifically anger and a thirst for blood, which, to some extent, reflects aggression and a desire for violence within the crowd. The use of the term “the crowd” and “群众” in both versions suggests a collective response rather than an individual one. It implies a shared sentiment or unified expression of anger and bloodlust within the group, emphasizing the interconnectedness of community members and their collective responsibility for the group’s well-being, thereby portraying the cultural dimension of collectivism. The translator adaptively selects vivid and intense phrases like “群众愤怒地咆哮起来” and “杀意冲天” in ZSTBW to describe the crowd’s reaction and to convey a heightened sense of intensity, which aligns with Chinese cultural ecology that appreciates dramatic and passionate expressions.

Example 5

TFA: The sickness was an abomination to the earth.

ZSTBW: 这种病是对地母的一种亵渎。

On the one hand, the ST ecology conveys a sense of condemnation toward the sickness and its impact on the earth. To selectively adapt this sentiment taking into consideration the TT ecological culture, the translator adaptively selects the term “亵渎,” which shares the same meaning as “abomination” but, at the same time, carries the cultural connotation of “desecration” in Chinese. This adaptation maintains the negative sentiment toward the sickness while aligning it with the cultural values and beliefs in the TT ecology. On the other hand, both the ST and TT ecologies demonstrate a connection between sickness and the earth. In the TT ecology, the translator has maintained the reference to “地母,” which transplants to “Mother Earth.” This adaptive selection embodies that the earth is considered a nurturing and sacred entity in Chinese culture. By selectively adapting certain words, the translator has provided a culturally sensitive translation.

Communicative Dimension

Transplanting from the ST ecology to the TT ecology through the adaptive change of both language ecologies must express clarity, balance, and communicative intentions. The transformation occurs at the communication level, where the translator is expected to transform the linguistic and cultural elements to reflect the communicative intent of the ST ecology in terms of thoughts. The effectiveness of the communicative dimension enables TT readers to have a vivid imagination and natural sense of actions and emotional feelings expressed by the author in the original work.

Example 6

TFA: They would go to such hosts for as long as three or four markets, making music and feasting.

ZSTWB: 乌诺卡他们有时会在这样的主人那里度过三四个大集，奏奏音乐, 大摆宴席.

In the example above, the translator was able to transplant the ST into the TT ecology but failed to successfully keep the ST ecology alive in the TT during the transplanting process. The translator’s opting for the literal translation of the ST “three or four markets” into the TT “ 三四个大集 ” results in miscommunication and misunderstanding in the TT ecology. In the Igbo ecological environment, a week of the market is 4 days, and the market day is on the first day of each week, 7 weeks a month. That is to say if the week is 4 days, three to four markets is a period of 12 to 16 days. Even though the translator adaptively added a footnote to explain what a market day means or how long it lasts, it failed to make the TT readers understand and comprehend the TT effectively.

Transplanting the term “feast” to “大摆宴席” calls for the need for improvement since the translator miscommunicated the semantic connotation. Therefore, the adaptation and selection of the term “大摆宴席” transplanted as “尽情享受美酒佳肴” gives the reader a sense of clarity and understanding that “anywhere Unoka and his troupes were called to perform, the host provides them with a bounty of food and drinks. Therefore, transplanting the ST ecology into the TT ecology as “乌诺卡他们有时会在这样的主人那里度过半个来月” makes it more comprehensible and communicative to the TT readers.

Example 7

TFA: No, my friend, he is not too young. A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches.

ZSTWB: 不，朋友，他不算太年轻。一只小鸡要是将来是只雄鸡，孵出来的那天就看得出。

The proverbial expression “a chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches” expresses one’s future attributes or potential from early childhood. In TFA, the main character, Okonkwo, could tell that Nyowe-his son, was not going to be the man that man he was from very early on. He thought that Nyowe was weak and did not have his fighting spirit. However, there is a need to improve the ZSTWB7 “一只小鸡要是将来是只雄鸡，孵出来的那天就看得出” since the translator did not adaptively communicate the intended meaning of the idiomatic expression in the TT ecological environment. Finding an element in the TT ecological environment that will vividly adapt and paint vivid imagery for the TT readers becomes essential. Therefore, to enhance harmony and balance, and survival of the ST ecology in the TT ecology, the TT expression “一只小鸡要是将来是只雄鸡，孵出来的那天就看得出” is transplanted as “三岁看大，七岁看老” to enhance clarity, conciseness, and meaning.

Example 8

TFA: Unoka went into an inner room and soon returned with a small wooden disc containing a kola nut, some alligator pepper and a lump of white chalk.

ZSTWB: 乌诺卡走进一间内室，随即端出一个小圆木盘，盘中放着一个柯拉果一点胡椒和一块白石灰。

As Hu points out that to balance the ecology of the source language and the ecology of the target language, the translator has to make “selective adaptation” and “adaptive selection,” creatively “add,”“annotate,”“supplement information,” or “cut down,” or “add more details,” and so on (Hu, 2020). Here, the word “Kola nut” in TFA translated into “柯拉果” in ZSTBW is elaborated and explained in ZSTWB’s footnote as “非洲热带特产植物，含咖啡因, 有提神之效, 是伊博人待客的佳品” (Tropical plants in Africa, which contains caffeine and has a refreshing effect. They are great for Igbos to entertain guests). TFA uses Igbo cultural elements, for instance, the elements for music instruments (Ekwe, Udu, Ogene, etc.), Chieftaincy titles (Idemili title, Uzo title, etc.), and the 4 market days (Eke, Ore, Afo, and Nkwo) are preserved. Due to the differences in cultural elements, these lexical elements in ZSTBW are transliterated with their meaning clearly explained in the footnote to make target readers fully understand their cultural norms and daily life. These footnotes facilitate the communicative intention to pique the target readers’ interest and make them better understand Ibo cultural norms and daily life, as well as the realization of cultural communication.

Esthetics Dimension

This transformation occurs at the esthetic level, where the translator is expected to transform and maintain the ecological elements of the ST ecology’s creativity, style, and beauty in the TT ecological environment to enable the TT readers/audiences to have a vivid imagination painted in the TL environment. The preservation of the esthetic qualities of the ST ecology when transplanted into the TT ecological environment is a challenging task for a translator, but to ensure the survival of the ST ecology in the TT ecology and to maintain balance and harmony, the translator has to keep the textual life by making it understandable to the TT readers.

Example 9

TFA: The night was impenetrably dark. The moon had been rising later and later every night until now it was seen only at dawn. And whenever the moon forsook evening and rose at cock-crow the nights were as black as charcoal.

ZSTWB: 夜是一片穿不透的黑暗。月亮升起得一天比一天迟，现在要到天亮时才能看见。每当月亮抛弃了夜晚，而在鸡叫时才升起，夜就变得和木炭一样黑了。

The TFA and ZSTWB create vivid visual imagery to depict the darkness of the night. The TFA describes it as “impenetrably dark,” highlighting the dearth of light. The Chinese version retains the same imagery, using the phrase “一片穿不透的黑暗” to express the visual elements effectively. The moon is used as a symbolic element in TFA to represent the rising darkness of the night. It discusses the moon rising later and later each night until it is only visible at dawn. The ZSTWB retains this symbolism, describing the moon as “月亮升起得一天比一天迟, 现在要到天亮时才能看见” which adds depth to the Texts and enhances its esthetic quality.

Furthermore, the TFA contrasts the dark nights with the absence of the moon throughout the evening, rendering the nights as black as charcoal. The contrast is maintained by ZSTWB, which emphasizes the darkness of the nights when the moon rises only “在鸡叫时才升起.” This contrast heightens the esthetic effect by juxtaposing the absence of light with the imagery of charcoal blackness. Last but not least, both versions employ poetic language to enhance the esthetic qualities of the Texts. The TFA uses phrases like “impenetrably dark” and “as black as charcoal.” The ZSTWB maintains the poetic quality, using phrases like “一片穿不透的黑暗” and “和木炭一样黑了,” which adds a lyrical and evocative quality to the descriptions, enhancing the esthetic appeal.

Rhetoric Dimension

Example 10

TFA: For two or three moons, the sun had been gathering strength till it seemed to breathe a breath of fire on the earth. All the grass had long been scorched brown, and the sands felt like live coals to the feet. Evergreen trees wore a dusty coat of brown.

ZSTWB: 两三个月来，太阳越来越热，最后简直像在向大地喷出火焰。野草早被烤得焦黄，脚下的沙石仿佛烧红的炭。常绿树穿上了带灰尘的棕色外衣。

The use of rhetorical elements such as metaphors and smiles is prominent in both TFA and ZSTWB. These elements help contribute to the vivid and evocative descriptions of the scorching heat and the impending thunderstorm. In TFA, the sun is metaphorically described as “gathering strength till it seemed to breathe a breath of fire on the earth.” This metaphorical description of the sun as breathing fire enhances the heat’s intensity, creating a visual and sensory image for the readers. In ZSTWB, the translator adaptively maintains the essence and spirit of the metaphors conveying the same imagery and emotional impact in the TT ecological environment. The metaphor of the sun “简直像在向大地喷出火焰” vividly depicts the increasing heat, thereby arousing the senses and creating an impact on the TT readers’ visual and tactile perceptions. The simile “the sands felt like live coals to the feet” emphasizes the scorching heat, comparing the degree of the hot sands to live coals, adding a tactile dimension to the description.

Example 11

TFA: The birds were silenced in the forests, and the world lay panting under the live, vibrating heat. And then came the clap of thunder. It was an angry, metallic, and thirsty clap, unlike the deep and liquid rumbling of the rainy season. A mighty wind arose and filled the air with dust. Palm trees swayed as the wind combed their leaves into flying crests like strange and fantastic coiffure.

ZSTWB: 鸟儿在森林中停止了鸣叫，大地躺在四处窜动的热浪下喘息。后来雷声隆隆地响起来了。这是一种愤怒, 干燥而响亮的雷声, 和雨季中那种低沉的, 流水似的雷声不同。狂风大作, 空中灰尘弥漫, 大风把棕榈树吹得东摇西晃, 树叶随风飞舞, 好像被梳成奇异式样的头发。

The ST ecology evokes a sense of anger and intensity through phrases like “an angry, metallic, and thirsty clap.” The translator successfully retains this emotional tone in the TT ecology, describing the thunder as “这是一种愤怒, 干燥而响亮的雷声,” emphasizing the difference between the deep and liquid rumbling of the rainy season. The translator in the TT ecology effectively conveys the thunder’s emotional impact and the oppressive atmosphere. The phrase “A mighty wind arose and filled the air with dust” in TFA uses the metaphor of the wind as a living entity that fills the air with dust, enhancing the imagery of the approaching storm. The metaphor of the wind “大风把棕榈树吹得东摇西晃” was adaptively selected and selectively adapted in the TT ecology that similarly portrays the dynamic movement.

At the same time, the simile “Palm trees swayed as the wind combed their leaves into flying crests like strange and fantastic coiffure” creatively compares the movement of palm tree leaves to a fantastic hairstyle, giving a touch of whimsy to the scene. While in ZSTWB, the translator’s simile “脚下的沙石仿佛烧红的炭” effectively conveys the scorching sensation. And the simile “树叶随风飞舞，好像被梳成奇异式样的头发” preserves the imaginative quality.

Through the adaptive selection of rhetorical elements such as metaphor and smile, the translator successfully adapts and maintains the beauty and creativity of ST ecology in the TT environment, allowing the TT readers to experience the same evocative imagery and emotions conveyed in the ST. The adaptive use of figurative language enhances the rhetorical dimension of the text and strengthens the impact of the descriptions.

Conclusion

To address the challenges in translating Things Fall Apart, this study proposes applying the multi-dimensional transformation perspective of Eco-Translatology, explicitly focusing on linguistics, culture, esthetics, rhetoric, and communication. Linguistic transformation involves adjusting language form and structure to conform to the target language, while cultural transformation requires adapting cultural elements to ensure balance and harmony. The esthetic transformation aims to maintain the beauty and style of the text, while communicative transformation focuses on effectively conveying the author’s intention to the target readers. Through examples and analysis, this study demonstrates how the multi-dimensional perspective of Eco-Translatology can be applied to bridge cultural, linguistic, communicative, rhetorical, and esthetic difficulties in translating Things Fall Apart from English to Chinese. By considering the ecological aspects of the textual ecology and its translational environment, translators can make informed selections and adaptations to enhance balance and harmony and the survival of the ST ecology in the TT environment. In a word, applying the multi-dimensional perspective, translators can navigate translation’s linguistic, cultural, esthetic, rhetorical, and communicative aspects to ensure the successful transplantation of a text from one environment to another, thus facilitating meaningful cultural exchange and understanding and contributing to a more interconnected and diverse global literary landscape.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

This research was supported and funded by the Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University Technology Innovation Team Research Project (XNKJTD-020)

Ethical Statement

The research conducted in this study is solely based on the analysis of two literary texts, Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and its Chinese translation Zhe ge Shijie Tou Beng Wajie le. No individuals or communities were subjected to any form of experimentation, coercion, or manipulation during this research. The sole focus of our investigation was to analyze and interpret literary texts to gain insights and knowledge for academic purposes.

ORCID iD

Kingsley Obiajulu Umeanowai

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