4. Data Analysis

An examination of 72 Character names in The story of the Stone and their English translations shows that different strategies are used. In the following parts, the author is to analyze in detail how the translators employed these strategies to achieve effective translations.

　　4.1 Transliterated Names

Some character names of the four families and their relatives and friends in the novel are transliterated by means of the Pinyin system. For example, 林黛玉 is transliterated into Lin Dai-yu, 贾宝玉 to Jia Bao-yu and薜宝钗 to Xue Bao-chai. Because all the names are transliterated according to the particular formation of the Chinese names and sounded very Chinese, the effect of this treatment precisely reflects Newmark’s rules that “people’s first and surnames are transferred, thus preserving their nationality” (Newmark, 2001: 214) .

Despite the nationality of the SL are kept, the transliterated names in some cases fail to convey full meanings to the TL readers. As the examples mentioned in the previous parts, the given names of Jia’s four noble girls元春(meaning “Cardinal Spring”), 迎春(meaning“Welcome Spring”), 探春(meaning“Quest Spring”) and惜春(meaning “Compassion Spring”) are transliterated as Yuan-chun, Ying-chun, Tan-chun and Xi-chun. There are three advantages with this kind of treatment. Firstly, the nationality of these original names is preserved; second, the combination of the first-word in these four givens names as homophone Yuan ying tan xi（原应叹惜）is presented; third, the systematic naming rule reflects in the same second-word Chun is showed up. In spite of the advantages, for western readers who know little about Chinese, these Pinyin characters are only strange symbols which lose the semantic and cultural meanings of the original names.

The similar problems happened in such examples as贾雨村 (Jia Yu-cun) and 甄士隐(Zhen Shi-yin). These two character names sound the same as their Chinese homophones假语存（Jia Yu-cun）and真事隐（Zhen Shi-yin）, which are interpreted as “fiction in rustic language” and “true facts concealed”. But since the names are transliterated into Pinyin Jia Yu-cun and Zhen Shi-yin, all the rich meanings rooted in the SL are lost. That is why Newmark himself also admits that “transferred words keep only one sense of their foreign nationality…” (Newmark, 2001: 147).

　　4.2 Translated Names

A number of the character names of servants, maids, Chinese Opera actresses, monks and nuns are translated in different ways such as the translation of key-word, adaptation, the literal translation and borrowing from non-English languages.

　　4.21 Key-word translation

The translations of some character names show that the writer named the servants and maids in the following formations – Adverb plus Noun, such as 香菱(Xiang-lin; meaning “fragrant caltrop”), 墨雨(Mo-yu; meaning “inky rain”), 麝月(She-yue, meaning “musky moon”), 茗烟(Ming-yan; meaning “tealeaf smell”), and金钏(Jin-chuan; meaning“golden bracelet”), Verb plus Noun, such as 司棋(Si-qi; meaning“playing chess”),引泉(Yin-quan; meaning“drawing trickles”), 入画(Ru-hua; meaning “entering picture”), and挑云(Tiao-yun; meaning “shouldering clouds”), Noun plus Noun, such as 檀云(Tan-yun; meaning “sandal cloud” ) and 春燕(Chun-yan; meaning“spring swallow”). These two-word names are kept in line with Chinese aesthetic value, as well as give the beautiful imagination and appreciation to the SL readers. But for western readers, it may look odd to have a name in such a verbose and complex style. Furthermore, the cultural association in the names makes no sense to those TL readers who have little knowledge about Chinese. As a result, only the key words of these names are kept and translated, as in such examples as香菱(Caltrop), 墨雨(Inky), 麝月(Musk), 茗烟（Tealeaf）, 金钏(Golden), 司棋(Chess),引泉 (Trickles), 入画(Picture), 挑云（Cloudy）, 檀云(Sandal), 春燕(Swallow), etc., so as to simplify the original SL names as well as convey the special Chinese cultural images to the TL readers.

　　4.22 Adaptation

Besides, it is also found that some character names are adapted by the translators. The author thinks the possible reasons could be avoiding cultural conflicts between the SL and the TL, explaining the connotative meanings in the names, reflecting the character’s personality or preserving the systematic rules of the original names.

As is mentioned in the part of rationale, cultural differences may lead to people’s different interpretations of the same object, so translators should have sharp awareness of cultural differences while they engage in the translation. For example, in Chinese culture, cuckoo and toad are lucky animals and regarded as the beautiful imagines connected with fairytales. Whereas in western culture, cuckoo usually associates with the woman who is unfaithful to her husband, and toad is often regarded as the evil witch’s companion in fairy tales. That is why the character names紫鹃(Zi-juan; meaning “purple cuckoo”) and宝蟾 (Bao-chan; meaning “precious toad”) are adapted into Nightingale and Moonbeam, which are totally different from their semantic meanings but in line with the acceptance and aesthetic value of the TL readers. Another example is the character name红玉(Hong-yu; meaning “red jade” ). As we know, red is a lucky and happy color in Chinese culture, but in western culture, the implication of red always relates with violence and war. Therefore, Hawkes adapts 红玉(Hong-yu) into Crimson so as to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts between two different cultures.

In some Chinese classical works, the authors like to play word games, such as using homophone, to meet with their creative purpose. There are many homophones used in naming the characters in the story, such as the names of the noble characters贾雨村(Jia Yu-cun; meaning “fiction in rustic language”) and 甄士隐(Zhen Shi-yin; meaning “true facts concealed”), and the names of the servant霍启(Huo-qi; meaning “calamity arising”) and the maid 娇杏 (Jiao-xing; meaning “good luck”). Because the characters贾雨村(Jia Yu-cun) and 甄士隐(Zhen Shi-yin) belong to high-class level, according to the translator’s arrangement, their names are transliterated in the cost of losing the connotative meanings. But as Nida claims, “translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source-language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style.”(Nida & Taber, 1969:12) Obviously, the treatment of transliteration fails to reach equivalence between the SL and the TL. Thus, in dealing with the character names霍启 (Huo-qi) and娇杏 (Jiao-xing), Hawkes and Minford abandon the original style of the SL, presenting the names with their connotative meanings Calamity and Luck, so as to convey the equivalent messages to the TL readers.

Other character names like平儿(Ping-er), 鸳鸯 (Yuan-yang) and兴儿 (Xing-er) are adapted by the translators likewise. As we know, Chinese names always contain lots of information, even the name owner’s personalities. In order to present the characteristic of Chinese names, and make the translated names more interesting for the TL readers, Hawkes and Minford adapt these names according to their owners’ personalities such as Patience, Faithful and Joker. Though this adaptation seems to be unfaithful to the original text, but it is quite considerate in facilitating the TL readers to acquaint with these characters and achieve an equivalent effect produced by Chinese naming techniques.

The systematic and pairing rules are the significant characteristics of Chinese naming culture, as well as the wonderful artistic treatment in the novel. As we know, many character names in this story are distinguished by systematic and pairing rule either in styles or in literal meanings. For example, most servants and maids who work for the same master are named in pairs, such as the character names引泉(Yin-quan; meaning“drawing trickles”), 挑云(Tiao-yun; meaning “shouldering clouds”), 金钏(Jin-chuan; meaning “golden bracelet”), 玉钏 (Yu-chuan; meaning “jade bracelet”), 彩霞(Cai-xia; meaning “Colorful sunset”) and小霞(Xiao-xia; meaning “little sunset”). Obviously, if these names are translated in a literal way, it fails to convey the author’s creative purpose, and seem to be awkward and strange to the TL readers. Therefore, some character names are adapted in according to the systematic and pairing rules, though sometimes in the cost of losing part of literal meanings. For instance, the character name玉钏(jade bracelet) is adapted as Silver to match in pairs with the name金钏(golden bracelet) as Gold; 彩霞(colorful sunset) and小霞 (little sunset) are adapted as Sunset and Moonrise, which are matched in pairs according to the phenomenon of astronomy.

From the above examples, we find that some character names are adapted according to the translator’s various considerations, though in the cost of losing their original styles. Therefore, “Translated language is the creative result that is conciliated and compromised by the translator, so as to lessen the contextual differences between the SL and the TL”(Lü, 2004: 61).

　　4.23 Literal translation

There are also such names as琥珀(Hu-po; meaning “Amber”), 珍珠 (Zhen-zhu; meaning “Pearl”) and 鹦鹉(Ying-wu; meaning “Parrot”) which are translated literally. The low-class characters in the novel are normally named by their masters with materials like precious metals, birds, plants and jewelry, so as to present the master’s richness and nobleness. Accordingly, if the TL equivalent could be found, and there is no cultural conflict between the SL and the TL, literal translation is the good strategy used to convey the semantic and cultural meaning to TL readers loyally.

　　4.24 Borrowing from Non-English languages

The character names of the monks, Taoists, nuns and immortals as well as those of some opera actresses are translated in non-English languages including Latin and French. For example, the names which are characterized by strong religious color like 净虚(Euergesia), 妙玉(Adamantina), 智能(Sapientia), 智善(Benevolentia), 色空(Sublimitas), 空空道人(Vanitas), 茫茫大士(Buddhist mahasattva Impervioso), 渺渺真人(Taoist illuminate Mysteroso) are translated in Latin; The names which are characterized by strong artistic color of Chinese Opera, like the character names龄官(Charmante), 玉官(Topaze), 芳官(Parfumée), 文官(élégante) etc. All the names of Twelve Actresses (Twelve Guan) are translated in French. As Susan Bassnett declares that “Language is the heart within the body of culture…” (Bassnett, 2004: 22), different languages must be inevitably labeled with the signs of particular culture. As we know, Latin is used as the official language of Christianity for a long time in Britain, even in Europe. As a result, this language is labeled with a strong color of religion. As the same reason, French is used as the main literary language in Britain for almost three centuries, and is labeled with very strong artistic color. Therefore, these non-English languages, which are labeled with particular cultural color, are used by Hawks to evoke the TL readers’ cultural association to these special character names, as well as establish the cultural equivalence between the SL and the TL in a domestic way.

The above example analyzes how different strategies are employed to translate the seventy-two names in the novel from Chinese to English. A descriptive approach is adopted. The author categorizes the data into five groups based on the methods applied. A few representatives are then chosen from each group to be looked into in detail to illustrate the effectiveness of the method concerned.

When these individual representatives are being examined, the author tries to identify the reason why the method seems to be suitable under the circumstances. She meanwhile makes reference to the theories by some established translation theorists mentioned in Rationale to support her arguments. In so doing, she renders her arguments more convincing and closely relates Data Analysis with Rationale. Apart from the strength of a method, the author also points out its weakness. For instance, she not only suggests the three advantages of transliteration but also mentions that for western readers with little knowledge of the Chinese language, these Pinyin characters are merely strange symbols that fail to convey the original semantic or cultural meanings. The author thus demonstrates a critical view. She furthermore indicates that different strategies rather than a single one should be used flexibly to deal with all the different cases. This also paves the way for the suggestions to be made on the applications of the five above-mentioned strategies in Results and Suggestions—the following section of the paper.

Therefore, a good data analysis should first be a coherent part of the paper, based on the research objective and rationale, leading to the results and suggestions. Second, the analysis needs to be made in detail with a proper approach, focusing on an adequate number of data and going deeper into the cause underlying the phenomenon, so as to produce valid and reliable results and to display a satisfactory analytical ability of the author.