International Journal of Geographical and Spatial Studies
JGSS Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp. 162-170.
Print ISSN: 3105-1294; Online ISSN: 3105-1308
Journal homepage: https://www.gssjournal.com
DOI：https://doi.org/10.64058/JGSS.26.1.15
Harmonizing Disparities, Rejuvenating Translating Verve: A Review of the Chinese Version of Topophrenia: Place, Narrative, and the Spatial Imagination
李敏锐（LI Minrui），李 冕（LI Mian）
Abstract: Topophrenia: Place, Narrative, and the Spatial Imagination is an important theoretical work by Robert T. Tally Jr., a leading American scholar in the field of spatial literary studies. Integrating spatial theory, literary criticism, and geographical philosophy, the monograph introduces several key concepts such as topophrenia, geocriticism and literary cartography, exerting significant influence in the field of spatial humanities. Its Chinese version translated by FANG Ying proves the reliable textual basis for accurately understanding Tally’s spatial theory and intellectual framework. Adopting the Skopos Theory as the theoretical perspective, this paper offers a review of the Chinese version from three dimensions: the Skopos rule, the coherence rule, and the fidelity rule. The study finds that, in order to introduce Western spatial theory to Chinese readers, the translator generally adopts a strategy that prioritizes domestication while incorporating elements of foreignization, thereby achieving a balanced effect between the two approaches. Through strategies such as the systematic translation of theoretical terminology, the adjustment of syntactic structures, and the transformation of culturally loaded expressions, the translation version not only preserves the accuracy of the original theoretical concepts but also conforms to the conventions of Chinese academic discourse. While ensuring a high degree of readability, the Chinese version successfully reproduces the theoretical depth of the original work. In this sense, the translation provides a valuable reference for the introduction and translation of Western learning into the Chinese context.
Keywords: Topophrenia: Place, Narrative, and the Spatial Imagination; spatial theory; Skopos Theory; translation strategies
Author Biographies: LI Minrui (corresponding author) is an Associate Professor at the College of Foreign Languages, Huazhong Agricultural University (Wuhan 430070, China). His research fields include narrative theory, ethical literary criticism and comparative literature (Email: barcocolmr@mail.hzau.edu.cn). LI Mian is a postgraduate student at the College of Foreign Languages, Huazhong Agricultural University (Wuhan 430070, China). Her research fields include narrative theory and literary translation (Email: alianna@webmail.hzau.edu.cn).
标题：“归异平衡，译韵新生”：《处所意识：地方、叙事与空间想象》中译本介评
摘要：《处所意识：地方、叙事与空间想象》是美国文学空间研究领军学者罗伯特·塔利的重要理论著作，该书融合空间理论、文学批评与地理哲学，提出了“处所意识”“地理批评”“文学绘图”等核心概念，在空间人文研究领域具有重要影响。方英教授的中译本为中国学者准确理解塔利的空间理论和思想提供了可靠范本。本文以功能主义目的论为理论视角，从目的法则、连贯法则与忠实法则三个层面，对中译本进行了介评。研究发现，为实现向中国读者引介西方学者空间理论的目的，译者在整体上采取了以归化为主、异化为辅的策略，最终实现了“归异平衡”的译介效果，通过术语系统化翻译、句法结构调整与文化表达转换等译介方式，使译文既保持了理论概念的准确性，又符合中文学术表达的习惯性。该中译本在保证了译文很好的可读性同时，又较好地再现了原著的理论深度。一言以蔽之，此译著为“西学东译”提供了有益参考。
关键词：《处所意识：地方、叙事与空间想象》；空间理论；目的论；翻译策略
作者简介：李敏锐（通讯作者），华中农业大学外国语学院副教授，研究方向包括叙事学、文学伦理学批评和比较文学,电子邮箱为：barcocolmr@mail.hzau.edu.cn; 李冕，华中农业大学外国语学院硕士研究生，研究方向包括叙事学和文学翻译，电子邮箱为：alianna@webmail.hzau.edu.cn。
