‘Fidelity, Perspicuity, and Simplicity’: Robert Morrison and His Translation of the Four Gospels in 1820s

Abstract

Based on ‘translation as rewriting’ from Lefevere as theoretical framework, this article delves into Morrison’s translation of the four gospels in 1820s. Morrison’s translation strategies will be examined and the motivations behind will be explored. Lefevere identifies three elements in his patronage: ideological, economic and status, and this article proposed a fourth component: pragmatic component, which affects Morrison’s translation method.