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A Typology-based Study of Translation from English Subject-predicate Sentences to Chinese Topic-comment Ones

Author: ChengZuoZuo
Tutor: ZhangMingJian
School: Qingdao University
Course: Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Keywords: SP sentences TC sentences structural conversion linguistic typology
CLC: H315.9
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2011
Downloads: 80
Quote: 0
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Abstract

Typologically, English and Chinese belong to different language typological systems, English is a type of subject-prominent (SP) language, while Chinese is a topic-prominent (TP) language. For a long time, subject-predicate sentences and topic-comment sentences are hot topics to linguists both at home and abroad. For example, some linguists probed into the distinctions between SP languages and TP languages based on the characteristics of subject and topic;other linguists analyzed English and Chinese from the aspect of syntax, and pointed out that English is a sentence-oriented language, while Chinese is a discourse-oriented language; and some other linguists studied Chinese topic-comment sentences from the point of pragmatics and semantics. Of course, the translation studies between English subject-predicate sentences and Chinese topic-comment sentences are no exception. Because of the typological differences between English and Chinese, no doubt there are some difficulties in the process of translation. So from the aspect of syntactical conversion, the scholars discussed the translation methodology between English and Chinese. Based on the five specific English subject-predicate sentences, this thesis analyzed the structural features of English subject-predicate sentences and Chinese topic-comment sentences and probed into the translation techniques of specific English SP sentences to Chinese TP sentences.In English, more than 90% sentences are SP sentences, and in Chinese, more than50% sentences are topic-comment sentences, so in the process of English to Chinese translation, more of the SP sentences are appropriately translated to Chinese TC sentences. The first step is to establish the topic of the translated text, and once the topic is established, the structural framework of the target language is established. Then the relationship of the semantic units should be recognized, such as the relationship between topic and comments, and between comments. Lastly, according to the relationship of each semantic unit, the word order of the translated text is readjusted. This study presents five specific types of English subject-predicate sentences and proposes the translating strategies of English SP sentences to Chinese TC sentences. The five specific types of English subject-predicate sentences are:to translate the definite nouns to the topics of the Chinese sentences;to translate the head of the MH phrases to the topics of the translated texts;to translate the animate nouns to the topics of the Chinese sentences;to translate some subject-predicate sentences to the Chinese topic chains;some special cases of English subject-predicate sentences to the Chinese topic comment sentences. Besides, this present study consists of a questionnaire, which is made up of eighteen English SP sentences with two kinds of Chinese translated texts. Thirty first-year postgraduate students and thirty fourth-year undergraduate students who are in English major were tested. The results and findings were calculated and analyzed using the statistical software SPSS. The research shows that most of the students have a good sense of Chinese TP sentence, and the postgraduate students have a better sense than the undergraduate students.The purpose of this study is to explore the constraints on the translation from English SP sentences into Chinese TP ones. That is, the study is aimed to understand under what conditions and how the English SP sentences can be translated to Chinese TP ones so as to guide the later translation practice and translation teaching and provide an effective translation method for the translators.

A Typology-based Study of Translation from English Subject-predicate Sentences to Chinese Topic-comment Ones

Abstract

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