AN ANALYSIS OF TWO ENGLISH VERSIONS OF TUNE: CHOU NU ER WRITTEN ON THE WALL ON MY WAY TO BOSHAN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENCE THEORY

Authors

  • Yuan Jiayin School of Foreign Studies, Yangtze University, Hubei Province, 434023, P. R. of China
  • Wang Feng School of Foreign Studies, Yangtze University, Hubei Province, 434023, P. R. of China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejals.v5i1.371

Keywords:

Song Ci, Xin Qiji, functional equivalence

Abstract

Song Ci is a treasure in the history of Chinese classical literature. As one of the representative works of Song Ci by Xin Qiji, a bold and unconstrained poet, Tune: Chou Nu Er Written on the Wall on My Way to Boshan has been favored by many translators at home and abroad, and there are many English versions in existence. The translation theory of "Functional Equivalence" points out that "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". Translation contains not only lexical equivalence, but also semantic equivalence, stylistic equivalence, and conveys superficial lexical information and deep cultural information. Poetry stands on the beauty of sound, meaning and form, and also has a great cultural connotation. Therefore, it is necessary to convey the source language information and reproduce the cultural connotation in translation. Based on this, this paper takes two English versions of Tune: Chou Nu Er Written on the Wall on My Way to Boshan as the research object, analyzes the functional equivalence in poetry translation from three aspects: meaning, sound and form, and discusses the guiding significance and rationality of functional equivalence theory in the translation of Song Ci.

Author Biographies

  • Yuan Jiayin, School of Foreign Studies, Yangtze University, Hubei Province, 434023, P. R. of China

    Yuan Jiayin is a postgraduate of QX211 in the School of Foreign Studies, Yangtze University, P. R. of China.

  • Wang Feng, School of Foreign Studies, Yangtze University, Hubei Province, 434023, P. R. of China

    Wang Feng (corresponding author) is a Full Professor in the School of Foreign Studies, Yangtze University, P. R. of China. His research interests include translation studies, intercultural communication, and interpreting studies.

References

Hu, Yongzhong (2017). A Comparative Study of Three English Versions of Tune: Chou Nu Er Written on the Wall on My Way to Boshan by Xin Qiji from the Perspective of Relevance and Texture. Journal of Yueyang Vocational Technical College 32(06):85-89.

Jiang, Qian (2020). How to Complain in Poetry: A Brief Analysis of Xin Qiji's Tune: Song of Chou Nu Er Written on the Wall on My Way to Boshan. Chinese Character Culture, (24):59-60.

Li, Zhengshuan (2004). Equivalence: An Important Principle in English Translation of Chinese Poems. Foreign Languages and Their Teaching, (08):36-40.

Lin, Yutang (2015). The Interaction of Jin and Tang Dynasty. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Publishing Company, (202).

Nida, Eugene A. & C.R. Taber (1969). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Shanghai: Foreign Language Education Press.

Nida, Eugene A. (1999). Language, Culture and Translating. Shanghai: Foreign Language Education Press.

Waard, Jan De. & Eugene A. Nida (1986). From one Language to Another: Functional Equivalence in Bible Translating. Shanghai: Foreign Language Education Press.

Wu, Minhuan (2011). Translation of Archaeological Excavation Reports Under the Theory of Function Equivalence. Archaeology and Cultural Relics, (04):111-112.

Xing, Chonghui (2022). An Analysis of Tune: Chou Nu Er Written on the Wall on My Way to Boshan and its English Translation from the Perspective of Transitivity. JinGu Creative Literature, (02):123-125.

Xu, Yuanchong (2007). 300 Song Lyrics. Beijing: China Translation & Publishing Corporation.

Zhu, Haiye (2022). On the Translation of Xin Qiji's Qing Yu An The Lantern Festival from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory. Journal of Jiangxi Electric Power Vocational and Technical College, 35(02):153-154.

Downloads

Published

2022-10-27

Issue

Section

Articles