Abstracts
Abstract
This paper calls for a reconsideration of transitivity as a useful analytical tool in descriptive translation studies, especially for the investigation of the translation of agency. Transitivity is the ensemble of lexico-grammatical resources that “represent reality in language” (Eggins 2001/2005: 206). Such choices in translation have been usefully explored by a number of translation scholars with a strong orientation towards Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), although there has not been much recent scholarly interest within the wider community of translation studies (TS), perhaps due to the perceived complexity of SFL’s analytical framework. This paper returns to transitivity analysis for its continued relevance to TS, especially for those interested in uncovering the way agency, ideology, characterization and narrative are manifested in text. This paper incorporates new linguistic methodologies of analysing transitivity in combination with additional linguistic systems of voice, theme, and modality because this combination allows for a more holistic view of transitivity. Focusing on the translation of Mao’s agency at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution in Chang’s politically volatile autobiography, Wild Swans, it has found dramatic shifts in the characterization of Mao in the Chinese translation by Pu Zhang, published in Taiwan, which alters the overall narrative. This paper proposes a categorization of equivalences and shifts of linguistic agency based on a text-based analysis, thus contributing to a more systematic categorisation of the translation of agency.
Keywords:
- transitivity,
- agency,
- theme,
- voice,
- ideology
Résumé
Le présent article plaide en faveur d’une reconsidération de la transitivité en tant qu’outil d’analyse dans la traductologie descriptive, notamment dans la recherche sur la traduction de l’agentivité. La transitivité regroupe l’ensemble des ressources lexico-grammaticales représentant la réalité dans la langue (Eggins 2001/2005 : 206). Ces choix de traduction ont été étudiés productivement par certains chercheurs en traduction fortement influencés par la linguistique systémique fonctionnelle (LSF). Toutefois, le sujet n’a pas jusqu’à maintenant suscité beaucoup d’intérêt chez les traductologues en général, peut-être en raison de l’apparente complexité du cadre analytique de la LSF. Le présent article se consacre à l’analyse de la transitivité en raison de sa pertinence pour la traductologie, notamment pour ceux qui souhaitent étudier comment l’agentivité, l’idéologie, la caractérisation et les récits se manifestent dans les textes. Il s’appuie sur de nouvelles méthodologies linguistiques d’analyse de la transitivité ainsi que sur des systèmes linguistiques complémentaires de la voix, du thème et de la modalité, car cette combinaison offre une vision plus holistique de la transitivité. L’étude, qui se concentre sur la traduction de l’agentivité de Mao au début de la Révolution culturelle dans l’autobiographie politiquement controversée de Jung Chang, Wild Swans, a révélé des changements draconiens dans la caractérisation de Mao dans la traduction chinoise de Pu Zhang, publiée à Taiwan, qui modifient le récit global. Le présent article propose une catégorisation des équivalences et des changements de l’agentivité linguistique sur la base d’une analyse textuelle, contribuant à une catégorisation plus systématique de la traduction de l’agentivité.
Mots-clés :
- transitivité,
- agentivité,
- thème,
- voix,
- idéologie
Resumen
El presente artículo propone replantear la transitividad como una herramienta de análisis útil en los estudios descriptivos de traducción, en particular para investigar la traducción de la agencia. La transitividad es el conjunto de recursos léxico-gramáticos que «representan la realidad en el lenguaje» (Eggins 2001/2005: 206). En materia de traducción, esas opciones han sido exploradas de manera fructífera por varios estudiosos de la traducción con una fuerte orientación hacia la Lingüística Sistémico-Funcional (SFL, por sus siglas en inglés); si bien recientemente no ha habido mucho interés académico en la comunidad de Estudios de Traducción en general, tal vez debido a la aparente complejidad del marco analítico de la SFL. El presente artículo retoma el análisis de la transitividad por su pertinencia para los Estudios de Traducción, especialmente para los interesados en descubrir cómo se manifiestan en el texto la agencia, la ideología, la caracterización y la narrativa. Este artículo incorpora nuevas metodologías de investigación lingüística para el análisis de la transitividad en combinación con los sistemas lingüísticos adicionales voz, tema y modalidad, ya que esta combinación permite una visión más holística de la transitividad. Centrado en la traducción de la agencia de Mao al comienzo de la Revolución Cultural en la autobiografía políticamente volátil de Chang, Wild Swans, el análisis muestra cambios significativos en la caracterización de Mao en la traducción china de Pu Zhang, publicada en Taiwán, lo que altera la narrativa general. El artículo propone una categorización de los cambios y de las equivalencias de agencia lingüística en base a un análisis textual, y contribuye a una categorización más sistemática de la traducción de la agencia.
Palabras clave:
- transitividad,
- agencia,
- tema,
- voz,
- ideología
Appendices
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