Function Words Function--The Translation Of Function Words From Classical Chinese Into English

The title of this dissertation is "Function Words Function", which seems somewhat puzzling to the audience. Polysemant is applied here. The first "function" should go along with "words" to form a term in lexicology. That is also called "empty words", opposite to "notional words". The second "function" is a verb, meaning "to play a role in (translation)" or "to be important". The implied meaning is that function words are very important and that is the reason why here is the dissertation.In various theories, the theoretical research of the translation of classical Chinese function words into English may have been desolated. However, as can be seen in the cases in Chapter I , it is not appropriate to overlook them, otherwise, " an error the breadth of a single hair can lead you a thousand Li astray".The author did not haste to set out theories, instead, she started from the foundation - contrastive linguistics to introduce the general similarities and discrepancies between English and classical Chinese, which underlies the further elaboration.It's known to all that comprehension is the first step in translation, which takes on more importance for the subject we are discussing. Unlike modern Chinese function words, many errors occurring in translating classical ones are due to nothing but the misunderstanding of the interpreters. In the third chapter, aiming at two major roots for misunderstanding, the author stresses that correctcomprehension must precede expressing.Newmark's semantic translation and communicative translation theories impenetrate Chapter IV, which presents that both theories can be adopted to the transition in question under different circumstances, and dwells on various translation techniques. This chapter is the key point of the thesis.At the end of the paper, aesthetics was expounded in a separated chapter in that it is rather perceptual unlike Newmark's theories, and that as classical literature, ancient Chinese works are very refined in the choice of words. Consequently, even function words in them have considerable aesthetic value which brings readers pleasure and enjoyment. Whereas, it's translators' duty to expose beauty to audiences so long as it exists.The end of the paper serves as a conclusion. There, the author articulated that the translation skills mentioned above are not isolated, on the contrary, multiple techniques are always applied comprehensively in the same discourse.