Contrastive Study On Pragmatic-Markedness Equivalence Principle In The Two Chinese Visions Of The Scarlet Letter

Mr. Hou Guojin based upon Marked Theory and Nida's Functional Equivalence Principle (FEP) stipulates another principle, Pragmatic-Markedness Equivalence Principle (PMEP), which stands as a Secondary Principle of FEP, for here he instills Pragmatic Markedness into FEP in the formulation of his new principle. There are the 12 Axioms of the PMEP for the translator.This thesis takes Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter as the case to compare two Chinese versions (Shi Heng 1982's version and Yao Naiqiang 1998's version) according to the theory of Mr. Hou Guojin's PMEP (Pragmatic-Markedness Equivalence Principle) due to the two special periods of time and the two translators' influential fames in China. In this thesis the authorI would like to use the three of the 12 Axioms of Mr. Hou Guojin's PMEP: wording, syntax and rhetorical style for reference to compare these two Chinese versions in terms of their wording, syntax and rhetorical styles respectively.This thesis can be divided into six chapters. Chapter One gives a brief introduction to the current study on Chinese versions of the Scarlet Letter and the author's assumptions as well as methodology. Chapter Two briefly tells the markedness theory and Mr. Hou Guojin's PMEP. Chapter Three mainly talks about: 1) the two translators' social and historical background and their wording; 2) Cultural differences and the two translators' disposal of Pragmatic Markedness in their wording. Chapter Four discusses the two versions' disposal of the Pragmatic Markedness in their syntax. Chapter Five is about the two versions' disposal of the Pragmatic Markedness in their rhetoric styles. Chapter Six is conclusion.This thesis manages to find out whether Mr. Hou Guojin's PMEP is applicable in the contrastive translation.