A Study On The Translation Of The Chinese Tag Question Structure "X Bu X"

This paper attempts to conduct a study on the translation of the Chinese tag question structure"X bu X"(X不X).Four major types of tag questions featuring"X bu X"structure are involved in the present study according to the collected data, namely"是不是","对不对","好不好",and"行不行".It is found that"是不是"and"对不对"are mainly translated into the English tag questions,while"好不好"and"行不行"are rendered by a large variety of translation equivalents.To explore the reasons for such phenomena,the author investigates into the factors that influence the translator's choice of the translation equivalents for"X bu X",by applying the adaptation theory(Verschueren,2000)as the basis of the theoretical framework.Translation as a specific use of language is a process of choice making.The three factors that affect the choice making of the translator are in consistency with the three properties of language:variability,negotiability and adaptability.Firstly,there is a variable range of possible translation equivalents due to the varied functions of"X bu X"generated by different contexts.One is the linguistic context;mainly the co-text of the ST,implying the addresser's intent by uttering"X bu X".The other is the extra-linguistic context that refers to the relationship and status between the interlocutors and the mental state of the addresser,indicating the addresser's manner to express his implicit meaning.These contextual correlates co-determine the exact meaning of"X bu X".The meaning changes with the differentiation of contexts,and thus generates many possibilities of translation equivalents.Secondly,the translator does not follow a strict form-function principle in the choice-making process of translation.His/her flexible ways of choosing the interpretation of"X bu X"and choosing the linguistic forms in the TT will lead to indeterminacy of the final choice of translation equivalents.Thirdly,the adaptation to pragmatic equivalence as the objective for the translation of"X bu X"makes a great impact on the translator's choice.The realization of pragmatic equivalence depends on achieving pragma-linguistic equivalence and socio-pragmatic equivalence in the process of choosing the interpretation of"X bu X"and choosing the translation equivalents.This further demands adaptation not only to the linguistic and extra-linguistic context of the ST,but also to those of the TT,including the syntactic pattern and the norms of politeness.Similarly,the variability of contexts will restrict the translator's choice of translation equivalents.The thesis has established a model for translation of the"X bu X",in the hope of guiding the translator to a better translation of this structure.