| The current research is based on the context theory of systematic-functional linguistics, with Martin’s context model its overall theoretical framework. Integrating theoretical interpretation together with instance analysis, the study makes an attempt to interpret Li Qingzhao’s Song lyrics and to contrast them with their English counterparts translated by Xu Yuanchong. The present study mainly takes the three consisting components of the context theory:context of culture, context of situation and context of co-text as points of departure. Together with genre, register and cohesion, aspects correspond to each of the three, the thesis makes a comprehensive examination of the contextual situations and characteristics of Li Qingzhao’s Song lyrics and those of their English translations.The study proves that Song lyrics and their English translations can be analyzed within the context model of systematic-functional linguistics. As a special genre, all Song lyrics share the same schematic structure, yet differentiate from each other in their distinct realizational patterns. English translations can’t reduplicate the generic features of Song lyrics and therefore belong to a totally different genre. Both the field of Song lyric discourses and that of their English translations are technical fields. The vocabulary and phonological features of the two sorts of discourses are to a great extent determined by their fields of discourse. Depending on different analyzing perspectives, disparate types of tenor and mode patterns can be achieved. Zero-reference is quite common in Song lyrics, while pronominal reference is preferred in the English version to achieve discourse cohesion. Conjunctive words employed in both kinds of discourses are simple and short in form, and are quite limited in number. Besides, coordinative conjunctions are always substituted by commas in the English version. |
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