Theme/rheme Structure And Thematic Progression In Bidding Documents' Translation

Large quantities of researches and explorations into Bidding Documents have been carried out due to rapid development of international bidding, one of the important trading methods for goods, projects and services worldwide. However, focuses have been given to interpretation of stylistic features and linguistic features and translation of terms and complicated clauses, with explorations on interconnections between linguistic features and Bidding Documents'translation in a comparatively limited quantity. This thesis is a tentative study on interconnections between linguistic theories and translation, as well as application of linguistic interpretation to English-Chinese Bidding Documents'translation.After careful consideration, Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression, linguistic theories proposed by M.A.K. Halliday and F. Danes have been adopted for the reason that the functions of deconstruction and construction possessed by Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression facilitate translation from Source Text to Target Text. Consequently, application of these functions to Bidding Documents'translation constitutes the main clue of this thesis. On one hand, the Source Text (ST) is deconstructed from the perspectives of Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression patterns. On the other hand, the structures and patterns are introduced to the construction of Target Text (TT), for the purpose of making the ST and TT become functional equivalent to a maximum extend. To be specific, this thesis falls into five chapters:Chapter one introduces the research background as well as definition of Bidding Documents. Chapter two reviews the development of the Thematic structure and Thematic Progression theories as well as their similarities and differences between English and Chinese. Apart from that, discussion on the functions possessed by Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression and argument on preserving or abandoning these structures of ST are carried out.Chapter three is devoted to deconstruction of Bidding Documents from the perspectives of Thematic structure and Thematic Progression. Two excerpts, TENDER NOTICE FOR A TENANCY OF THE GOVERNMENT CANTEEN ON PORTION OF THE FOURTH FLOOR OF TUEN MUN POLICE STATION published by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in June, 2007 and Preparation of Bids from SectionⅠ, Instructions to Bidders, STANDARD BIDDING DOCUMENT, PROCUMENT OF WORKS, published by the World Bank, Washington, D.C. in 2007 are selected as ST for deconstruction, with a view to summing up the linguistic characteristics of Bidding Documents as well as skills and techniques for translation.With the help of results and findings summarized in chapter three, chapter four is devoted to construction of TT on clausal level and on text level. Comparisons between versions constructed by the author and versions produced by authoritative parties are carried out with the object of discussing whether Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression of ST should be preserved. Moreover, factors determining the maintenance or abandonment of these structures are concluded.Chapter five is conclusion, in which results and findings as well as limitations from translation practice are summarized.To sum up, the Bidding Documents'translation practice and translation study in this thesis prove that Theme/Rheme theory is indeed an effective analyst for Bidding Documents'translation. The translation practice from ST to TT lead to the conclusion that on one hand, perseverance of Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression of ST could maintain writer's underlying concern as well as functional equivalence to a maximum extend; on the other hand, due to differences in syntax, semantics and Voice between English and Chinese, Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression of some clauses should be changed with the customs of the Target language. Even so, translation practice in this thesis is elementary and Chinese-English translation is left untouched. It is expected that comparative study on Theme/Rheme structure and Thematic Progression between English and Chinese could be researched further so that Bidding Documents'translation would make rapid improvement in the near future.