A Corpus-based Study Of The Translation Of BEI Sentences In Hongloumeng

This paper is mainly focused on analyzing and discussing the translation of the BEI sentences in the masterpiece Hongloumeng. The author has collected all the BEI sentences from the Chinese version and also the correspondent English translations of the BEI sentences from the translated English version by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang. In this way, the author builds a parallel corpus with the help of which the author carries out a detailed comparison between the English and Chinese versions. After a careful research the author finds that the word BEI is the most frequently used passive marker used for expressing passivity. The author also conducts a study on the semantic features of the BEI sentences and finds that most BEI sentences in Hongloumeng are used for expressing negative meanings. Many of the Chinese BEI sentences are translated into English passive sentences. However, as an synthetic language, different English patterns can be used to convey passive meanings. In the translated version of Hongloumeng by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang, apart from English passive sentences, we find that the great masters translated some BEI sentences into active sentences, nouns and so on. And in the translation of some BEI sentences, the technique of omission is creatively used. From this research, we are fully aware that in translating Chinese BEI sentences, the English passive is not the only way. We should handle the process of translating flexibly and try to make the translated version faithful to the original and idiomatic in the English language itself.This thesis is mainly made up of five chapters.Chapter one is mainly a general introduction to the topic, telling the objectives and significance of the study as well as the organization of the paper.Chapter two is the part of literature review. It illustrates the previous studies about the Chinese and English passivity. It carries out a comparison between English and Chinese passivity. A brief introduction is given to Hongloumeng and the English version A Dream of the Red Mansions.Chapter three tells the methodology of the thesis which consists of research questions, data collection and the process of analysis.Chapter four is the part of data analysis and discussion. In this part, the author has a thorough study of the BEI sentences in the first 80 chapters in Hongloumeng and the correspondent English version by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang. The author tries to tell how the BEI sentences in Hongloumeng are rendered into English.Chapter five is the part of conclusion, telling the findings, implications, and limitations of the study and suggestions for future studies as well.