Dialogue Translation In Novels From The Perspective Of Register Analysis

Dialogue in novels not only serves to develop the plot and to introduce objective circumstances, but also plays a crucial role in characterization and theme projection. Despite its vital importance, dialogue in novels has not received due attention in the previous translation studies. Highly individualized dialogic language is determined by various elements, such as the participants' respective identity, status, personal relationship, education, capability and habits of language use, the instant situation in which the dialogue occurs, as well as the content and purpose of the dialogue, etc. These elements are precisely in close relation with the three variables, namely, field, mode and tenor of register, which is a language variety according to use.In the process of translating dialogues in novels, if we carry out register analysis, and pinpoint the exact features of the dialogic language, we shall have a better interpretation of the original work, and then locate the appropriate counterpart in the target language. In this way, we can assign the proper tone to a particular character, reproducing the individuality of his/her language, revealing the original characteristics and recreating the vivid image.In the hope of raising reflections on this neglected subject, the author takes 18^th century British novelist Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as an instance for case study, selecting typical dialogues of typical characters, and conducts a contrastive research of two Chinese versions proceeding from the perspective of register analysis. The author argues that register analysis can be adopted as an effective instrument for the critical evaluation of translated work and suggests that it can be applied to translation teaching and research as well.