| The use of conjunctions is closely related to coherence of text or discourse, and helps to improve the quality of translated texts. The studies of conjunctions so far are mainly done within one language. Nevertheless, they have not gained due attention in the study of translation, a cross-linguistic activity. In addition, owing to the lack of effective quantitative devices, there are still no systematic contrastive studies of conjunctions.Descriptive study of text-in-communication based on corpus is the major method in modern translation research, whose feasibility is highlighted by the nature and recent development of translation research. Based on the materials of "Tess of d'Urbervilles" and its two Chinese versions (Zhang Guruo's version and Sun Fali's version), we try to probe into translation issues of conjunctions systematically. The conjunctions mainly studied are derived from the high-frequency word list of BNC, including and, but, because, if, when. This study mainly analyzes and discusses the frequency of conjunctions, explicitness and implicitness, and syntactic positions. The research results can be applied to translation practice, and help the translators to grasp the effective translation strategies of conjunctions. Below is a summary of the major conclusions made in this research.First, the differences in the use of conjunctions between English and Chinese can not be simply attributed to "hypotaxis" and "parataxis", because "hypotaxis" and "parataxis" exist in both English and Chinese. Explicitness and implicitness both occur in English and Chinese, only to different degrees. As to syntactic positions of conjunctions, in English original, the subordinate clauses can be put either before or after the main clauses, while in Chinese translations, the subordinate clauses are mainly put before the main clauses.Second, the two translators have different tendencies in translation strategies of conjunctions. Zhang Guruo mainly adopts "domesticating translation", while Sun Fali "foreignzing translation". There is a phenomenon of "explicitness" that occurs in Sun's version. In the process of translation, the translator may, to some extent, "imitate" the English original so that the translations become long and complicated.Third, translation is a dynamic process, and every version has its own life. Under the circumstance of increasing cultural communication, the tendency of translation is to reserve more original flavor, to change from free translation to literal translation and from adaptation to alienation. The changes from Zhang Guruo's version to Sun Fali's version just prove this.Fourth, in E-C translation of conjunctions, we can adopt three translation strategies: 1) omit the conjunction 2) add the conjunction 3) change the semantic relationship; in C-E translation of conjunctions, we employ two main strategies: 1) add the conjunction 2) leave out the conjunction.The study based on multi-versions is a new field in translation research. It will help us deepen the understanding of translation and translation process. Due to lack of relatively perfect research paradigm at home and abroad, it is still a pilot study and needs further exploration. |
