An Applicative Study On Register Theory In Chinese Translation Of English Drama

All the texts are communicative activities happen in a certain context. According to thechanges of occasion, purpose and object of communication, language use varies. Thesechanges can be reflected from the selection of lexis, the choice of syntax, layout of thediscourse and phonology etc. The language variations generated from and formed by multiplefactors are called register. The register theory aims to reveal the rules and principles oflanguage use so that people can be guided to master language in different areas of life.Register is constituted of three parameters, namely field, mode and tenor. Field refers to theenvironment that the discourse occurs and it reflects the general back ground of thecommunication; mode is the channel of communication, the way people choose tocommunicate; tenor is related to the communication object, it reflects the manner ofcommunication.Literature translation has long been at a prominent place in translation. Literaturetranslation is the transfer of language. It is the communication of culture and thecommunication of beauty. Therefore, the translators of literature fictions bear theresponsibility of delivering messages and representing the sense of beauty. Besides, languagehas been an important and powerful tool to create the features and highlight the role’scharacters. This makes it more difficult and necessary for the translators to understand thecontext accurately and realize the equivalence of registers in the original text and translationworks through different characters, events and manners.Pygmalion is a drama created by Bernard Shaw. It tells the story that a linguisticprofessor trained a flower girl with rude and abusive language into a graceful lady. InPygmalion, the author uses the language use and selection of register to shape the charactersand explain the theme f the work. Pygmalion was first translated by Lin Yutang and latertranslated by Yang Xianyi. Yang’s version is more popular in China.This thesis is based on the perspective of register theory, taking Pygmalion and its twoChinese translations as examples. The three variables of register theory, namely field, modeand tenor, and their functions are stated. The factors that influence the three main aspects ofregister theory are discussed. Besides, the factors that server as the register markers togenerate different registers are discussed from the perspectives of language structure,paragraph structure, syntax and phonology. The discussion and verification of the equivalenceof the register theory in literature translation are conducted from field, mode and tenor four aspects respectively to probe into the guiding function of register theory in the process ofEnglish Fictions. The conclusion can be derived that the three variables of register cannot beseparated from each other. They are interdependent and function together. Therefore, in theprocess of translation, the translator should take the three parameters into account to have abetter and deeper understanding of the characters in literature fictions as well as represent thefigures in the target language. The application of register theory in literature translation hasprovided a new perspective for the translation of English Fictions.