基于语料库的《资治通鉴》英译本语境重构探究之情态动词路径考察——以方志彤、张磊夫译本为例

A Corpus-Based Study on the Recontextualization in the English Translation of Zizhi Tongjian via Modal Verbs——Based on the Versions of Achilles Fang and Rafe de Crespigny

语境是交际发生和意义产生的场所。翻译作为一种跨文化交际活动,本质是一个语境重构的过程,情态动词是译者为实现特定目的,重构文本情景语境的重要词汇语法资源。本研究构建了“情态动词—人际功能—语旨—情景语境”的语境重构考察路径,选取情态用法极为考究的《资治通鉴》代表性英译本,借助语料库工具,考察译者在情态动词整体使用和量值分布两个维度的异同,探究其对译本情景语境重构的影响,以期对拓展语境视角的翻译研究有所裨益,并对当下典籍外译的现实关照有所启示。

In Systemic Functional Linguistics(SFL),modality is concerned with the realization of interpersonal function,which is one of the three metafunctions.According to Halliday,the interpersonal function has a close relation to context.The concept of Context in SFL,originated from Malinowski’sdistinction between situational context and cultural context,was introduced into linguistics by Firth,and then developed and advanced by different linguistic schools.Halliday followed Firth’snotion of Context to construct his own Register theory.For Halliday,the modal verb is one of the linguistic forms of modality,while modality is a major approach to achieve interpersonal function.Interpersonal function reflects tenor,and tenor takes up an important element in constructing situational context.Situational context is the direct place where language activity and discourse are produced.Different situational contexts reflect different aspects of cultural context,and cultural context influences the choices of language.In SFL,context is the place where communication happens and meaning is produced.As a kind of intercultural communication,translation is essentially a process of recontextualization.During the process,the modal verb is an important lexical and grammatical resource for translators to rebuild the situational context for a specific purpose.The historical masterpiece Zizhi Tongjian aims to study the rise and fall of the past and to introspect the gains and losses of the present,drawing on historical facts as proof that ethics cannot be destroyed.To counsel and advise the emperor for better governance of the present regime,the author Sima Guang was fully aware of his manner and attitude.Therefore,modal verbs adopted bythe book are critical.Based on the concept of Halliday’sContext and Modality,this research constructs a"modal verbsinterpersonal function-tenor-situational context"path and uses corpus tools to both quantitatively and qualitatively investigate how translators recontextualize the translated text by virtue of lexico-grammatical resources during the translation process.This study selects the representative English versions of Zizhi Tongjian,translated respectively by Achilles Fang and Rafe de Crespigny,to investigate the similarities and differences in the overall use and the value distribution of modal verbs,so as to explore their bearings on the recontextualization of situational context in the translated versions.As a scholastic translator,Achilles Fang has constructed an authoritative,strict,and objective situational context by using fewer but higher value modal verbs,which are found to be strongly related with his sited historical-cultural context.In Rafe de Crespigny’sversions,he has constructed an explanatory,instructive,and guided situational context by adopting more but lower value modal verbs.This can also be traced back to his sited historical-cultural context.The study then concludes that modal verbs are the important lexico-grammatical resources to achieve recontextualization for a specific aim during the translation process,and the recontextualization of situational context is influenced by the translator’sidentity and reflects his sited historical and cultural context.This research has practical values for translation studies and studies on the going-overseas practice of Chinese classics.