Series |
Sinica venetiana
Edited book | Corpus-Based Research on Chinese Language and Linguistics
Chapter | Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’: A Corpus-Based Study of Modality in the English and Chinese Versions
Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’: A Corpus-Based Study of Modality in the English and Chinese Versions
Abstract
This paper compares the use of modal expressions in the English and Chinese versions of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (2015). It explores the Encyclical Letter as a corpus through the study of word lists and parallel concordance lines. The research also benefits from the close parallel reading of extracts from the two versions. It focuses on the semantic areas of prediction/volition/intention, lack of possibility/ability/permission and obligation. The results confirm predictable parallel expressions (e.g. will and 会 huì, cannot and 不能 bùnéng, be called to and 召 zhào) and bring to light less predictable renderings – e.g. zero (in English) and 会 huì, cannot and 无法 wúfǎ, the noun vocation and 召 zhào. They also suggest that some translation choices are due to the translator’s attempt to make the text explicit and to adapt it to the target culture.
Submitted: March 27, 2020 | Accepted: Oct. 14, 2020 | Language: en
Keywords Corpus-based study • Chinese-English modality • Explicitation • Laudato Si’
Copyright © 2020 Adriano Boaretto, Erik Castello. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/978-88-6969-406-6/006
