Recreating the Image of Chan Master Huineng Cover Image

Recreating the Image of Chan Master Huineng
Recreating the Image of Chan Master Huineng

An Interpersonal Approach to Translations of the Platform Sutra

Author(s): Hailing Yu
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Applied Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Translation Studies
Published by: Editura Politehnica
Keywords: systemic functional linguistics; interpersonal; the Platform Sutra; Huineng; translation

Summary/Abstract: The study is a comparison of four English translations of a Chinese Chan Buddhist text, the Platform Sutra. It investigates translators’ choices on the level of lexico-grammar, the semantic consequences of such choices as the image of Huineng and the underlying contextual factors contributing to the variations among translations. Interpersonal system of SysFan, a computational tool specialized in systemic functional analysis, is used and choices in terms of SUBJECT PERSON, MODALITY and MOOD TYPE are analyzed and compared. It is demonstrated that in translation, lexico-grammatical choices will lead to variation in meanings, and there tend to be contextual motivations for the seemingly unconscious choices.

  • Issue Year: 1/2016
  • Issue No: 15
  • Page Range: 37-48
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English