The Reconstruction of Modality in Chinese-English Government Press Conference Interpreting: A Corpus-Based Study

215 Pages·2017·2.642 MB·English

by  Xin Li

Corpora and Intercultural Studies 1
Xin Li
The Reconstruction
of Modality in
Chinese-English
Government
Press Conference
Interpreting
A Corpus-Based Study
Corpora and Intercultural Studies
Volume 1
Series editors
Kaibao Hu, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
Shanghai, China
Hongwei Ding, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
Shanghai, China
This book series publishes original monographs and edited volumes in the
investigationsofdifferenttypesofcorpora(includingtext,speechandvideo)witha
particular focus on intercultural studies. The differences in language use expressed
in comparable corpora can be analyzed from an intercultural perspective. The
emphasis is on excellence and originality in scholarship as well as synergetic
interdisciplinary approaches and multicultural perspectives. Books exploring the
role of the intercultural studies in the research fields of translation, linguistics, and
culture, with a corpus-based approach will be especially welcome. The series
publishes books that deal with emerging issues as well as those that offer an
in-depth examination of underlying issues.
Thetargetaudiencesofthisseriesincludebothscholarsandprofessionalswhoare
interested in issues related to intercultural communication across different cultures
and social groups,whicharereflected by theinvestigation in comparable corpora.
Corpora and Intercultural Studies book series is published in conjunction with
Springer under theauspices of School of Foreign Languages (SFL),Shanghai Jiao
TongUniversity(SJTU).ThefirstserieseditoristheDeanofSFLatSJTU,andthe
book series editorial board consists of leading scholars in the research field of
corpora and intercultural studies in the world.
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/15588
Xin Li
The Reconstruction
of Modality
in Chinese-English
Government Press
Conference Interpreting
A Corpus-Based Study
123
XinLi
Schoolof ForeignLanguages
ShanghaiJiao Tong University
Shanghai
China
ISSN 2510-4802 ISSN 2510-4810 (electronic)
Corpora andIntercultural Studies
ISBN978-981-10-5168-5 ISBN978-981-10-5169-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-5169-2
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017943234
©SpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.2018
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Acknowledgements
The presentworkisbased on mydoctoralthesis completed at Shanghai Jiao Tong
University(China).Therefore,mydeepestgratitudegoestomysupervisorProf.Hu
Kaibao1 for his constant encouragement, insightful comments, and unfailing
guidance throughout all phrases of this research project.
Iwouldalsoliketoexpressmysinceregratitudetootherexperiencedtranslation
scholars in China, including Prof. Zhang Boran from Nanjing University, Prof.
Chai Mingjiong and Prof. Sun Huijun from Shanghai International Studies
University, Prof. Huang Libo from Xi’an International Studies University, Prof.
WangJiankaifromFudanUniversity,Prof.WangZhenhua,Prof.LiuHuawen,and
Prof. Yang Bingjun from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, all of whom offered
critical and constructive suggestions on my research proposal and writing.
MyspecialthanksgotoMr.ChenMingming,theformerDirectorofDepartment
of Translation and Interpreting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who kindly accepted
my invitation for a telephone interview and responded to my questions with
patience despite his busy schedule at work.
I am grateful to my colleagues and friends at the Center for Translation and
Intercultural Studies, including Prof. Tao Qing, Dr. Zhu Yifan, Dr. Kyung Hye
Kim, Dr. Li Tao, Dr. Pan Feng, Dr. Liu Huidan, Dr. Meng Lingzi, Dr. Xie Lixin,
Dr. Li Xiaoqian, Dr. Hei Yi, and Dr. Sheng Dandan, who have given me
encouragement and support in different ways.
I have also been blessed with the help and support from many respectable
scholars in the field of Translation and Interpreting Studies home and abroad. In
addition to warm encouragement and positive suggestions they gave me through
personal communication, Prof. Qin Hongwu from Qufu Normal University kindly
1Forthesakeofauthenticity,theChinesescholars’fullnamesinmostpartsofthebook(including
acknowledgements and appendices) are presented in accordance with the Chinese naming con-
vention, i.e. family name before given name. For the convenience of citation in English, the
author’snameisputinreverseorder(i.e.thewesternnamingorder)inthefrontcover.
v
vi Acknowledgements
provided technical support for my data coding and statistical analysis, Prof. Mona
Baker from the University of Manchester, Prof. Xiao Xiaoyan from Xiamen
University,Prof.MiriamShlesingerfromBar-IlanUniversityandDr.SunTingting
from Beijing Foreign Studies University all generously shared otherwise unob-
tainable academic resources that I needed for my research.
Last but not least, I would like to thank my amazing family for their support,
understanding,andunconditionallove overtheyears.Inparticular,Iwouldliketo
dedicatethepresentworktomysonYuchen,whosewarmhugsandbrilliantsmiles
have lit my life and pulled me through whatever difficulties in my research and
writing.
Contents
1 Introduction.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.1 Rationale .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 2
1.1.1 Corpus-based Interpreting Studies as an Offshoot
of Corpus-based Translation Studies. .... .... ..... .... 2
1.1.2 GPC Interpreting in the Chinese Context . .... ..... .... 3
1.1.3 Modality in GPC Interpreting.. .... .... .... ..... .... 5
1.2 Research Questions... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 6
1.3 Organization of the Study... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 7
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 8
2 Previous Literature on Interpreting and Modality.. .... ..... .... 11
2.1 Corpus-based Interpreting Studies. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 11
2.1.1 An Overview of Corpus-based Interpreting Studies... .... 11
2.1.2 Corpus-based Studies on the Sociocultural Aspects
of Interpreting. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 14
2.1.3 Corpus-based Studies on GPC Interpreting in China.. .... 18
2.2 Studies of Modality in Translation Between Chinese
and English. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 23
2.2.1 Studies on the Translation of Modality from English
to Chinese.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 24
2.2.2 Studies on the Translation of Modality from Chinese
to English.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 26
2.2.3 Contrastive Studies on Modality in Chinese
and English Political Speeches . .... .... .... ..... .... 28
2.3 Summary .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 29
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 30
vii
viii Contents
3 Theoretical Framework and Methodology. .... .... .... ..... .... 35
3.1 Theoretical Framework..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 35
3.1.1 Toury’s Framework of DTS ... .... .... .... ..... .... 35
3.1.2 The Semantic System of Modality .. .... .... ..... .... 38
3.1.3 The Sociocultural Context of Interpreting. .... ..... .... 43
3.1.4 The Working Model for Descriptive-Explanatory
Analysis . .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 47
3.2 Data and Method .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 48
3.2.1 The Corpus... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 49
3.2.2 Identifying High-Frequency Modality Markers. ..... .... 50
3.2.3 Coding Modality Shifts... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 52
3.2.4 Describing Modality Shifts in the Corpus. .... ..... .... 55
3.2.5 Exploring the Relationship Between Modality
Reconstruction and Its Sociocultural Context .. ..... .... 57
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 57
4 Modality Shifts in the Use of English Modality Markers. ..... .... 61
4.1 General Features of Modality Shifts... .... .... .... ..... .... 61
4.1.1 Overall Degree and Distribution of Modality Shifts .. .... 62
4.1.2 Modality Shifts with Different ST Speakers ... ..... .... 66
4.2 Interpersonal Effects of the Major Types of Modality Shifts . .... 68
4.2.1 Weakening and Subjectivization.... .... .... ..... .... 70
4.2.2 Strengthening . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 75
4.2.3 De-obligation . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 80
4.3 Summary .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 86
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 87
5 Modality Shifts in the Translation of Chinese Modality Markers..... . 89
5.1 General Features of Modality Shifts... .... .... .... ..... .... 89
5.1.1 Overall Degree and Distribution of Modality Shifts .. .... 89
5.1.2 Modality Shifts with Different ST Speakers ... ..... .... 94
5.2 Interpersonal Effects of the Major Types of Modality Shifts . .... 96
5.2.1 Strengthening and Objectivization... .... .... ..... .... 97
5.2.2 De-obligation . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 105
5.3 Summary .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 109
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 111
6 The Reconstruction of Modality in Relation to Its Sociocultural
Context.... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 113
6.1 Modality Reconstruction in GPC Interpreting in Relation
to Its Meta-Discourse. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 113
6.1.1 The Meta-Discourse on Diplomatic Interpreting
in China . .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 114
6.1.2 Juxtaposing the Reconstruction of Modality
in GPC Interpreting with the Meta-Discourse.. ..... .... 117
Contents ix
6.2 Modality Reconstruction in GPC Interpreting in Relation
to its Typological Features.. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 120
6.2.1 Participants and Goals of Communication. .... ..... .... 120
6.2.2 Topics and Speech Type.. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 123
6.2.3 Temporal and Spatial Setting .. .... .... .... ..... .... 124
6.2.4 Working Mode and Directionality... .... .... ..... .... 126
6.3 Summary .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 129
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 130
7 Conclusion. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
7.1 Major Findings.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
7.2 Contributions and Implications... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 137
7.3 Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research. .... ..... .... 138
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 139
Appendix A: Top 350 Wordlist of the English TTs .... .... ..... .... 141
Appendix B: Top 350 Wordlist of the Chinese STs .... .... ..... .... 151
Appendix C: Coding Sample of Modality Shifts: I/We think. ..... .... 161
Appendix D: Telephone Interview with Mr. Chen Mingming..... .... 201