Open Access
American Research Journal of English and Literature
ISSN (Online): 2378-9026
DOI: 10.46568/arjel
Translation of Metadiscourse Marker Huashuo in Er Pai
Abstract
Metadiscourse markers are highly multifunctional, and because of their syntactic optionality, they are often overlooked
in translation, especially in literary translation where translators’ subjectivity plays an active role. Huashuo (as the story
says) is a recurring metadiscourse marker in Chinese classic vernacular fictions, and despite its seeming redundancy, it
functions as an important textual connective as well as an interactional marker to engage the readers. This paper focuses
on the English translation of huashuo in Chinese vernacular short stories Erpai (Pai’an Jingqi and Erke Pai’an Jingqi).
By comparing the functions of huashuo in the source text with those of its translations in the target text, we find that
huashuo is often treated in the translated versions in three ways: omission, retention and functional mismatch. Although
huashuo in Chinese classic vernacular fictions may not pose a great challenge to translators, the unawareness of its
functions will cause misinterpretation and affect the continuity of the narration in the target text. It is suggested that
translators should first consciously recognize the functions of huashuo according to the source context before translating
and then can ensure an appropriate translation of it.
