A Model of Translation of Politeness Based on Relevance Theory
Author(s)
Fang Wang
Affiliation(s)
College of Foreign Languages, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China.
College of Foreign Languages, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China.
ABSTRACT
Sperber and Wilson developed the Relevance Theory of communication. It did not take long before it was applied to translation. This dissertation attempts to illustrate the model of the translation of politeness. Translation is a cross-linguistic sociocultural practice, in which a text in one language is replaced by a text with equivalent relevance degree in another. The original contains three variables, which, once summed, give the weightiness of the face-threatening act and the choice of stimulus is decided.
Sperber and Wilson developed the Relevance Theory of communication. It did not take long before it was applied to translation. This dissertation attempts to illustrate the model of the translation of politeness. Translation is a cross-linguistic sociocultural practice, in which a text in one language is replaced by a text with equivalent relevance degree in another. The original contains three variables, which, once summed, give the weightiness of the face-threatening act and the choice of stimulus is decided.
Cite this paper
Wang, F. (2014) A Model of Translation of Politeness Based on Relevance Theory. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 270-277. doi: 10.4236/jss.2014.29045.
Wang, F. (2014) A Model of Translation of Politeness Based on Relevance Theory. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 270-277. doi: 10.4236/jss.2014.29045.
References
[1] Nida, E.A. (1952) God’s Word in Man’s Language. Harper & Brothers, New York. [2] Sperber, D. and Wilson, D. (1986) Relevance: Communication and Cognition. Blackwell, Oxford. [3] Gutt, E.A. (1991) Translation and Relevance: Cognition and Context. Blackwell, Oxford. [4] Zhao, Y.C. (1999) Relevance Explanation of Translation. Modern Foreign Language, 3, 273-295. [5] Brown, P. and Levinson, S. (1978) Universals in Language Usage: Politeness Phenomena. In: Goody, E., Ed., Questions and Politeness: Strategies in Social Interaction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [6] Brown, P. and Levinson, S. (1987) Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [7] House, J. (2000) Politeness and Translation. In: Hickey, L., Ed., The Pragmatics of Translation, Multilingual Matters Ltd., Clevedon. [8] Gutt, E.A. (2000) Translation and Relevance: Cognition and Context. St. Jerome Publishing, Manchester. [9] Lakoff, R.T. (1990) Talking Power. Basic Books, New York. [10] Leech, G.N. (1983) Principles of Pragmatics. Longman, London. [11] Thomas, J. (1995) Meaning in Interaction. Longman, London. [12] Fraser, B. (1990) Perspectives on Politeness. Journal of Pragmatics, 14, 219-236.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(90)90081-N [13] Nwoye, O.G. (1992) Linguistic Politeness and Socio-Cultural Variations of the Notion of Face. Journal of Pragmatics, 18, 309-328.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(92)90092-P [14] Grice, P. (1975) Logic and Conversation. In: Cole, P. and Morgan, J.L., Eds., Syntax and Semantics 3: Speech Acts, Academic Press, New York, 41-58. [15] Lakoff, R.T. (1973) The Logic of Politeness, or Minding Your P’s and Q’s. Vol. 9, Chicago Linguistic Society, Chicago, 292-305. [16] Brown, P. (1980) How and Why Women Are More Polite. Some Evidence from a Mayan Community. In: McConnell-Ginet, S., Borker, R. and Furman, N., Eds., Women and Language in Literature and Society, Praeger, New York, 111-135. [17] Mao, R.L. (1994) Beyond Politeness Theory: “Face” Revisited and Renewed. Journal of Pragmatics, 21, 451-486. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(94)90025-6 [18] Goffman, E. (1967) Interaction Ritual. Anchor, New York. [19] Ide, S. (1989) Formal Forms and Discernment: Tow Neglected Aspects of Linguistic Politeness. Multilingua, 8, 223-238.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/mult.1989.8.2-3.223 [20] Fraser, B. (1978) Acquiring Social Competence in a Second Language. RELC Journal, 9, 1-21.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003368827800900201 [21] House, J. and Kasper, G. (1981) Polietness Markers in Engllish and German. In: Coulmas, F., Ed., Conversational Routine, Mouton, The Hague. [22] Ide, S., Hill, B., Carners, Y.M., Ogino, T. and Kawasaki, A. (1992) The Concept of Politeness: An Empirical Study of American English and German. In: Watts, R., Ide, S. and Ehlich, K., Eds., Politeness in Language: Studies in Its History, Theory and Practice, Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin. [23] Sperber, D. and Wilson, D. (1995) Relevance: Communication and Cognition. 2nd Edition, Blackwell, Oxford.
[1] Nida, E.A. (1952) God’s Word in Man’s Language. Harper & Brothers, New York. [2] Sperber, D. and Wilson, D. (1986) Relevance: Communication and Cognition. Blackwell, Oxford. [3] Gutt, E.A. (1991) Translation and Relevance: Cognition and Context. Blackwell, Oxford. [4] Zhao, Y.C. (1999) Relevance Explanation of Translation. Modern Foreign Language, 3, 273-295. [5] Brown, P. and Levinson, S. (1978) Universals in Language Usage: Politeness Phenomena. In: Goody, E., Ed., Questions and Politeness: Strategies in Social Interaction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [6] Brown, P. and Levinson, S. (1987) Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [7] House, J. (2000) Politeness and Translation. In: Hickey, L., Ed., The Pragmatics of Translation, Multilingual Matters Ltd., Clevedon. [8] Gutt, E.A. (2000) Translation and Relevance: Cognition and Context. St. Jerome Publishing, Manchester. [9] Lakoff, R.T. (1990) Talking Power. Basic Books, New York. [10] Leech, G.N. (1983) Principles of Pragmatics. Longman, London. [11] Thomas, J. (1995) Meaning in Interaction. Longman, London. [12] Fraser, B. (1990) Perspectives on Politeness. Journal of Pragmatics, 14, 219-236.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(90)90081-N [13] Nwoye, O.G. (1992) Linguistic Politeness and Socio-Cultural Variations of the Notion of Face. Journal of Pragmatics, 18, 309-328.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(92)90092-P [14] Grice, P. (1975) Logic and Conversation. In: Cole, P. and Morgan, J.L., Eds., Syntax and Semantics 3: Speech Acts, Academic Press, New York, 41-58. [15] Lakoff, R.T. (1973) The Logic of Politeness, or Minding Your P’s and Q’s. Vol. 9, Chicago Linguistic Society, Chicago, 292-305. [16] Brown, P. (1980) How and Why Women Are More Polite. Some Evidence from a Mayan Community. In: McConnell-Ginet, S., Borker, R. and Furman, N., Eds., Women and Language in Literature and Society, Praeger, New York, 111-135. [17] Mao, R.L. (1994) Beyond Politeness Theory: “Face” Revisited and Renewed. Journal of Pragmatics, 21, 451-486. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(94)90025-6 [18] Goffman, E. (1967) Interaction Ritual. Anchor, New York. [19] Ide, S. (1989) Formal Forms and Discernment: Tow Neglected Aspects of Linguistic Politeness. Multilingua, 8, 223-238.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/mult.1989.8.2-3.223 [20] Fraser, B. (1978) Acquiring Social Competence in a Second Language. RELC Journal, 9, 1-21.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003368827800900201 [21] House, J. and Kasper, G. (1981) Polietness Markers in Engllish and German. In: Coulmas, F., Ed., Conversational Routine, Mouton, The Hague. [22] Ide, S., Hill, B., Carners, Y.M., Ogino, T. and Kawasaki, A. (1992) The Concept of Politeness: An Empirical Study of American English and German. In: Watts, R., Ide, S. and Ehlich, K., Eds., Politeness in Language: Studies in Its History, Theory and Practice, Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin. [23] Sperber, D. and Wilson, D. (1995) Relevance: Communication and Cognition. 2nd Edition, Blackwell, Oxford.