US-China Foreign Language, November 2019, Vol. 17, No. 11, 504-510
doi:10.17265/1539-8080/2019.11.003
A Study on the Translation of Political Speeches From the
Perspective of SFL’s Concept of Context
QIU Yue
Beijing International Studies University, Beijing, China
ZHAI Keyu
含有近义词的成语大全University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Political speeches, to which much attention is paid, are an important type of public speeches. Since countries
increasingly strengthen economic, political, and cultural exchange, the significance of political speech translation
among countries in policy decisions becomes increasingly prominent. Systemic-functional linguistics (SFL)
established by Halliday has shown great applicability to a variety of fields of studies. Especially, it has been applied
to translation studies in recent years, which attracts much attention of domestic and overas scholars. In the study
of political speech translation, it has a high fit degree with SFL’s concept of context. Although, there is a great
amount of rearch on SFL, little importance is attached to the studies on the integration of SFL and political
speech translation. Bad on the SFL’s concept of context, the thesis studies political speech translation from three
factors, including field of discour, mode of discour, and tenor of discour. SFL’s contextual model is able to
offer an effective tool in the comparison and evaluation. Keywords: SFL’s concept of context, translation of political speeches, non-linguistic context
核酸采集培训Introduction
With the expansion of exchange and communication among countries, the growing need of translation nowadays has directed translators’ attention not only to economy, but also to the politics. In some specific situations, the political speeches bear much more important information than other speeches. Systemic-functional linguistics (SFL)’s concept of context is a developing theory that is a complex but practical approach to translation studies.
“Speech”, in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2004 version), is defined as “a kind of talk, especially a formal one about a particular subject, given to a group of people”. As one of major forms of public speeches, political speeches play an indispensable role in politics. Although some renewed Chine scholars have been exploring SFL’s concept of context, few studies focus on its adoption in actual translation. The thesis propos to analyze translation of political speeches from t
he perspective Halliday’s SFL’s concept of context. It aims at exploring the general rules for translation of political speeches under the framework of SFL’s concept of context. The attempt to demonstrate the applicability and practicability of SFL’s concept of context in the translation of political speeches contributes to the applicability development of the method.
兔子画画
QIU Yue, Bachelor, lecturer, School of English Language, Literature and Culture, Beijing International Studies University, Beijing, China.
ZHAI Keyu, Ph.D., School of Education, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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A STUDY ON THE TRANSLATION OF POLITICAL SPEECHES 505
Previous Studies on Translation of Political Speeches
As early as 1997, Xu Zhengzhong became the first scholar to explore Chine translation of English speeches from the perspective of discour. However, over the following years, few efforts were made to study
translation of political speeches. Due to a great number of political and economical reasons, the translation
studies e an increasing growing interest in political speech translation. For example, Liu Zhaohiu studied the
translation of fuzzy language in political speeches. Zhou Hong and Zhu Furong explored the translation of
metaphors in political speeches. In addition, different scholars study the political speech translation from
河南财经政法大学分数线different perspectives.
Guo Dan rearched translation quality asssment model for political speeches. By applying Professor Si Xianzhu’s translation quality asssment model, this thesis does ca analysis on the two samples both
qualitatively and quantitatively. After the ca analysis, the following conclusions can be easily made that
Professor Si Xianzhu’s translation quality asssment model is applicable to political speech. Jef Verschueren
established the theory that the choice of language is determined by the internal and external factors to
accomplish the communicative aims in the continuous process of making choices. Guo Chahong studied the
translation of English political speeches from the perspective of ideology. The thesis covers two dimensions,
the main rearch objects translational ideology and ideological translation in translation, combining the
Critical Discour Analysis (CDA) framework by Norman Fairclough (1989) with the existing approaches of
ideology of translation within Translation Studies (TS) created by Basil Hatim and Ian Mason (1990; 1997),
focusing on the meanings and functions of external ideologies, including social ideologies and translators’
ideologies as well as textual ideologies in English political speech translation. We can come to the conclusion
that political speech translation is influenced by external ideology and political speech itlf production also has
its own laws. Xiang Zhenlong studied political speech translation from interpersonal functional perspective. He
finds that analyzing and discussing political speech translation from Interpersonal Function perspective is
absolutely applicable and appropriate, for Interpersonal Function mainly concerns the interactive relationship
between different speech roles. Besides, mood and modality are both effective way of realizing Interpersonal
Function, and translation of such claus is crucial. The findings will help the readers appreciate political
speech and political speech translation. Moreover, it can shed light on the translation study of others.
SFL’s Concept of Context
Systemic functional linguistics (SFL) or systemic functional grammar, founded by English linguist M. A.
K. Halliday, is one of the most influential linguistic theories, aiming at describing and explaining language
through the function fulfilled in the social communicative dimension. And the SF contextual theory, part of
SFL, is an important but easily overlooked theory. SFL studied language from the point of miotics. After
analyzing the theory, it is evident that the concept of context can be applied well to the translation of political
speeches. Political speeches contain cultural differences and situational context. Also, the cultural and
situational context can explain and guide political speech translation from a new but effective perspective.
In 1923, Malinowski (1923, p. 306) came up with the concept of “context of situation”, contrast to traditional view of context. After 12 years, he propod “context of culture”. Then the studies on context were意见建议怎么写
initiated. Therefore, when it comes to the concept of context, scholars usually begin with Malinowski. Then
Malinowski concluded that on the one hand the concept of context has to be expanded and on the other hand All Rights Rerved.
A STUDY ON THE TRANSLATION OF POLITICAL SPEECHES
506 the situation where words are uttered can never be pasd over as it is irrelevant to the linguistic expression. So he introduced the idea of “context of situation” to refer to a “wider idea of co
ntext” or “the general conditions under which a language is spoken”.
During 1960s, SFL has emerged and developed a lot. Although systemic functional linguistics holds different views on how context affects mantic expression, they know deeply that context influences mantic expression.
In the SF context theory, context is classified into two main aspects: situational and cultural context. As propod by Halliday, studies on context of culture are different from that from the view of tradition, which is mainly concerned with a nation’s customs, beliefs, and particular life styles. “Context of culture in SFL is probed in a complete systemic linguistic way that is a system of potential meaning realized by a language” (Halliday, 1999, pp. 1-18). We can easily find that in SFL, context of culture is rooted in context of situation. About this, Halliday offered the following explanation:
we have not offered, here, a parate linguistic model of the context of culture but in describing the context of
situation, it is helpful to build in some indication of the cultural background and the assumptions that have to be made if the text is to be translated or produced in the way the system intends. (Halliday &
Hasan, 1985, p. 47)
Halliday inherited and developed Firth’s thoughts. As a conquence, he put forward the register theory. It is one of the fabulous accomplishments of him.
We can consider register as the fact that the language we u varies according to the kind of situation. So we can
conclude that register is a notion of variation in language which goes with variation in the context of situation. (Halliday, 1976, p. 23; 1978, p. 31)
Political Speeches
“Speech”, in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, is defined as “a kind of talk, especially a formal one about a particular subject, given to a group of people” (Longman, 2004, p. 1914). Faced with reality, it is obvious that political speeches play an indispensable role in politics.
When discussing the content of political speeches, we can divide them into election speeches, inauguration speeches, and diplomatic speeches, etc. In addition, speakers can make full u of political speeches to refute their opponents, promote programs, and persuade the public to accept th
eir political opinions. In order to make an excellent speech, it is very crucial to prepare a well-qualified speech transcript. Becau political speech discour is written-to-be-spoken, which bears the characteristics of both written and spoken language, political speech discour is totally different from others. The speeches addresd by government officials are rooted in one nation’s certain political, cultural, and historical background.
Faced with the importance of political speeches, in some degree, they reflect a nation’s political system, and always bear the audience to a certain political purpo, the statement of their political claims. With the expansion of exchange and communication between countries, political speeches can be en as a nation’s important intention and purpo in global stage. So, the language style of political speeches should be realistic and artistic, encouraging but also preci. Due to the distinguished features of political speeches, the translation of political speeches is destined to be a tough challenge for translators. It is crucial for us to conclude the skills and methods that instruct us how to transfer both content and form of the political speeches and how to reproduce the effect and power of the source text in the translated version.
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Application of SFL’s Concept of Context to English Political Speeches
Context of culture and context of situation are two significant terms. Context of culture and context of situation can be well applied in political speech translation. We can acquire some specific rules of translation of
political speeches in the guidance of context of culture and context of situation.
Context of Culture
Political speech translation is rather than a communicative activity between Chine and English, but between two cultures. And as pointed out by Halliday, SF context of culture is totally different from the
traditional views. The theory is rearched in a systemic linguistic way that it is a system of potential meaning
realized by a language. Thus, mastering both Chine and English cultures is of great significance. Above that,
the following examples extracted from political speeches, which contain plenty of cultural factors, are
collected.
Example 1
ST: We have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America. (Victory Speech, 2008)
TT: Version 1: 我们不是无数个体或红州和蓝州的松散组合，我们是“美利坚合众国”，现在如此，将来也如此。
Version 2: 我们从来都不是共和党和民主党的政治堆砌，我们是，而且永远是美利坚合众国。
三国演义读后感As is known to all, in American culture, the “red states” is referred to the Republic Party, and “blue states”
to the Democratic Party. Without the cultural knowledge, we will translate the “red states” and “blue states”
literally. If we ignore the context of culture here, we will not make the target audience understand fully, and
even wor bringing some misunderstandings. Besides, “collection” carries somewhat negative meaning when
the context of culture is noticed. There are plenty disputes between the Republic Party and the Democratic
Party. According to American politics, the “collection” is properly translated in both Versions 1 and 2. Yet, in
the Version 2, the “政治堆砌” bears the more negative meaning. In Chine culture, “政治堆砌” is more
formal than “松散组织”. In addition, “政治堆砌” can express the negative meaning. In the usage of Chine
language, “堆砌” is more vivid than “松散” in expressing the situation of politics.
Context of Situation
In SFL, context of situation consists of three variables: field, tenor, and mode. The three factors toget
her determine the political speeches are, to a great extent, formal speeches. Such unique register has an influence美容冠
on the choice of language on the levels of phonology.
Field and Mode
Field of discour refers to message and aims of the speaker. In political speech, field of discour determines main content and language style, and the language of political speeches is rather formal. In political
speeches, political, economic, cultural areas are covered. Therefore, the field of discour determines the
political speeches are formal occasions, which allow no mistakes in translation.
The mode of discour is the function of the text in the event, including the channel (spoken, written), the genre or rhetorical mode (narrative, didactic, persuasive). The target of political speeches delivered on various
media is the public, so the mode is between written political diction and oral communication.
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A STUDY ON THE TRANSLATION OF POLITICAL SPEECHES
508
Example 2 ST: For us, they packed up their few worldly posssions and traveled across oceans in arch of a new life. For us,
they toiled in sweatshops, and ttled the West, endured the lash of the whip, and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again the men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. (Inaugural Address)
TT: Version l: 为了我们，他们整理起自己不多的物品开始穿越大海寻找新的生活；为了我们，他们在血汗工
厂辛苦劳作，忍受着皮鞭的抽打并且犁开坚硬的土地；为了我们，他们在诸如康科得、盖茨堡、诺曼底等等地方作战并献出生命。这些男男女女们不停地奋斗和牺牲，一直工作直到双手生疼，目的只是为了过上更好一些的生活。
Version 2: 为了我们，先辈们打起寥寥行装，远涉重洋，追求新的生活。为了我们，先辈们在条件恶劣的
工厂忍受鞭答之痛，辛勤劳作；在西部原野拓荒，在坚硬的土地上耕耘。为了我们，先辈们奔赴疆场，英勇捐躯，长眠于康科德、葛底斯堡、诺曼底和(越南)溪山。为了让我们过上更好的生活，先辈们前赴后继，拼搏牺牲，竿路蓝缕，脐手眠足。
By comparison, the Version 2 is not as faithful as the Version 1. Translation of Version 2 is more like free translation, but it is a litter of different from the original meaning. We can consider the Version 2 as literary translation containing too many meanings which original version has. The paralleled claus that are similar to the style of pros are not appropriate in political speeches. Especially, the “奔赴疆场”, “竿路蓝缕”, and “脐手眠足” bear evident features of the Chine language. However, the overu of them changes the ideational meaning, and even caus the translation version to be pedantic and affected.
Tenor
Like field, tenor also has an important effect on the degree of formality of language. Tenor roots in the social relationships. The relationship between language urs determines degree of formality of
speeches. It is obvious that the speakers reprent their governments, thus the speeches are mainly objective and cooperative. In addition, the political speeches carry respect. As a way to communicate between speakers and listeners, political speeches bear appropriate words and ntences which show respect for the audience. Therefore, according to the tenor of discour, appropriate words and structures are crucial in political speech translation. The study of tenor of discour is focud on the person. Especially, the translation of political speeches is paid more attention to the change of person.
Example 3
豆腐丝汤ST: 总理，您好，我是新华社记者，也是中国新华社新闻电视网的记者，今年是本届政府任期的最后一年，
请问总理，您如何评价自己的工作？
TT: Mr. Premier, I’m from Xinhua News Agency This year is the last year of the term of this
government. How do you evaluate your work?
Here, the translator translated the “您” into you, becau this is no counterpart of “您” in English. When we translate Chine into English, we have to adapt to the usage of English instead of just considering the tenor of discour. On the contrary, when we translate English into Chine, we must obrve of the tenor of discour. Mostly, we have to translate “you” into “您” in order to show respect in political speeches.
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