2025, Vol.26, No.3

The Journal of Translation Studies 2025 KCI Impact Factor : 2.77

pISSN : 1229-795X
https://journal.kci.go.kr/kats

This research carries out an empirical and descriptive analysis of how free indirect style is translated from English into Korean. This analysis is based on recent developments in the study of free indirect style, which shifts away from free indirect discourse and toward the broader framework of consciousness representation. This framework comprises three following sub-categories: free indirect thought, represented perception and consonant psycho-narration. For this analysis, passages that contain all three of the sub-categories were excerpted from four respective translations of four short stories by John Cheever, Alice Munro, Claire Keegan and J. M. Coetzee. The analysis revealed that while represented perception and consonant psycho-narration passages were translated generally accurately in form and meaning, free indirect thought was shown either to have switched to direct discourse or psycho-narration, or to have been mistranslated due to its ambiguous features rooted in spoken language. Furthermore, the analysis showed that even those translations that generally reflected the form and meaning of the free indirect style sentences had mostly diminished or omitted the features of the three sub-categories, including elements of spoken language, expressivity, mimetic language, and figural subjectivity.

Building on Kim Soonyoung's (2025) analysis, this study examines the extent to which the stylistic strategies employed by human translators can be reproduced by an AI system, and how differences between human and AI styles are perceived by readers. Focusing on three key scenes in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None where stylistic devices are most pronounced, the research compares two Korean human translations with a ChatGPT-generated version. It employs two research methods—a reader survey and expert interviews—through which the findings are cross-validated. The main results are as follows: (1) Sentence structure and rhythm were the most favored in the AI translation (52.3%), suggesting that its conciseness and consistency, rooted in statistical learning, enhance readability and convey a sense of urgency. (2) Punctuation and visual pacing were also rated highest in the AI translation (59.3%), indicating that regular and predictable punctuation supports a stable reading flow. (3) Repetition and emphasis still favored the AI translation; however, the human translation remained relatively competitive at 27.9%, demonstrating its ability to capture emotional nuances and aesthetic effects. Experts acknowledge that while AI can effectively reproduce the short breath and rhythm of mystery novels, it struggles to capture subtle emotional nuances, the aesthetic work of repetition, and cohesive discourse. By combining stylistic analysis with reader responses and interview-based expert insights, the study offers nuanced perspectives on the potential and limitations of AI in literary translation.

This study examines Hu Jiaotong’s Chinese translation of Han Kang’s “Chaesikjuuija” (The Vegetarian) by comparing Korean readers’ responses to the source text with Chinese readers’ responses to the translation, employing sentiment analysis and topic modeling. It explores cross-cultural interpretations and responses and assesses the reception of the translation through detailed analyses of selected examples. The sentiment analysis revealed relatively similar positive responses between Korean and Chinese readers; however, significant differences in negative feedback emerged. This findings suggest that, although Hu’s translation is “accurate” in conveying information, it does not fully resonate with target-language readers in terms of stylistic nuance, resulting in a partial loss of the source text’s literary qualities and sensory expression. The topic modeling and close textual analyses further reveal that the Chinese readers critically evaluated the translation with regard to “language,” “symbolism,” “logical structure,” and “reductive translation.” The translator’s literal approach, shaped by linguistic and cultural differences, predetermined emotional interpretations and character evaluations, thereby diminishing the source work’s aesthetic ambiguity and participatory interpretive potential. This case illustrates that the recreation of literary style in translation extends beyond mere linguistic transfer; it is deeply intertwined with the cultural expectations, reading practices, and interpretive norms of the target audience. The findings suggest that enhancing the reception of Korean literature in China requires translations that creatively align with the “horizons of expectation” of the target readership.