본문 바로가기
  • Home

Thoughts on modern Korean literature in translation: Investigating three translations and one translation revision of Sŏul, 1964 nyŏn kyŏul (Seoul, 1964 Winter)

  • The Journal of Translation Studies
  • Abbr : JTS
  • 2018, 19(4), pp.121-147
  • DOI : 10.15749/jts.2018.19.4.005
  • Publisher : The Korean Association for Translation Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Interpretation and Translation Studies
  • Received : July 30, 2018
  • Accepted : September 27, 2018
  • Published : October 31, 2018

Sang-Bin Lee 1

1한국외국어대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

In this study, four English translations of Kim Sŭng-ok’s Sŏul, 1964 nyŏn kyŏul (one of which is an American translator’s revision of his own translation) are compared with each other, using perspectives on three metafunctions in Halliday’s functional grammar. In the area of experiential metafunction, culture-specific references (e.g. soju, paksa keim) are examined to show how they construe the world. In the area of interpersonal metafunction, the relationship between two main characters is analysed in detail, with an emphasis on a form of address (hyŏng) and the “I”-protagonist’s innermost feelings about his interlocutor (‘An’). Finally, in textual metafunction, the four translations are examined in terms of syntactic structures and cohesive relations. Drawing on these analyses, this study discusses how to enrich and promote translations of Korean literature. It is then argued that de-familiarising and delicate characterising are among the most important considerations in translating Korean literature.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.