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Reproducing the polyphonic effects of free indirect discourse in the Korean translation of Lao She’s Rickshaw Boy

  • The Journal of Translation Studies
  • Abbr : JTS
  • 2024, 25(2), pp.159-188
  • DOI : 10.15749/jts.2024.25.2.006
  • Publisher : The Korean Association for Translation Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Interpretation and Translation Studies
  • Received : May 15, 2024
  • Accepted : June 15, 2024
  • Published : June 30, 2024

Di Cui 1

1한국외국어대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to examine how free indirect discourse (FID) is reproduced in the Korean translation of Lao She’s novel 駱駝祥子 (Rickshaw Boy) and to determine whether the polyphonic effect of FID is properly realized in the translation. The main findings are as follows: Less than half of the instances of FID in the source text were preserved in the translation; the other instances were transformed into a hybrid form combining FID and free direct discourse, converted entirely to free direct discourse, direct discourse, or omitted altogether in the translation. These alterations resulted in a loss or weakening of the intended polyphonic effect. FID is a crucial consideration in the translation of novels. As a stylistic device, it merges the voices of the narrator and the characters, thereby producing a polyphonic effect within a sentence. The translation problems observed in this study may be attributed to the translator’s limited appreciation of the polyphonic potential in FID passages. Additionally, the presence of ambivalent Chinese phrases and indicators reflecting the subjective emotions of key characters affected the ability to reproduce the polyphonic effect of the source text. Therefore, it is argued that translators should be aware of the stylistic losses that may occur when translating FID into non-FID forms. They should also balance the voice markers of both the narrator and the characters to effectively recreate the polyphonic effects of the novel.

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