@article{ART003186848},
author={Yujia Pan and Di Cui},
title={A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach},
journal={The Journal of Translation Studies},
issn={1229-795X},
year={2025},
volume={26},
number={1},
pages={153-183},
doi={10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005}
TY - JOUR
AU - Yujia Pan
AU - Di Cui
TI - A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach
JO - The Journal of Translation Studies
PY - 2025
VL - 26
IS - 1
PB - The Korean Association for Translation Studies
SP - 153
EP - 183
SN - 1229-795X
AB - This study aims to examine how free direct discourse (FDD) is rendered in “Na jewang-ui saengae,” the Korean translation of Su Tong’s novel 我的帝王生涯 (My Life as Emperor), using Relevance Theory as an analytical framework. To this end, instances of FDD in the source text (ST) were categorized as “strong” and “weak”, and their respective translation patterns were analyzed. The findings reveal that both strong and weak FDD were more frequently translated through transformation rather than direct preservation. Specifically, strong FDD was most commonly rendered as weak FDD, while weak FDD was often converted into direct discourse (DD). This suggests that the Korean translator prioritized clarity and vividness in conveying the characters’ voices by incorporating elements such as complement clauses or quotation marks, rather than maintaining the original stylistic features. Such a tendency indicates that the translator may not fully recognize the literary value of FDD, opting instead for optimal relevance—focusing on ease of comprehension for the target audience. However, given that literary translation inherently involves the preservation of style, maintaining the stylistic integrity of the original text is essential. Therefore, even if it requires greater cognitive effort from readers, translators should strive to retain the original’s stylistic elements to fully convey its aesthetic and literary effects.
KW - Maximal relevance;free direct discourse;style;the effect of style;Chinese-Korean translation
DO - 10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
ER -
Yujia Pan and Di Cui. (2025). A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach. The Journal of Translation Studies, 26(1), 153-183.
Yujia Pan and Di Cui. 2025, "A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach", The Journal of Translation Studies, vol.26, no.1 pp.153-183. Available from: doi:10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
Yujia Pan, Di Cui "A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach" The Journal of Translation Studies 26.1 pp.153-183 (2025) : 153.
Yujia Pan, Di Cui. A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach. 2025; 26(1), 153-183. Available from: doi:10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
Yujia Pan and Di Cui. "A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach" The Journal of Translation Studies 26, no.1 (2025) : 153-183.doi: 10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
Yujia Pan; Di Cui. A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach. The Journal of Translation Studies, 26(1), 153-183. doi: 10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
Yujia Pan; Di Cui. A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach. The Journal of Translation Studies. 2025; 26(1) 153-183. doi: 10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
Yujia Pan, Di Cui. A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach. 2025; 26(1), 153-183. Available from: doi:10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
Yujia Pan and Di Cui. "A study on the Chinese-Korean translation of free direct discourse: A relevance-theoretic approach" The Journal of Translation Studies 26, no.1 (2025) : 153-183.doi: 10.15749/jts.2025.26.1.005
