| Author: | Chen, Jiaxin |
| Title: | Exploring the textual characteristics of constrained English varieties : a comparative study of translated English, EFL, and native English using a multidimensional approach |
| Advisors: | Li, Dechao (CBS) |
| Degree: | Ph.D. |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Subject: | English language -- Variation English language -- Written English Discourse analysis Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies |
| Pages: | xii, 193 pages : illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | The present study embarks on an investigation into the textual characteristics shared by translated English (TE) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL), using non-mediated, native English writing (NE) as a benchmark. The rationale behind contrasting TE with EFL stems from the assumption that both may display commonalities as they are influenced by similar cognitive, cultural, and social factors related to bilingual activation—a constraint that is absent in NE (Lanstyák & Heltai, 2012; Kotze, 2022). The study focuses on the textual peculiarities of these two constrained varieties of English, operating on the premise that language variation is multifaceted and systematic, thus a multidimensional analysis could offer a comprehensive view of how various linguistic features connect and correlate to shape variations of the constrained varieties. Three central research objectives are posed: 1) to identify textual variations of EFL and TE compared to NE; 2) to examine the feature-level variations and their contributions to textual variations; and 3) to discuss the implications for two universal hypotheses of simplification and explicitation, and to interpret the variations in relation to the constraints that condition the two constrained English varieties. The study utilizes a corpus-based approach, drawing data from published English news articles, including two sub-registers: editorials and news reports. Two self-compiled sub-corpora have been built, with EFL represented by English news written by native Chinese, and translated English represented by English news translated from Chinese. The non-mediated, native English writing is represented by the Press sub-corpus of an established corpus, CLOB (Xu & Liang, 2013). To address the research questions, a multidimensional analysis of 69 lexico-grammatical features is employed. The feature selection is theoretically motivated and language-pair specific, inspired by both register-oriented and function-oriented language variation studies (Biber, 1988; Neumann, 2014; Le Foll, 2021). The multidimensional analysis is complemented by univariate statistical analysis on individual linguistic features. Based on the results of the two-phase analysis, variations at both textual and feature levels are interpreted in relation to the shared and distinctive constraints in TE and EFL. The multidimensional analysis identified six textual dimensions, including Dimension 1, ‘Elaborated-involved versus Integrated-formal production’; Dimension 2, ‘Evaluative discourse versus Reporting/retelling discourse’; Dimension 3, ‘Depictive and detailed narration’; Dimension 4, ‘Descriptive narration with a spatial-temporal focus’; Dimension 5, ‘Activity focus versus Referential precision’; and Dimension 6, ‘Information density versus Irrealis’. Along the six dimensions, the two constrained varieties exhibit similar yet register-sensitive variations in contrast to NE. Specifically, compared to NE editorials, TE and EFL editorials are characterized by being more evaluative (D2), more integrated and formal (D1), marked by the utilization of irrealis (D6) and devoid of descriptive narration with a spatial-temporal focus (D4). Conversely, in TE and EFL reports, the language becomes more elaborated and involved (D1) than NE reports, characterized by a pronounced reporting discourse (D2), a descriptive narration with a spatial-temporal focus (D4), and an enhanced level of information density (D6). This distinction illustrates the nuanced complexity of textual variations and how they respond to different registers. The shared tendencies in TE and EFL may stem from the interplay between two opposing forces: the influence of the source/first language (Mandarin Chinese) and the target/foreign language (English). These two forces create a continuum between interference and normalization, leading to complex textual characteristics. The competing or reinforcing nature of these forces pushes the constrained varieties to either emphasize or diverge from features that typify the non-constrained English (e.g., amplification in D2, D4, and D6; opposition in D1). Distinctions are also found between TE and EFL at the textual level (for instance, D3 and D5), and EFL generally exhibits more variations, evident by a larger and inconsistent divergence from NE. This may be tentatively attributed to the mediated production mode unique to translation. Translators, compared to EFL writers, may be more experienced in playing the role of mediating between languages and cultures, thus produce translations that are more align with the native production. Another significant finding is the increased variation found in editorials compared to reports. This trend may be related to the constraint of register – greater variation emerges in response to the larger gap in argumentative writing conventions between Chinese and English. Univariate feature-level analysis yielded mixed results, demonstrating register-sensitive variations. While TE and EFL share tendencies on certain textual dimensions, their realization at the feature level varies. A consistent pattern identified through univariate analysis is that adjectival noun phrases are overrepresented in both TE and EFL. This may be attributed to a combination of interference and normalization, i.e., the preference for left-branching premodification of nouns in Chinese and the trend toward using more adjective-noun sequences in contemporary English (Huang, 1998; Leech et al., 2009). The register-sensitive characteristics challenge prevailing hypotheses regarding simplification and explicitation in translation and EFL studies. These findings again underscore the importance of a multidimensional approach to fully comprehend the multifaceted nature of language variation. The study highlights the complex interplay of various constraints in shaping language use, particularly language activation and mediation across different communicative contexts. By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, it extends translation studies beyond simple comparisons between translations and non-translations in the target language. The analysis reveals how constrained language varieties characterized by bilingual activation, such as translation and foreign language writing, intersect and diverge. By highlighting the nuanced variations of constrained English varieties, this study not only enriches translation studies but also fosters its connections with the wider field of bilingual communication, contributing to cohesive understanding of language phenomena. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | open access |
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