| Author: | Liu, Yanjin |
| Title: | A sentiment analysis of Oscar Wilde's children's stories in Chinese translation |
| Advisors: | Li, Dechao (CBS) |
| Degree: | DALS |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Subject: | Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900 Children's literature, English -- Translations into Chinese -- History and criticism Translating and interpreting Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Faculty of Humanities |
| Pages: | 225 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | This study presents a comprehensive analysis of sentiment representations in the Chinese translations of Oscar Wilde's stories for children. Employing a robust, fine-grained model named BilingualChildrenEmo for sentiment detection, the study evaluates sentiment polarity and emotion intensity to gain a better understanding of the various factors influencing sentiment representations in translated children's literature, such as translator characteristics, translation events, and socio-cultural contexts. The study endeavours to address the following research questions: 1) Do the translations of Wilde’s stories for children exhibit differences in sentiment representations across different historical periods? If so, what are these differences? 2) How does the sentiment representations of Wilde’s stories for children vary across translations from different time periods? 3) Are there identifiable patterns or tendencies in translations of Wilde’s stories for children across different historical periods, with regards to sentiment representations? 4) What are the underlying factors that contribute to changes in the translation of Wilde’s stories for children over time? This study employs a combined descriptive-explanatory model to investigate the posed research questions. Initially, the study examines polarity and emotion-level sentiment representations in the first three inquiries, employing a descriptive framework that combines quantitative analysis and qualitative coding. However, the study subsequently shifts to an explanatory model for the final research question, aiming to discern the underlying factors influencing these observed patterns. This analytical phase involves an exploration of the intricate interplay between translator cognition, translation events, and socio-cultural factors, elucidating the observed translation shifts. Through this comprehensive approach, the study endeavours to offer a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted dynamics underpinning the translation process. The research findings reveal several key insights into sentiment representations in the translated children's literature. First, there is an increase in negative sentiments and a decrease in positive sentiments, which is consistent with the decline in the emotion of Joy and the increase in emotions of Sadness and Fear. Second, the flow of emotions and sentiment polarities from source to target texts becomes more consistent and evenly distributed. Third, there is a noticeable decrease in the intensity of negative sentiment polarity, while positive sentiment intensity is heightened, suggesting a more vivid and contrasting portrayal of sentiment polarity. Additionally, translated works tend to convey emotions more implicitly, with Sadness and Anger being more explicit than Joy or Love. Interlinguistic realizations adjust sentiment polarity and emotional content by modifying details and interpretations, thereby enhancing accessibility and conveying specific sentiments to the target audience. Furthermore, extralinguistic features associated with changes in sentiment polarity and emotional content often revolve around themes such as love and death, potentially reflecting socio-cultural influences. The study demonstrates that translators' expertise, self-image, and attitudes towards translation, as well as linguistic norms, translation traditions, and socio-cultural factors, significantly contribute to the shifts in sentiment representations observed in the translated texts. By examining the implications of these findings, the study emphasizes the importance of considering these factors in the translation of children's literature in order to enhance children's emotional competence development. This research makes a valuable contribution to the fields of sentiment analysis and translation studies by advancing the understanding of sentiment representations in translated children's literature. It provides critical insights into the intricate interplay of factors that shape sentiment representations in children's literature translations, thereby enriching scholarly discourse on the subject and shedding light on the complex dynamics of translating emotions and sentiments for young audience. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7531.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 6.23 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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