A Comparison of Transitivity System in English and Chinese.docVIP

A Comparison of Transitivity System in English and Chinese 　　[a] Master, School of Foreign Languages, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China. 　　[b] Professor, School of Foreign Languages, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China. 　　* Corresponding author 　　Address: No.2, Beinong Road, Huilongguan, Changping District, Beijing, 102206, China. 　　Received 24 May 2012; accepted 8 August 2012 　　Abstract 　　Transitivity system is an important concept of Systematic Functional Grammar (SFG) as well as a useful tool for discourse analysis. Based on Halliday’s theoretical framework, this paper compares the similarities and distinctions between English and Chinese on the transitivity system, hoping to deepen the understanding toward the two languages from a new aspect and throw light on E-C translation. The research indicates that the six processes on the transitivity system in English and Chinese is semantically the same and can remain unchanged in E-C translation, while in certain circumstances process transfer is necessary. 　　Key words: Comparison; Transitivity system; English and Chinese translation implication 　　SUN Yuli, ZHAO Yushan (2012). A Comparison of Transitivity System in English and Chinese. Cross-Cultural Communication, 8(4), -0. Available from /index.php/ccc/article/view/j.ccc.1923670020120804.2411 DOI: /10.3968/j.ccc.1923670020120804.2411. 　　INTRODUCTION 　　Functional grammar provides three metafunctions of language: ideational, interpersonal and textual function. Ideational function is composed of experimental and logical function, a grammatical resource to construe the world around us and inside us. Experimental function is to express the experience, ideas as well as “going-on”, and situations, involving sorts of things that might happen, people, and relevant circumstances. It is mainly realized through transitivity system, voice, and polarity. Transitivity is a grammatical system of experimental function that helps to express t