A Comparative Study on the Two Chinese Versions of Gone with the Wind： from the Social Linguistic Perspective

李华 林巍

【Abstract】This thesis uses social linguistics as its theoretical framework and makes a comparative study on the two Chinese versions of Gone with the Wind.And the author of the thesis discusses the translation methods used in the two Chinese versions and also analyzes the possible explanation.Finally the result shows that there are obvious differences in choice of words， sentence structures， description of female psychological features and appearances between two versions.The author expects that this thesis can make some contributions to the comparative studies on translated versions of Gone with the Wind and gender difference studies.

【Key words】gender difference； sociolinguistics； comparative study

1.Introduction

Sociolinguistics is a very young discipline which only has a history of 40 years.In 1952 Haver C.Currie， an American linguist， put forward the new concept of “sociolinguistics” for the first time.In many linguists opinion， sociolinguistics is a comprehensive and frontier discipline.It has multiple intersections with many other disciplines such as sociology， anthropology， and psychology.Although it emerged 40 years ago， and even there isnt very clear definition of its study field.Sociolinguistics， as a branch of linguistics， has made great achievements in scientific fields and has become an indispensable object of the research.Gender difference in language use， as a branch of sociolinguistics， has involved many fields such as pronunciation， intonation， vocabulary， syntax， grammar， semantic meaning， and analysis of literary works and so on.The author of the thesis adopts the theory of gender difference in sociolinguistics as the basis of the thesis， which mainly contains the study of male and female translators differences in vocabulary and syntax as well as psychological and appearance features.

2.A Comparative Study on Translated Versions of Gone with the Wind

Li Meihuas 2000 edition and Jia Wenhaos 2002 edition are adopted to be compared in my thesis.

2.1 The representation of the feminization of language in the two Chinese versions of Gone with the Wind

2.1.1 Different treatments of the description of psychological features

2.1.1.1 Leading characters vanity described in two Chinese versions

Example 1

Original：

…for she could never long endure any conversation of which she was not the chief subject.But she smiled when she spoke， consciously deepening her dimple.（Margaret， 2009， 4）

Translation：

Li： 对于不是以她为中心的谈话，她从来就不会忍受太久。……还刻意使脸上的酒窝显得深些。（李美华，2000：7）

Jia： 因为她绝对不能长时间忍受人家交谈却不把她当成主要话题。……还故意把酒窝缩得很深。（贾文浩，2002：5）

Then Scarlett is talking with Stuart and Brent Tarleton in the cool shade of the porch of Tara.She feels very impatient when the twins talk about war.To put emphasis on Scarletts vanity as a girl Li intentionally inverts partially the whole sentence， and places the object “对于不是以她为中心的谈话” at the beginning of the sentence.But Jia translates the sentence completely in the original order.Usually vanity makes girls wish to be beautiful and attract others attention.Lis translation reinforces readers knowledge of Scarletts vanity by emphasis on word order.From this example， we can see that Li can understand the girls inner desire to have the attention of boys better.In addition， Li adopts an appropriate word “刻意” to express Scarletts desire to attract others attention.However，Jias “故意” implies contempt for Scarletts being coquettish， which is avoided as much as possible by some translators.So Lis version is more suitable than Jias.

2.1.1.2 Leading characters jealousy described in two Chinese versions

Example 2

Original：

So Rhett consorted with that vile Watling creature.（Margaret， 2009， 236）

Translation：

Li： 瑞德居然和可耻的沃特琳这个骚货混在一起。（李美华，2000：301）

Jia： 瑞德居然跟这个坏女人沃特琳有来往。（贾文浩2002：173）

Scarlett finds that Watling has the handkerchief just like hers by chance.Humiliation and fury are filling her.Her hope that Rhett is in love with her is shattered.So she adopts the word “creature” to describe Watling.Li detects a slight hint of jealousy in Scarletts mind， so she translates “creature” into “骚货”， which usually refers to a lady of easy virtue in Chinese.Jias translation “坏女人” cant directly refer to a street girl who engages in sexual activities and plays around together with men.Watling is a street girl.So “骚货” is a more appropriate description of “creature” than “坏女人”.So Lis version can reproduce Scarletts jealousy better than Jias.

2.1.1.3 Leading characters love of beauty described in two Chinese versions

Example 3

Original：

Scarlett had Lou lace her stays as tightly as the strings would pull.Then she passed the tape measure about her waist.Twenty inches！ She groaned aloud.That was what having babies did to your figure！ （Margaret， 2009， 849）

Translation：

Li： ……能系多紧就系多紧。……那就是生孩子毁的身材！（李美华， 2000：1061）

Jia： ……尽量拉紧腹带，……这就是生孩子给身段造成的结果！（贾文浩，2002：631）

After giving birth to Bonnie， Scarletts waist becomes twenty inches long.She is so regretful that she decides not to have any more babies.Women all want to keep slim， Scarlett is no exception.Li translates “lace as tightly as the strings would pull” into “能系多紧就系多紧”， which shows us her crying needs for recuperating more slender body.As a female writer， Li knows what having baby will do to womens figure， so she uses the Chinese word “毁” to describe the outcome.Jia， as a male， cant deeply feel the mental and physical pain of having babies and its outcome.Li can better understand the writers writing purpose than Jia.

2.1.1.4 Leading characters self-respect described in two Chinese versions

Example4

Original：

I mustnt bawl； I mustnt beg… （Margaret， 2009， 985）

Translation：

Li： 我不能声嘶力竭地大喊大叫，我不能恳求，……（李美华， 2000：1231）

Jia： 我可不能哭出来，也不能向他乞求，……（贾文浩，2002：735）

Their daughter died because of an accident.When Scarlett finally understands Rhett's position in her heart， Rhett intends to go away with frustration and depression. Scarlett doesnt try to make him stay by force； on the contrary， she will go home to Tara to get strength.In the source text， the writer adopted “mustnt bawl and beg” to describe Scarletts high self-esteem.Bawl means shout and cry loudly.Li translates it into “声嘶力竭地大喊大叫” vividly.As for Jias version “哭出来”， the translator cant experience a womans feeling of loneliness and helplessness after her husband left.Meanwhile， the two translators treatments of “beg” are in different ways.“乞求—乞讨哀求” implies the inequality between Scarlett and Rhett， which should be avoided as much as possible.Here “恳求”， a neutral word， is more appropriate.So Lis version is more suitable than Jias here.

Example 5

Original：

She had a cloud of curly dark hair which was so sternly repressed beneath its net.（Margaret， 2009， 96）

Translation：

Li： ……黑发被一丝不苟地梳平罩在发罩里。（李美华， 2000：124）

Jia： ……黑卷发却用发网死死罩起来。（贾文浩，2002：71）

In the description of appearances of Melanie， the writer wanted to illustrate some remarkable character traits of the “goddess” in her heart， such as earnest， sedateness， dignity and so on.Therefore， her words “sternly repressed” should be commendatory.Li translates it into “一丝不苟地梳平罩在”， representing Melanies earnest.That version is just identical to the writers intention.From the version “用发网死死罩起来” we cant feel anything else but rigidness.So Lis version is more suitable here.

2.2 Linguistic features in translated versions of Gone with the Wind

2.2.1 The lexical aspect

2.2.1.1 Tactful words in Lis version and coarse words in Jias version

Example 6

Original：

“You have lived with three men and still know nothing of mens natures.You seem to think they are like old ladies past the change of life.” （Margaret， 2009， 854）

Translation：

Li： “你已经跟三个男人生活过，却还是一点也不了解男人的天性。你好像把他们看成是经历过生活变化的老太太。” （李美华， 2000：1066）

Jia： “你已经跟三个男人生活过，却仍然不了解男人的脾性。你好像认为，男人就像过了绝经期的老太太一样没有欲望吧。” （贾文浩，2002：634）

In this example Li wants to avoid the coarse expressions， but Jia expresses more directly and coarsely.Sometimes the painstaking avoidance may confuse the readers， and make the problem complicated.For example， the writer wanted to say it is natural that men want women because “they arent like the old ladies past the change of life”.Li understands the implications but avoids translating it clearly by saying “经历过生活变化的老太太”.While Jia translates it into “你好像认为，男人就像过了绝经期的老太太一样没有欲望吧”.“过了绝经期” is sarcastic to compare men to the old ladies here， so Jia deals with it more appropriately.

2.2.1.2 Women-preferred extravagant and emotional words

Women often use so-called ‘extravagant words to convey more emotion than definite meanings while men seldom use them.

Example 7

Original：

“He is going to kiss me！” thought Scarlett ecstatically.…

“I apologize most humbly， Scarlett.”（Margaret， 2009， 852）

Translation：

Li： “他就要吻我啦！”思嘉心醉神迷地想。……（李美华， 2000：1063）

Jia：“他要亲吻我啦！”斯佳丽心中一阵狂喜。……（贾文浩，2002：632）

Scarlett loves Ashley and she is unwilling to give up.Till the opportunity comes， Scarlett can stay with Ashley alone， and Ashley seems to keep dubious relations with her.Li， as a female translator， likes using those words such as “心醉神迷”.“心醉神迷” means admire or love somebody to the utmost extent， which is more extravagant than “狂喜”in meanings.So Li uses more extravagant expressions in her translated version.

2.2.2 The syntactical aspect

2.2.2.1 Paratactic sentences in Lis version and hypotactic sentences in Jias version

Example8

Original：

Now there came rushing to her mind many things to which she had given little thought recently， conversations she had heard but to which she had not listened， masculine talk which had been checked half finished when she came into rooms， small incidents in which she had seen no significance at the time， Franks futile warnings to her against driving out to the mill with only the feeble Uncle Peter to protect her.Now they fitted themselves together into one horrifying picture.（Margaret， 2009， 615）

Example9

Original：

“Isnt it enough that theyve licked us and beggared us without turning loose scoundrels on us？” （Margaret， 2009， 493）

Translation：

Li： “他们把我们打败了，没把那些流氓放出来就已经把我们变成了乞丐，难道这还不够吗？”（李美华， 2000：621）

Jia： “他们打败我们，让我们变成了叫花子还不够，现在又放出这帮流氓来对付我们！”（贾文浩，2002：367）

The war was over， but the Yankees could still rob her.The extra tax assessment is the money Scarlett has to raise.She has no way out but marries a rich man.So from Lis interrogative sentence “难道这还不够吗？” we can find that Scarlett speaks in a tone of helplessness and fury.But in Jias version we cant feel that kind of intense rage.So Lis version is more suitable than Jias.

Translation：

Li：她一走进房间，本来正在谈话的先生们话才说到一半，却突然停下不说了；还有当时她认为无关紧要的小事；弗兰克还提醒她，只有弱小的彼德大叔保护，不要驾车到锯木厂去，可她却不听等等。（李美华， 2000：773）

Jia：一见她进屋，立刻打住话头，可她也并没有真正在意。他还记得弗兰克警告过她多次，不准她驾车去锯木厂，只有身体虚弱的彼德大叔在身边保护她，可弗兰克的一次次警告让她当成了耳边风。（贾文浩，2002：456）

In the above example we can find that Li prefers the parallel sentences while Jia prefers clauses with subordinate conjunctions linking them.Li usually makes use of semicolon to make the unrelated contents connected， while Jia usually makes use of conjunctions like “但是”“一见……立刻”“只是因为……才”“可” and so on to connect the clauses.Those are the obvious differences between their translated versions.

2.2.2.2 Interrogative sentences in Lis version and declarative sentences in Jias version

3.Conclusion

This thesis attempts to compare the two Chinese versions of Gone with the Wind from the social linguistic perspective.Through detailed comparison， we have noted that gender difference has great impact on translation process as well as the translators choice of translation methods.Gender difference， being formed by society， culture and history， is an everlasting topic that cannot be ignored in any period.From the gender difference perspective we can find out the diversity displayed in different versions in the process of translation so as to reveal that different translators will translate with different methods because of gender difference.In this thesis it is found that the female translator Li shows stronger gender consciousness， mainly embodied in her representation of the feminization of language and feminine linguistic features in the translation process.But it doesnt mean the male translator Jia has no gender consciousness， for sometimes his translated versions can better represent the intentions of the source text.

By analysis， it is concluded that in lexical level female translators tend to use more tactful words while male translators prefer coarse ones； female translators tend to contain more extravagant words in their versions than male do； in the level of syntax， female translators tend to adopt parallel structures to make the sentences neat； female translators tend to adopt interrogative sentences to emphasize their ideas.In addition， female translators are easier to understand and to convey the intention of female writers； female translators faithfully depict women characters appearance from womens perspective.

Now a series of studies have been made on gender difference in the analysis of literary works， while few textual analyses are carried out to show how gender influences translation， so more researches on translation from gender difference perspective should be carried out.

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作者简介：李华，武汉工商学院，讲师，湖北武汉人，文学硕士，研究方向：翻译学。