Lexical Cohesion and Its Translation

Lexical Cohesion and Its Translation

[Abstract] This paper, based on the model of cohesion proposed by Halliday and Hasan, attempts a systematic discussion of lexical cohesion in the process of E-C/C-E translation from two major aspects: reiteration and collocation. Besides, some tentative translation strategies are proposed to compensate for the gap of information between English and Chinese.

[Key words]lexical cohesion translation reiteration collocation

According to Halliday and Hasan (1976), cohesion refers to “relations of meaning that exist within a text, and that define it as a text.” It is Halliday who for the first time classified cohesion into two types: grammatical cohesion and lexical cohesion. The author repeats the same lexical item, uses a relevant one or a set of items which often co-occur in certain context. All these same or relevant lexical items altogether assure the continuity of the topic of a discourse and consequently cohesion is obtained.

This paper aims to launch a tentative study at the latter, that is, lexical cohesion and the strategies that might be exploited in its translation. In translation, the various lexical chains in an English text may sometimes be reproduced in a Chinese one, but more often, their equivalents are difficult to find. Then, some remedial strategies have to be employed so as to make up for the lost information.

1. Reiteration and its translation

Halliday and Hasan （1976) divide lexical cohesion into two groups: reiteration and collocation.Reiteration does not necessarily mean full repetition of the same lexical item, but also those morphologically different and semantically close ones, including: a synonym or near-synonym; a superordinate; and a general word.

1.1 Full Repetition

Generally speaking, repetition is tended to be avoided in speaking or writing. Fowler and Fowler (1954), in their The King’s English, say, “…the repetition…is more or less abnormal.” This c laim may go somewhat too far.Nevertheless, it reminds the reader that the use of repetition implies some special account, such as for the rhetorical reasons.Repetition is not always objectionable. From famous writers to common speakers, and from Shakespearean poetry to a casual doggerel, direct repetition can be so easily met across.

Full repetition, in which a word or phrase with the same form and the same meaning occurs repeatedly in the same text, is the most direct type of lexical