Thematic Progression Patterns in Beiying and Its English 
Translations: A Comparative Study from a Systemic 
Functional Perspective

Jia Liu

doi:10.70711/rcha.v3i7.7814

Thematic Progression Patterns in Beiying and Its English Translations: A Comparative Study from a Systemic Functional Perspective

Jia Liu

Abstract

This study aims to addresse the challenges in managing thematic structures and thematic progression patterns in Chinese-English
prose translation, focusing on Zhu Ziqing's Beiying and its two representative English translations by Zhang Peiji and Yang Xianyi & Dai
Naidie. Based on Theme-Rheme theory and thematic progression patterns, this study explores four core questions: (1) What is the distribution of thematic progression patterns in the original Chinese text of Beiying? (2) How do the distributions of thematic progression patterns in
two English translations compare with those in the original text? (3) What specific shifts in pattern frequency or type characterize these crosslinguistic transfers? (4) What are the key differences in the distribution and application of thematic progression patterns between two English
versions? The research employs a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative analysis tabulates frequency distributions, while qualitative analysis
examines cross-linguistic adaptation and stylistic implications. Findings reveal notable variations between the original and translations, as
well as between the two translations. At the same time, this study offers insights into thematic transformation in translation and provides practical guidance for translators in handling discourse coherence across linguistic boundaries.

Keywords

Thematic progression pattern; Beiying; Translation; Comparative analysis

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References

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.70711/rcha.v3i7.7814

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