An Analysis of the Orchid Pavilion from the Perspective of Systemic Functional Grammar

Abstract

In the 1960s, Halliday’s systemic-functional grammar gradually emerged in the field of linguistic research. It provides a theoretical framework for discourse analysis. The Orchid Pavilion is a widely circulated calligraphy and literary work in ancient China. Nowadays, many scholars have translated it into English, among which Lin Yutang’s translation is especially famous. This article takes the three meta-functions of Systemic Functional Grammar as the theoretical framework, and analyzes Lin Yutang’s English translation of Wang Shichih’s article The Orchid Pavilion from transitivity, mood system, modality and thematic structure so as to investigate the ways in which the ideational function, interpersonal function and textual function are realized respectively. It can also verify the applicability and operability of Systemic Functional Grammar in translation. In all, this article provides a new perspective for understanding and translating The Orchid Pavilion as well as offering a reference in understanding and translating Chinese literary work.