Genre variations in James Legge’s two English translations of Shijing: a corpus-based multidimensional analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper delves into the genre differences between Legge’s two Shijing translations published in871 and876, employing a multidimensional analysis approach developed by Biber for studying genre variation. This approach groups sixty-seven linguistic features in six dimensions of linguistic variation. Utilizing the Corpus of English Shijing by James Legge, the study unveils significant differences in dimension “involved versus informational production” and dimension 3 “explicit versus situation-dependent reference.” These discrepancies manifest in twenty-eight linguistic features in dimension, and five linguistic features in dimension 3. The primary factor contributing to the observed dimensional and linguistic distinctions is traced to Legge’s translation strategies. The871 version predominantly employs literal translation, while the876 version adopts poetic rewriting, resulting in distinct language features and functions. Another plausible explanation lies in the underlying poetics guiding these translation endeavors. The initial version primarily targets an academic readership interested in acquiring proficiency in the Chinese language and culture, thereby necessitating a literal translation approach. In contrast, the subsequent version is crafted for an English audience in the UK, making a metrical rendition a more fitting choice.