 Posted - 27/02/2001 : 09:22:28
Department of Chinese, Translation & Linguistics
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Institute of Chinese Linguistics
Seminars
Here we meet and share our research publications.
Here we meet and exchange our research ideas and plans, and cheer each other on.
Here the full papers by the speakers will be distributed.
Topics:
(I) Language and cognition in the development of Cantonese evidentials
By
Prof. Thomas Lee （李行德教授）
City University of Hong Kong
[Abstract]
One way in which subjectivity is expressed in language is by means of marking the speaker's attitude toward what s/he is saying. Speakers indicate the degree of their epistemic commitment using modal auxiliaries, verbs, adverbs or particles. In this study, we investigate Cantonese-speaking children's use of evidential particles which encode information in various ways, marking it as indirect speech, obvious and shared by participants, or contrary to existing knowledge. It was found that some evidential particles began to be used by 3 years of age, while others emerged late, the pattern clearly related to the availability of positive evidence. The early occurrence of some evidential particles suggests that children are capable of rudimentary levels of meta-representation. The data will be discussed with reference to studies of children's theory of mind. My discussion will be based on two papers: Lee and Law (2000) "Evidential final particles in Child Cantonese", in Eve Clark (ed) Proceedings of the 30th Stanford Child Language Research Forum. Stanford: Center for the Study of Language in Information. pp. 131-138, and Lee and Law (in press) "Epistemic Modality and the Acquisition of Cantonese Final Particles", in Mineharu Nakayama (ed) Issues in East Asian Language Acquisition. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers.
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(II) A Global Intercultural Communication - Translation of Chinese / English Travel Writing
By
Dr. Maria Cheng（鄭寶璇博士）
City University of Hong Kong
[Abstract]
Globalization has seen the development of a world economy, an increasingly interconnected media and more fluid populations. Opportunities for travel has greatly increased, giving rise to an increasing need for tourist guides to meet the demand for pertinent, useful information and make travel easier. This poses problems for translators.
Tourist guides are like mirrors, reflecting a nation, a place, and they touch on the history, geography, culture and customs of the people that occupy that place. According to Hatim and Mason's view, translators not only act as a bridge between two languages but also an intermediary between two cultures. And no matter the ideology, ethical or social system, the translator has to transfer meaning often where there is no correspondence in the target language. This paper expounds on the special characteristics of tourist guides, and gives some suggestions on ways to overcome the difficulties encountered.
Time: 4:30-6:00 pm
Date: 9th April, 2001 (Monday)
Venue: B7533, CTL Conference Room
Enquiries: 2788-8705
____________ All are welcome! ____________
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