Abstract: This paper makes a comparative analysis of two Chinese versions of Bacon’ Of Studies by Wang Zuoliang and Cao Minglun. To point out the differences between the two translation works and analyze the reasons, comparisons are made in some important rhetorical devices such as parallelism, ellipsis as well as their influence on the rhythm patterns, choice of words, and sentence structures. The learners can learn translation methods from the two famous translators when they appreciate translators’ works, so as to learn some translation skills and use them in our own translation.

Key words: Of Studies; comparative analysis; translation skills

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction1

2. Literature Review...1

3. Theoretical Basis2

  3.1 Literal Translation

  3.2 Transliteration

  3.3 Liberal Translation

4. Translation in Different Chinese Versions.3

  4.1 Choice of Words

     4.1.1 Nouns

     4.1.2 Verbs

     4.1.3 Prepositions

     4.1.4 Adjectives

  4.2 Rhetorical Devices

     4.2.1 Parallelism and Reiteration

     4.2.2 Ellipsis and Reiteration

  4.3 Rhythm

  4.4 Sentence Structures

     4.4.1 Active Sentences and Passive Sentences

     4.4.2 Subject Deletion

  4.5 The Reasons of Differences of Two Translation Versions

5. Conclusion10

Bibliography.11

Acknowledgements..12