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Book: Linguistic Explorations in Translation Studies

Chapter: Choice of tense in English translations

DOI: 10.1558/equinox.44769

Blurb:

Written in classical Chinese, ancient poems differ from modern Chinese poems and English poems in terms of linguistic expression. Chapter 13 investigates the choice of tense in English translations of ancient Chinese poems and offers an analysis of tense choices. In English translations of ancient poems, the selection of tense can reflect the translators’ understanding of the original poem and their control over artistic conception. Under certain conditions, two or more tenses are possible to be selected; while in other situations, the selection of tense will be rather restrained.

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