From Report to Description: Translation of Dialogue Tags in“The Adventure of the Final Problem”and Its Reflection of the Change of Translation Norms，1897-1916

ZHANG Yuqing

doi:10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20258307

Volume 8 Issue 3

Oct. 2025

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ZHANG Yuqing. From Report to Description: Translation of Dialogue Tags in“The Adventure of the Final Problem”and Its Reflection of the Change of Translation Norms，1897-1916[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2025, 8(3): 120-136. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20258307

Citation:

ZHANG Yuqing. From Report to Description: Translation of Dialogue Tags in“The Adventure of the Final Problem”and Its Reflection of the Change of Translation Norms，1897-1916[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2025, 8(3): 120-136. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20258307

Citation:

ZHANG Yuqing. From Report to Description: Translation of Dialogue Tags in“The Adventure of the Final Problem”and Its Reflection of the Change of Translation Norms，1897-1916[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2025, 8(3): 120-136. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20258307

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From Report to Description: Translation of Dialogue Tags in“The Adventure of the Final Problem”and Its Reflection of the Change of Translation Norms，1897-1916

doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20258307

ZHANG Yuqing^,

The University of Warwick;

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Author Bio:
ZHANG Yuqing holds a PhD in Translation and Transcultural Studies from the University of Warwick. She currently works at the Graduate School of Translation & Interpretation（GSTI）, Beijing Foreign Studies University. Her research interests include translation studies, comparative literature and twentieth-century Chinese literature.
Received Date: 2025-03-01
Accepted Date: 2025-04-25

Abstract

Abstract

This paper examines the 1897 and 1916 Chinese translations of “The Adventure of the Final Problem,” with a particular focus on the rendering of dialogue tags. I argue that the translation of dialogue tags functions not only as a linguistic task, but also as a lens through which the evolving literary and cultural norms that informed translation practices in late Qing and early Republican China can be observed. Dialogue tags, often dismissed as peripheral or mechanical elements of narrative, in fact play essential roles in shaping characterisation and managing the plot progression. The choices that translators make in rendering these elements reveal broader assumptions about the role of translation in the target culture and the expectations of the target readership. Drawing on Toury’s Descriptive Translation Studies（1995）, I undertake a close textual analysis of both translations. This analysis is further supported by an investigation of relevant extratexts, including prefaces, epilogues, and translators’notes. The 1897 translation tends to omit the descriptive elements embedded in dialogue tags, such as the portrayals of tones and psychological nuances. These omissions often result in a flattening of characterisation and a reduction of narrative complexities. This tendency evinces the prevailing translation practices of the 1890s, when Chinese translators enjoyed considerable freedom to rewrite the source texts and were often encouraged to prioritise the didactic function of foreign fiction over its literary qualities. By contrast, the 1916 translation represents more of the descriptive subtleties and narrative dynamics of Doyle’s work. This shift aligned with the move towards “literal translation” and the increasing recognition of the entertainment value of fiction in the 1910s. By tracing the way in which dialogue tags were rendered into Chinese over nearly two decades, this paper offers insights into the transformation of translation norms in late Qing and early Republican China, as well as the historical, social, and cultural dynamics that shaped the introduction and reception of foreign literature at the time.
- Sherlock Holmes,
- dialogue tag,
- translation norm,
- Zhang Kunde,
- Yan Duhe

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References(41)

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