Translating manner-of-motion in comics: A multilingual and multimodal corpus-based study

This article presents a corpus-based investigation of the translation of manner-of-motion from a multilingual and multimodal perspective. The corpus consists of five French comics, along with their corresponding translations from one Chinese version and two English versions. Thus, within the framework of the typology of motion events, the study covers three typologically distinct languages. Using corpus linguistics methods and combining quantitative and qualitative analyses, this study aims to provide empirical evidence on several important issues regarding the translation of manner-of-motion in comics. The results highlight the crucial role of visual language in compensating for alterations in the target textual codes. The significant differences between the Chinese and English translations may be explained by the impact of typological differences in expressing motion events, and the combined effects of the graphic representation of the target language and the spatial limitations of balloons.