Abstract
This paper is a semiotic study on modality in Chinese Criminal Law (CCL) and its English version from the perspective of Halliday's Systemic-Functional Grammar, Saussure's semiotic study, and Chinese semantic and pragmatic characteristics. The research aims to investigate what signifieds are used as modal expressions in CCL and its English version, the characteristics of their distribution, types (modalization and modulation), and values (high, median, and low), and the functions they serve in CCL and its English version. By probing the signified of modal expressions concerning types and values, the results turn quite positive that the signified used as modal expression of obligation and commands in English version of CCL are mostly realized by modal verbs of high value, the attitudes of permission by modal verbs of low value, the meaning of probability and ability used to be delivered by modal verbs of low value, and the prohibition of illegal acts used to apply modality of high value in negative form. Much importance should be attached to the functional study of modality to appropriately understand the signified of modality in Chinese legislations and its English translation.
About the author
Li Li (b. 1962) is a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law <fadalili@sina.com>. Her research interest is applied linguistics. Her publications include “Presupposition in Chinese courtroom discourse” (2008); An empirical research of legal language (with Zhao Hongfang, 2009); “Research into Montesquieu's official positions” (with Zhu Lin, 2009); and “On the development of high-quality legal English teachers” (2011).
©2015 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
