• ISSN: 2382-6282 (Print); 2972-3108 (Online)
    • Abbreviated Title: Int. J. Lang. Lit. Linguist.
    • Frequency: Quarterly
    • DOI: 10.18178/IJLLL
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HOME > Archives > 2026 > Volume 12 Number 1 (2026) >
IJLLL 2026 Vol.12(1): 44-54
DOI: 10.18178/IJLLL.2026.12.1.629

A Corpus-Based Linguistic Study of the Translation of Han Kang’s Novel the Vegetarian

Xuejun Zhao
Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea
Email: 187205973zhao@gmail.com

Manuscript received September 25, 2025; accepted February 25, 2026; published March 25, 2026

Abstract—Following Han Kang’s recognition as the 2024 Nobel Prize laureate in Literature, her novel The Vegetarian has garnered global attention, becoming a key text for the study of contemporary Korean literature and cross-cultural communication. This award highlights Han Kang’s unique contributions to literature and her profound exploration of complex human experiences and social issues. As a representative work of modern Korean literature, The Vegetarian has played an important role in cultural transmission through its Chinese translations. Its reception in China not only enriches the landscape of world literature in translation but also provides a vaMainable case for research into cross-cultural understanding and translation practice.

This study constructs a small parallel corpus of the Mainland and Taiwanese Chinese translations to analyze the differences in The Vegetarian in terms of vocabulary, syntax, and discourse features, uncovering distinctions in linguistic style, thematic expression, and cultural representation. Through an analysis of the two Chinese translations, the research explores how translators from Mainland China and Taiwan adapt their strategies to meet the cultural expectations of readers in distinct sociocultural contexts. This comparative approach enhances our understanding of literary translation as a medium for cross-cultural communication and underscores the role of translated works in shaping cultural identity and literary evaMaination.

Ultimately, this paper aims to examine the translation, reception, and interpretation of Han Kang’s work in Mainland China and Taiwan, assessing its impact on global cultural discourse and its potential role in fostering Korean-Chinese cultural dialogue.

Keywords—han kang, the vegetarian, parallel corpus, translation, corpus linguistics

Cite: Xuejun Zhao, "A Corpus-Based Linguistic Study of the Translation of Han Kang’s Novel the Vegetarian," International Journal of Languages, Literature and Linguistics, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 44-54, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).


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