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Gendered language and translational stance: A sentiment analysis of modifiers in two Chinese translations of the second sex
Author(s)
Date Issued
2025
Citation
Yin, H., Xu, H., & Liu, J. (7 Jun 2025). Gendered language and translational stance: A sentiment analysis of modifiers in two Chinese translations of the second sex. International Conference on Quantitative Translation and Interpreting Studies in the Age of AI (QTIS), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
This study investigates how gendered language is shaped by translational choices through a comparative sentiment analysis of two Chinese translations of The Second Sex—one by male translator Zheng Kelu (鄭克魯) (2011) and the other by female translator Qiu Ruiluan ( 邱 瑞 鑾 ) (2013). By focusing on the modifiers (e.g., adjectives and adverbs) attached to gendered terms such as “ 她 ” (she), “ 女 人 ” (woman), and “ 男 人 ” (man), the research examines whether and how the translators' gender identity influences the emotional framing of gendered subjects. Building two corpora from the respective translations, we apply sentiment analysis techniques to evaluate the polarity and intensity of modifiers associated with gendered referents. Preliminary results suggest that Qiu’s translation demonstrates a stronger gender consciousness, often employing positive descriptors that
align with feminist undertones. By contrast, Zheng’s translation appears more neutral or, in some instances, subtly aligned with traditional gender narratives, marked by the absence or mitigation of emotionally charged modifiers. This paper argues that translation is not merely a linguistic act but also a performative one, where the translator’s positionality—especially gendered positionality—can subtly or overtly shape textual meaning. Through this lens, we contribute to discussions in feminist translation studies and corpus-based critical discourse analysis by demonstrating how computational tools can reveal latent ideological differences in translated texts. Our findings have implications for feminist translation theory and for understanding how translated works mediate feminist philosophy across cultures and genders. Future research may extend this approach to other canonical feminist texts or examine the reception of these translations by different reader groups.
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