Translating Mulan ci: A study of multimodality in the French picture book adaptation

Abstract

“The Ballad of Mulan”, an ancient Chinese poem dating back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589 A.D.), has gained worldwide popularity and has been translated into various languages. One of the most well-known adaptations of the story is The Walt Disney Company's movie version released in 1998. However, in academic discussions, relatively little attention has been given to the translation and transformation of the story as a picture book. This paper aims to bridge this gap by studying the French translation of Mulan Ci in a multimodal analysis approach, focusing on the text and image in the picture book “La Ballade de Mulan” (published by HongFei Cultures in 2015). By comparing this version with other translated versions of the pure verbal text, this paper will explore the multimodal aspects of the French translation and shed light on how the story has been adapted and transformed for a new audience. The paper aims to contribute to the growing body of research on the translation and adaptation of Mulan Ci, particularly in the field of multimodality