A SYSTEMIC INTERPRETATION OF J. K. ROWLING’S “HARRY POTTER” AND STEPHENIE MEYER’S “TWILIGHT”

Abstract

When rendering a particular text from the source language into the target language, the translator should take into consideration the multi-layered structure of the language. Barbara M. H. Strang discusses modern English structure referring to “language as an
articulated system of signs” (1968: 6). On the other hand, Ferdinand de Saussure defines semiology as “a science that studies the life of signs within society” (Matthews 2003: 135) considering that linguistics is only a part of the general science of semiology.
A system is understood in terms of its units and their combinatory relationships. According to the stratification principle (Hjelmslev 1967), the linguistic levels are hierarchically organized, that is a unit of a certain level is made up of one or more units of
the inferior level. Consequently, there are many more units at a superior level than at an inferior one. Stratification creates the following linguistic levels: a) the level of the distinctive features; b) the level of the phoneme and of the semanteme; c) the morpheme, the word and the enunciation levels (Bidu-Vrănceanu et. all 1997: 476).