Transitivity-Driven Semantic Shifts and Ideological Mediation in the English Translation of Intizar Hussain’s Wo Jo Kho Gaye

Abstract

This study investigates the dynamics of meaning transfer in literary translation through a comparative analysis of Intizar Hussain’s Wo Jo Kho Gaye (Hussain, 1990) and its English rendition. Employing Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) with a focus on transitivity processes, this study examines how linguistics choices shape semantic shifts between the source text (ST) and the target text (TT). For this, the study utilized a framework proposed by Halliday (1994) and Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), which is based on six process types—material, mental, relational, verbal, behavioral, and existential—that are identified and quantified in both texts. The results show that the ST comprises 348 material (39.01%), 238 relational (26.68%),146 verbal (16.36%), 145 mental (16.25%), 9 behavioral (1%), and 6 existential (0.67%) process, while the TT contains 400 material (40.12%), 287 relational (28.38%),144 mental (14.44%), 142 verbal (14.24%), 20 existential (2%), and 8 process (0.80%). These variations reflect subtle shifts in narrative emphasis and ideological framing. The translator’s strategic use of equivalence, paraphrasing, omission, loan words, and cultural substitutions further contributes to the reconfiguration of meaning. The findings underscore the pivotal role of transitivity in shaping textual interpretation and highlight the translator’s agency in negotiating cultural and linguistic boundaries.