Word order in English and Chines: a case study of the Chinese folk tale

Abstract

Language is considered an integral part of culture. Different cultures with their indicative characteristics reflect the distinctions in languages with the grammar and syntax. The current research compares word order in the English and Chinese languages. The former of the languages concentrates on formal representation, while the latter adopts conceptual one. The foundation of the study is a Chinese folk tale 木头 平板电脑 (Mùtou píngbǎn diànnǎo) and its version translated into English, The Wooden Tablet. The word order is analyzed by dividing sentences to the three communicative types which are imperative, interrogative, and declarative. According to the findings, only impetrative sentences depicted identical structure of ordering the words.