On the Translation Methods for Chinese Cultural Dissemination: Based on Language and Cultural Differences between English and Chinese

By Han Su

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the B. A. degree

Department of English

College of Liberal Arts

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

May, 2018

Acknowledgements

To begin with, I want to show my great gratitude to my supervisor, Zhang Jinwei, who has given patient guidance, professional advice and consistent encouragement during the writing process. I am so indebted to him because he has also played an important role in guiding me during my four-year undergraduate study. It is he who has introduced me to the wonderland of English and let me enjoy the charm of translation and interpretation.

Besides, I would like to express my thankfulness to all the faculty members in the Department of English for enhancing my academic ability and professional skills through their unselfish efforts.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my parents and friends for always giving me unconditional love and support. Furthermore, many appreciations must be given to my classmates who have assisted me in this process.

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Literature review

2.1 Previous studies on the translation related to Chinese culture

2.2 Limitations of previous studies and current needs

3. Language and cultural differences between English and Chinese

3.1 Cultural differences between English and Chinese

3.1.1 Living environments

3.1.2 Thinking methods

3.1.3 Customs

3.2 Language differences between English and Chinese

3.2.1 Sentence structures

3.2.2 Lexical meanings

4. Application of comparison in translation related to Chinese culture

4.1 Translation of words with Chinese characteristics

4.1.1 Political and economic terms

4.1.2 Cultural terms

4.1.3 Idioms

4.2 Translation of Chinese literature

4.2.1 Poems

4.2.2 Proses

5. Methods of Chinese cultural translation

5.1 Methods of lexical translation

5.2 Methods of sentence translation

6. Proposals for the dissemination of Chinese culture

6.1 Regulating the domestic translation market

6.2 Studying the foreign readers’ habits

6.3 Upgrading translation to a strategic level

7. Conclusion

References

On the Translation Methods for Chinese Cultural Dissemination: Based on Language and Cultural Differences between English and Chinese

Han Su

Department of English

College of Liberal Arts

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

Abstract: Since the 21st century, China has gained strong momentum in economy but its cultural development lags behind. The most obvious example is the limited introduction of Chinese culture to the world. Fundamentally, the inadequacy of Chinese to English translation is the leading factor which hampers the spread of Chinese culture. Therefore, based on the language and cultural differences between Chinese and English, this thesis analyzes the translation of words with Chinese characteristics and the English versions of Chinese works so as to fathom out the methods of translating Chinese culture for translators. Beyond that, this thesis also puts forward several proposals for the Chinese cultural dissemination.

Key Words: Differences between English and Chinese; Chinese culture; Translation methods

摘 要

自21世纪以来, 中国在经济贸易领域发展势头强劲, 但文化领域则相对滞后, 中国文化输出十分有限。究其原因, 翻译是制约中国文化对外传播的主要因素。因此, 本文以英汉语言和文化方面的差异为指导, 结合分析中国特色文化词语和文学作品的英译实例, 提出涉及中国文化的翻译策略, 旨在为译者提高有关中国文化的翻译水平提供参考指导,希望更好地促进中国文化的输出和传播。

关键词：英汉差异;中国文化;翻译策略

Introduction

With the advancement of China’s status in the world, more and more attention is directed to China, especially its culture. Although the project of Chinese culture “going out” has been launched for 17 years, its development is still out of pace with that of economy. The problem is the inadequacy of translation related to Chinese culture. Although many translators have made contributions through bringing in foreign cultures, they have done less in making Chinese culture well-known to the world. Except for their translation abilities, there are huge language and cultural barriers between Chinese and English. In recent years, translators have sought help not only from linguistic features but also from cultural backgrounds. Correspondingly, the study on Chinese cultural translation has shift the focus from simple text collation to effects on readers.

The thesis starts from looking back on the previous studies on the translation related to Chinese culture and points out their limitations. Then language and cultural differences between English and Chinese are compared to serve as bases for the analyses of concrete examples of Chinese cultural translation. The utmost goal is to figure out feasible methods of translation related to Chinese culture so as to help translators improve the quality of their translation works and enlarge China’s influence in the international stage. Beyond translation methods, the present thesis also offers some advice in promoting Chinese cultural dissemination: regulating the domestic translation market, studying the foreign readers’ habits and upgrading translation to a strategic level.

Literature review

2.1 Previous studies on the translation related to Chinese culture

“Translation”, “Chinese culture” and “The translation related to Chinese culture” are used as key words to search for studies in CNKI and many relevant theses have been founded. In terms of the number of studies, it has gone through three periods: the initiation period (1990-2002); the expansion period (2003-2009); the flourishing period (2010- ). During the initiation period, 1990 is a turning point. Before 1990, scholars started to pay attention to Chinese cultural dissemination but cared much less the relationship between translation and Chinese cultural dissemination. After the 11th Asian Games was successfully held in Beijing in 1990, China’s international status was enhanced and studies on Chinese cultural translation entered into an expansion period; from 2003 to 2009, more than 100 relevant theses were published per annual year. Since 2010, the number even exceeded 1000 annually. For example, 1303 theses in 2012 and 1350 in 2013. In terms of the research content, it can be categorized into three respects: summary and evaluation, translators and methods, translation combined with other subjects. In the field of summary and evaluation, Lin Wusun put forward that “It is much more difficult to do Chinese to English translation than English to Chinese translation” and Chinese to English translation is an essential part in introducing China to the outside world (Lin, 1991: 5). Wei Yaochuan pointed out the problems existing in Chinese to English translation and explored some acceptable methods like literal translation and annotation (Wei, 2008: 68); in the aspect of translators and methods, Yue Feng made deep researches on the translator Chen Jitong from subjects, contents and reasons of translation and affirmed his status in “the Eastern learning spreading westward” (Yue, 2001: 54). Pan Wenguo wrote that Chinese translators should undertake the responsibility of carrying forward Chinese culture and have confidence in Chinese cultural translation (Pan, 2004: 43). As for translation methods, scholars made further analysis in concrete texts. Xu Mianjun analyzed the main features of publicity materials, took into consideration relevant political, economic and cultural factors and offered targeted translation methods at the macro- and micro- level (Xu, 2004: 112); in terms of translation combined with other subjects, Yang Xuelian pointed out that translation and communications share the common nature, that is, the process and exchange of information (Yang, 2010: 7).

2.2 Limitations of previous studies and current needs

With over nearly thirty years of development, progress has been witnessed in translation related to Chinese culture. However, there are also some limitations. “Differences between Chinese and English and Chinese to English translation” has been searched as the subject in CNKI, and only five relevant theses have been founded, four of which focus on language differences and only one combines language and cultural differences.

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