Re-conceptualizing cultural dissemination in the lens of translational spaces: a case of the English dubbed Journey to the West

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Chinese classic TV series Journey to the West was dubbed into English by China Central Television in 2020. While it enjoys some popularity in the English-speaking world, many Chinese viewers learn English from this dubbed drama, aided by timely danmu dictionaries and back translations. This article delves into the directions of this dubbing’s dissemination by utilizing translational spaces, a conceptual tool substantiated by incorporating the concept of diaspora. It contends that the dubbing possesses a diasporic nature and is somewhat situated in the ‘third space’ through intercultural adjustments. There is no contradiction between the ‘outgoing’ of Chinese culture and the ‘inward’ flow for Chinese viewers learning English or seeking entertainment. The dichotomous ‘in-and-out’ mindset might be discarded, given the reality of multi-/non-/anti-directional dissemination. The perspective of translational spaces allows us to witness a collective online carnival sparked by cultural untranslatability, where multiple purposes and pursuits are celebrated. This challenges the notion of translation as a straightforward, single-directed practice and illuminates the mechanism of cross-cultural exchange through audiovisual translation in the current digital age.