Translating Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (Vol. III): A Socio-semiotic Approach

Abstract

Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (Vol. III), and its English translation, are successful examples of China’s active political publicity, which is of great importance in constructing an external discourse system with Chinese characteristics. Taking a Socio-semiotic perspective, in the light of Morris’s designative, linguistic, and pragmatic theories concerning methods of qualitative research, this paper analyzes the equivalence between the original text and its English translation, in terms of their contents, linguistic features, and expressive effect. It was found that the translators use a combination of domestication and foreignization strategies, such as free translation, literal translation, literal translation of explication, omission, adaptation, and adding annotation, to achieve, as far as possible, a translation standard of “correspondence in meaning and similarity in function” between the Chinese and the English. By exploring the English translation to help improve the quality of translation of political literature, it is hoped that this study will bring Chinese discourses to the attention of foreign audiences, and promote their understanding.