Translation Strategies Research Articles

Translation Challenges in Rendering English Selected Short Stories into Arabic

Translating short stories presents unique challenges and complexities that demand careful examination and analysis. This study explores the intricacies of translating this literary form by examining the strategies employed by translators to overcome obstacles. This study focuses on the short story "Cat in the Rain" by Ernest Hemingway and three Arabic translations, analyzing the approaches employed by translators. By investigating techniques such as domestication, adaptation, and literal translation, this study identifies the strengths and limitations of each approach and provides insights into how translators tackle the unique challenges of short story translation. The study found that the different Arabic translations used different translation strategies. These strategies include word-for-word translation, literal translation, faithful translation, semantic translation, adaptation translation, free translation, and idiomatic translation.

Geospace translation strategies and their cognitive construal

Since the literary geospace is usually tinged with the author’s embodied experiences, it calls on the translator to restore or reconstruct the ST geospace’s geographical reality or imagination in the target language culture. Based on the embodied cognition of the environment, the translator can wash and negotiate the geographical conceptual system of the ST geospace by resorting to the three translation strategies, i.e., retention, reconstruction, and substitution, so as to generate new geospace in the geographical conceptual system of the TL. The article aims to analyze geospace translation strategies from the perspective of conceptual blending theory. The translator’s use of different translation strategies results from different mapping paths among the spaces of the source text, of the translator, and of the target text. It can illustrate the regularities of the translator’s space mediation in translating the geospace. Retention signifies the single-domain mappings from the space of ST. Substitution indicates the single-domain mappings from the space of the translator. Reconstruction denotes the double-domain mappings from both the spaces of ST and the translator. The emergent structure generated in the space of the target text yields the reterritorialization of the geospace in the target language culture, which can stimulate the reader of TT to get a similar geographical experience to that of the author and to empathize with the author’s sense of place to a greater extent.

Translation Strategies of Arabic and English Collocations: A Case Study of Algerian EFL Learners

Translation Strategies of Arabic and English Collocations: A Case Study of Algerian EFL Learners

江西书院文化负载词英译研究——以鹅湖书院为例

This study takes Goose Lake Academy in Jiangxi Province as an example to explore the English translation of culture-loaded words in the academy. As an important carrier of Chinese traditional culture, academies contain rich elements of history, philosophy, education and local characteristics, which often face many challenges in the process of English translation. Combining translation theory and practice, this study explores the translation strategies of culture-loaded words, including literal translation, free translation, paraphrased and other methods, in order to maintain the cultural connotation of the original text and ensure the accuracy and readability of the translation.

Brazilian Sinologist Reis’s Translation Strategy: Comparing His Portuguese Translation of Mo Yan’s Novel Wa With Goldblatt’s English Version

Amilton Reis is the first Brazilian sinologist who translated Nobel Prize Winner Mo Yan’s novels from Chinese into Portuguese. He has translated Mo Yan’s Bian (Mudança/Change, 2013), Sanshi nian qian de yici changpao (Uma corrida há 30 anos/A long run thirty years ago) and Wa (As rãs/Frog, 2015). This paper, based on first-hand examples, takes his Portuguese translation As rãs as the research object, and examines his translation strategy from aspects of cultural replacement, cultural omission, cultural dilution, cultural interpretation, cultural annotation, cultural literal translation, language beautification, language dilution, and so on. In order to better understand the characteristics of his translation strategy, this article compares his Portuguese translation with the English translation Frog by American sinologist Howard Goldblatt. The study found that, while Goldblatt’s translation strategy is basically “reader-oriented”, Reis’s translation strategy is more “reader-oriented” or “reader-centered”.

Penerjemahan Frasa Nomina Bahasa Korea ke Bahasa Indonesia dari Buku Esai Naneun Naro Salgiro Haetda ke dalam Hidup Apa Adanya: Kesalahan dan Strategi

The purposes of this research are to identify and analyze noun phrase’s translation errors and translation strategies from Korean to Indonesian that happened in an essay book titled Hidup Apa Adanya (2020), the Indonesian translation of Naneun Naro Salgiro Haetda (나는 나로 살기로 했다) (2016) by Suhyun Kim. This research is done using a descriptive-qualitative analysis method and two theories which are Translation Criticism (1988) by Peter Newmark and Translation Strategies (2016) by Zuchridin Suryawinata and Sugeng Hariyanto. The result indicates that firstly, there are six types of translation errors, which are (1) semantic error as the most found type, (2) omission, (3) word’s class and form’s change, (4) diction error, (5) word by word translation, and (6) cultural terms error. Secondly, there are nine strategies combinations such as (1) expansion and recognized translation, (2) synonymy and transposition, the most used combination, (3) synonymy, transposition, and addition, (4) synonymy, transposition, and borrowing, (5) modulation, transposition, and subtraction, (6) modulation, componential analysis, and addition, (7) borrowing and addition, (8) borrowing and transposition, and (9) borrowing, transposition, reduction, and expansion. The result also shows that the translator did not use cultural equivalent and descriptive equivalent strategies.

استراتيجيات وممارسات المؤسسات الإخبارية ذات العلاقة في التعامل مع النص الإخباري الذي يتناول قضايا الإسلامويين (حالة دراسية: بي بي سي وورلد والعربية 2022)

This study aimed at identifying news institutions' translation methods and practices to show effect translation practices and policies influence news text output addressing the Islamist discourse. An ethnographic approach is used of conducts a comparative fieldwork analysis and textual analysis of news reports collected between the BBC and Al Arabia media institutions, where it explores the practices and news institutions' translation methods of translation agents in the two news platforms; the English and the Arabic. Results of the study show that the translation strategies and practices of News Institutions in dealing with the texts related to Islamist discourse mainly are deletion, omission, addition, direct quotation, and indirect speech reporting. This study describes the translation strategies and practices of News Institutions in dealing with the texts related to Islamist discourse reveals that strategies used; do not follow one language direction route in their application in the reports or one pattern. The study shows that the translation practices are relate to text selection, news input and the agents. The study concludes by suggesting that an increased awareness of these issues would assist News Institutions to make more effective used of the translation strategies and practices in their new reports related to Islamist discourse.

Exploring Cultural Losses in the Tourism Website Translation: A Case Study of Trip.com

The relentless growth of the tourism sector is fostering an increasingly pronounced demand for the translation of tourism websites. Nevertheless, the translation quality of tourism websites has garnered criticism attributed to inaccuracies in translating cultural references, leading to potential cultural losses in conveying cultural references. Despite the growing demand for accurate translation, a lack of research exists to address cultural losses and in the translation of Chinese cultural references into English. This study investigates the categories of cultural losses in the cultural references’ translation on tourism websites; specifically, Trip.com was selected as the case. Moreover, this study examines how the overall translation method, at a macro-level, is influenced by the specific translation strategies identified at a micro-level and how this, in turn, impacts cultural nuances and potential losses. The current study adopted a qualitative approach and unveiled five distinct categories of cultural losses encompassing historical background, rhetorical devices, local customs, religion, and aesthetic images. The findings revealed that foreignization emerged as the prevailing macro-level translation method, significantly influencing the incurred cultural losses within the context of cultural references. This study’s findings emphasized the necessity of addressing cultural losses in cultural references’ translation on tourism websites. The identified cultural losses and the dominance of foreignization highlight the imperative for nuanced translation strategies. This study shed light on the equilibrium between cultural preservation and effective communication. By striking this equilibrium, the tourism industry can effectively accomplish its objective of nurturing profound cross-cultural interactions that resonate with a diverse global audience.

Strategies of Rendering Realia in Mediated Literary Translation

Literary texts contain a variety of culture-specific elements requiring special background knowledge on the part of translators. In particular, the issue of realia translation poses certain challenges in mediated literary translation, as in this case the translator has to deal with transferring the source message into the target language through an intermediary text. The investigation is aimed at studying the notion of realia and identifying the strategies of their faithful conveyance in translation through an intermediary language. The findings of the article reveal that mediated translation may sometimes complicate the problem of ensuring adequate cross-cultural interaction between the writer and the reader, as the intermediary language inevitably interferes with this process leaving its imprints on the final target text. The corpus selected for this paper comprises the Russian translation of J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”, the Armenian mediated translation from that Russian version and the Armenian translation from the original. The following methods have been applied in the present investigation: comparative analysis to find out similarities and differences in the translators’ application of various translation strategies, and the method of deductive research to study various transformations made in the process of translation to achieve equivalence in rendering realia.

Navigating Cultural Connotations in Translation: Blending Paradigms to Illuminate Diǎngù and Shúyǔ in Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's Government Reports

This study delves into the translation challenges of Premier Li Keqiang's Report on the Work of the Government (RWG), a notable piece in Chinese political discourse. It focuses on translating the cultural nuances embedded in Diǎngù 典故 (allusions) and Shúyǔ 熟语 (formulaic expressions) into English to enhance global comprehension. Using an interpretive qualitative methodology, the research identifies deficiencies in translating these cultural connotations from the RWG (2013-2022) and explores their root causes, considering translation strategies employed. It integrates Venuti's theories of domestication and foreignization with Aristotle’s concepts of logos and clarity in style. Thematic analysis uncovers key translation issues: loss of original imagery, disrupted logical flow, and verbose redundancy, primarily due to challenges in maintaining logos and stylistic clarity. The study's significance lies in pinpointing these translational gaps and introducing a novel approach that amalgamates diverse theoretical frameworks, offering unique insights and methods to effectively connect language, culture, and political communication in translation studies.

A Study on the Idiomatic Phrases in English Translation of Frog Based on Translator Behavior Criticism

Idiomatic phrases are unique constructions in the Chinese language, which are fixed in terminology, closely semantically integrated, and phonetically harmonious. They are independently used lexical units in the language. Frog is written by Mo Yan, and it contains a lot of idiomatic phrases, which is a great challenge for translators. Based on the theory of Translator Behaviour Criticism, the “truth-seeking-pragmatic” continuum evaluation model is applied in this present research. This paper takes Ge Haowen's English translation as an example, exploring the translation strategies he chose in the face of different linguistic environments, and carrying out a descriptive analysis and research on the idiomatic phrases in it. To provide a reference to the foreign translation of Chinese literature, the angle of the study of Frog can be broadened and help translators to master the skills of translating Chinese idioms.

Study on C-E translation strategies of subtitle in The Starting Point of Maritime Silk Road-Quanzhou from the perspective of Skopos theory

Study on C-E translation strategies of subtitle in The Starting Point of Maritime Silk Road-Quanzhou from the perspective of Skopos theory

Enhancing the International Communication Effectiveness of "The Spirit of Lei Feng" in Anshan: A Study of the External Propaganda Strategy of "Guo Mingyi's Story" from the Perspective of Eco-translatology

As an important part of the fine traditional culture of the Chinese nation, the "spirit of Lei Feng" has always been an important content of domestic propaganda. With the continuous deepening of globalization, how to effectively spread this cultural phenomenon with Chinese characteristics to the international community has become an urgent problem to be solved. The Story of Guo Mingyi is a typical work that demonstrates the "spirit of Lei Feng". By applying the theoretical framework of ecological translation to its external publicity strategy research, exploring its translation strategies in terms of language, culture, and communication, and proposing targeted suggestions and measures, we can not only enrich and develop the theoretical system of ecological translation, but also enhance the international communication effectiveness of the "spirit of Lei Feng" in Anshan, promote the international dissemination of Chinese culture, and provide useful reference and enlightenment for the international dissemination of other cultural phenomena.

A Review of Studies on the English Translation of Shanghanlun

This paper mainly uses the methods of big data and statistical analysis to explore the current research status of the English translation of Shanghanlun, finding that there are a total of 69 pieces of literatures related to the book in China in the past decade, including 41 researches on the translation strategies, 21 on the comparison of the translations, 3 on the translation history, 2 corpus-based researches on the translations and 2 researches on the dissemination of the translations. The first two types of researches are more popular, and the research contents are mostly have something in common. In addition, the translation objects that have been mainly studied are the translation of Luo Xiwen, the translation of Nigel Wiseman and the translation of Li Zhaoguo, only accounting for a small number of existing translations. By contrast, the three aspects of research on the translation history, corpus-based research and research on the dissemination of the translations need to be further studied.

Applying rhetorical methods to teach writing techniques to pre-service teachers

This study explores the impact of rhetorical strategies on the writing techniques of pre-service teachers. It specifically examines how process-based writing instruction, rooted in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), enhances the ability of student teachers to employ effective writing methods in crafting argumentative essays. Utilizing a sample of 98 student teachers from Greece, the research was conducted through a performance-based essay task, supported by two think-aloud protocols. This approach allowed for a detailed examination of the writing techniques used by pre-service teachers, both before and after receiving process-based writing instruction. The study focuses on the application and improvement of writing methods through the use of a rhetorical process approach. The results highlight the significance of rhetorical strategies, such as idea generation and rewriting, in the development of effective writing skills. The study reveals a clear improvement in the ability of students to choose and integrate relevant ideas into their essays after mastering these techniques. Additionally, the findings suggest the frequent use of translation strategies from native to foreign languages in concluding an article. This research underscores the importance of teaching rhetorical strategies in pre-service teacher training programs. By focusing on these techniques, educators can better equip student teachers with the skills necessary to become proficient writers, capable of addressing various audiences effectively. The study advocates for a greater emphasis on process-based instruction to enhance writing competencies in educational settings.

A Study of English Translation Strategies of Subtitles of the Domestic Animated Film Chang’an from the Perspective of Eco-translatology

A Study of English Translation Strategies of Subtitles of the Domestic Animated Film Chang’an from the Perspective of Eco-translatology

«Дневник писателя» Ф. М. Достоевского за 1881 год в разновременных переводах Лэсс Кэррик на немецкий язык

The article examines the use of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Writer’s Diary” for 1881 in German culture in the early and second half of the 20th century, focusing on two translations of the work into German by the same translator with over fifty years’ difference: in 1907 and 1963. The research aims to identify significant differences in the translation strategy of Less Kaerrick in conveying the stylistic features of Dostoevsky, as presented in the “Writer’s Diary” for 1881. The paper explains the reasons for the interest in the work’s themes, provides the history of the translations of the “Writer’s Diary” into German, compares the structures of the original text and the two translations, and determines the differences in the translations influenced by the translator’s evolving approach towards the thematic priorities of the work. The scientific novelty of the study lies in making the translations of Dostoevsky’s “Writer’s Diary” for 1881 into German by Kaerrick the subject of literary research for the first time, leading to the introduction of new insights into the reception of Dostoevsky’s work in German-speaking countries. The results indicate that the chosen translation strategy of structural reduction and semantic selection from the original text results in a shift in the meaning accents of the work. However, in the 1963 translation, the translator attempts to overcome language asymmetry and bring the German reader closer to the meanings embedded by Dostoevsky in the pages of the “Writer’s Diary”.

Innovative probiotic Escherichia coli nissle 1917-derived outer membrane vesicles coupled microspheres demonstrate anti-inflammatory and barrier-enhancing properties in colitis

Occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing worldwide and has become a global health threat. Nonetheless, the effective prevention and available treatment interventions of IBD are limited. Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from probiotic bacteria such as Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) exhibit promising anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, and gut microbiota modulatory functions. However, the application of OMVs in vivo encounters potential challenges due to poor tolerance against gastric juice. A delivery system of probiotic-EcN-derived OMVs was established by aldehyde-coupling to silica microspheres (SAP@OMVs) in this study. These SAP@OMVs microspheres were nontoxic to murine macrophage RAW 264.7 and human intestinal epithelial cell lines Caco-2. In the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis models, the application of SAP@OMVs significantly improved mouse survival and alleviated the harmful effects of DSS by maintaining colon length, reducing colon injury, decreasing expression of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1β, and increasing expression of the tight junction proteins gene zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). The SAP@OMVs restored gut microbiota with increasing abundance of the Lactobacillus. In conclusion, the novel vehicle of OMVs demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects, representing a crucial strategy for clinical translation of OMVs as a potential therapeutic intervention for IBD.

CULTURALLY DISTINCTIVE FEATURES IN JOURNALISTIC TEXT: A CASE STUDY ON STUDENTS’ VS. AI-GENERATED TRANSLATIONS

The prevalence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this modern era has been one of the major interests in translation studies. The ability of AI to produce human-like translations has become an ongoing discussion among scholars. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the utility of AI in providing alternatives for journalistic text translation results made by English Department students of Universitas Palangka Raya during a Translation Course. Given the communicative nature of journalistic texts, this study explores how culturally distinctive features, such as idioms, collocations, traditional language nuances, and organization names, are translated from Indonesian into English. By referring to translation strategies adapted from Newmark (1988), Hoed (2006), and Baker (2011), translation results made by students are compared with those generated by AI technology, i.e. DeepL and ChatGPT. Since creativity is one of the key characteristics of human translation, this study examines whether AI systems can be reliable tools for demonstrating the same creativity level. Translation creativity in this study refers to the ability to select the most effective strategies and wording to produce better translation versions of those culturally distinctive features. This study is expected to shed light on the evolving role of AI in the field of translation.

Translation Studies on Xi Jinping: The Governance of China—A Systematic Literature Review

This paper conducted a systematic literature review of the previous studies within China and other countries within the period from October 2014 to July 2023 with the purpose of investigating the research foci on the English translation of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. This study revealed that scholars in Chinese Mainland mainly focused on three fields: research on translation strategies of political documents, cultural translation in foreign publicity translation, the external dissemination of political documents and the construction of national image. Besides, an emerging field with discourse analysis-related theories to explore discourse theory paradigms, evaluate discourse quality, and conduct corpus analysis of discourse has provided multivariant academic thinking in translation studies. Compared with Chinese scholars’ studies, there was minimal discussion about the foreign scholars’ exploration of the translation strategies and methods or other translation-related topics, which implied the urgent need of mutual academic communication between Chinese scholars and the foreign academic circles to promote the further development of Chinese political document translation studies.