New trends of Chinese political translation in the age of globalisation

Abstract

This study explores the new features of Chinese political speeches translation in recent periods of Chinese leadership. It argues that the predominant source-oriented view of translation impairs a profound understanding of the intricacy and ideology involved in political translation as an evolving and adaptive practice in the era of globalisation. The aim is to identify the target-oriented features of the texts and discuss their roles in enhancing the level of reception by the target community. The article focuses on the target-oriented ‘translation shifts’ (defined as marked semantic or stylistic deviations) and explores the ideological implications embedded in the shifts. Through a diachronic textual analysis, changes in translation strategies can be perceived along the line of power succession. The data consists of 15 political speeches and their English translations, delivered by Chinese leaders in three successive periods (1970s–2010s). Three types of shifts are ultimately identified and each of these plays a role in communicating with the target communities. The subsequent quantitative analysis of the data confirms that an increasing number of translation shifts are involved in accommodating the target readership, as China is playing a greater part in global affairs.

Keywords:

• political translation
• globalisation
• translation shifts
• Chinese political discourse
• target-oriented features

Acknowledgements

The authors are deeply grateful to the editor and two anonymous referees for their insightful and detailed suggestions to improve the paper and this line of research in the future. It is their valuable insights that have made the authors thoroughly enjoy the process of revision. Thanks also go to Mr Bob Richard and Mr Wayne Tucker for their conscientious proofreading of the manuscript and the revision, and to Dr Dongning Feng and Dr Domenyk Eades, the PhD supervisors of the first author, for their constructive guidance with the research.

Notes on contributors

Dr Jingjing Li is Lecturer in the Translation Department of Nankai University. She was awarded a PhD Degree in Translation Studies at the University of Salford in 2013 and an MSc Degree in Translation and Conference Interpreting with Distinction at Heriot-Watt University in 2009.

Dr Saihong Li is currently supervising five PhD students in Translation and Interpreting Studies at the University of Stirling, UK. Dr Li's diverse research interests fall broadly within the fields of Applied Linguistics, Interpreting and Translation Studies, Lexicography, and Second Language Acquisition. She has recently published a book with Cambridge Scholars Press: To define and inform – An analysis of information provided in dictionaries used by learners of English.

Notes

1. LT refers to literal translation provided by the authors to inform the foreign reader of the meaning in the ST and to form a convenient comparison with the OT.

2. OT refers to official translation quoted from official publications.