A Study On English-Chinese Translation From The Perspective Of Cultural Context Adaptation

Language is the carrier of culture, it is also indispensable part of culture. Language records culture, it is the tool for culture expression and transference. From the cultural viewpoint, language helps in promoting the development of culture; and vice versa. Therefore, they are supplementary to each other. The foundation of researching relationship between culture and language set basis for the relationship between culture and translation. Translation focuses on the communication of different culture instead of only the act of language transference. For the translators, it is a must not only to specialize in two languages but also to familiarize with two cultures.With the development of the theory of adaptation by Verschueren, this thesis pays attention to the influence and impact of adaptation of cultural context on translation. In Verschueren's view, "Using language must consist of the continuous making of linguistic choices, consciously or unconsciously, for language-internal or language-external reasons." (Jes Verschueren 1999:55-56). There are three properties from the viewpoint of the theory of adaptation, including the variability, negotiability, adaptability, which helps the language users to make appropriate selection in the process of language application. Adaptation is one of the features of human's language and translator usually makes adaptation not only in the language structure, but also in the cultural characteristics. Translation is more the conveyance of language than the transmission of culture, whose content originates from culture. Translation is a dynamic process with adaptation option in accordance with the move of context. Hence, it requires the dynamic adaptation under different cultural contexts in all languages. All communications with any languages occur under specific contexts, within which cultural context is an indispensable branch. Cultural context is complicated under multiple layers in the process of translation, playing various roles in different stages.The author reviews the relevant study about current context at home and abroad and theory of adaptation. Verschueren thought the target language selection shall perform dynamic adaption to different contexts. It also explains the significance of cultural differences between English and Chinese as well as the adaptation of cultural context. It makes the concept distinction between culture and cultural context, thus discussing the relationship between them. It describes the differences in terms of value, thought pattern and aesthetic mentality between English and Chinese culture, thus indicating the significance of cultural context adaptation theory. The cultural gap of context is one of the main obstacles influencing translation. Therefore, cultural context adaptation is not only helpful in the intercultural communication between Chinese and the Westerners, but also useful in the transmission of cultural information between them.This thesis discusses the impact of cultural context adaptation on words selections in translation. It tries to make analysis and comparison with practical examples through various aspects within Britain and Chinese nations, including different thought patterns, social political and cultural contexts, natural geographic environment, custom and culture and historical civilization. In this way, it aims to explain that the appropriate semantic selection in translation could be achieved with the adaptation of the foregoing aspects, thus making the target language easier to understand. Therefore, it is eligible in conformity with the cultural connotation, thus acquiring the equivalent effect between the original language and target language.In addition, this thesis analyzes the relationship between the cultural context adaptation and translating strategies indicate the significance of literal translating and free translating strategies. The choice of translating strategy is one of the key factors influencing the success of translation. With the most appropriate translating strategy and different cultural context adaptation implementation, the cultural information transmission could be realized in translations, thus acquiring the optimum translating effect. Meanwhile, it is expected to help translators note that the context elements exist in each aspect of translation, thus realizing the significance of context analysis competence. In this way, it enriches the cultural knowledge, analyzes the cultural context of the cultural context in order within the source language, builds up the context analysis ability and satisfying the demand of translation to the largest degree.