An Analysis Of Interpreting Untranslatability: Cutting Through Gordian Knot

In the process of international communication, interpreters have been playing a crucialand even an irreplaceable role in promoting and fostering understanding and cooperation.We must realize and recognize in many cases that there exist some kinds ofuntranslatability besides affirming the active role of them. It will help the interpreters todeepen their understanding of the nature of interpreting activities and develop a reasonableand comprehensive view on interpreting to guide the practice. Meanwhile, it will be of helpfor the formation of a systematic and rational interpreting evaluation system.In the field of philosophy and linguistics, the concern for untranslatability intranslation has lasted for a long time and the most well-known theories are Quine’sindeterminacy of translation and Kuhn’s theory of incommensurability. Quine revealed tous the indeterminacy of translation based on the indeterminacy of meaning and theinscrutability of reference, making us realize that the external behaviour cannot solelydetermine meaning and reference. Quine thus provided us with a whole new perspective tocontemplate the issue concerned translation. Kuhn then further developed this theory intothe incommensurability theory which can also be applied to the discussion of linguistic andcultural topics.This paper attempts to analyze the untranslatability in interpreting from theperspectives of linguistic untranslatability and cultural untranslatability under the guidanceof their theories. The main focus falls on the cultural untranslatability which is divided intofour categories as folk culture, religious culture, food culture and philosophical thoughts.The differences between China and the West will be further explained and givencorresponding examples, aimed at enhancing the interpreters knowledge and understandingof the above two kinds of untranslatability and helping them to gain a fuller picture of theuntranslatability in interpreting activities.