Coping Tactics For Interpreting Culture-loaded Words In Guide Interpreting

Since the reform and opening up, China has witnessed the rapid development of its tourism industry, which is becoming a pillar industry of the national economy. It is of great importance to promote Chinese culture through the development of tourism industry. In the process, guide interpreters are playing a crucial role in facilitating foreign tourists’ understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture with a splendid history of five thousand years. One of the difficulties that guide interpreters are confronting is the interpreting of culture-loaded words in the introduction of the scenic spot by the tour guide. Guide interpreters have to apply different coping tactics according to different circumstances with a view of promoting foreign tourists’ understanding of the connotations of culture-loaded words embedded in the source language since most foreign tourists are not familiar with Chinese culture.In tourism interpreting, the guide interpreter may be faced with culture-loaded words from different areas as well as questions raised by tourists who might be interested in a specific culture phenomenon. Therefore, guide interpreters should devote a lot of time and energy to collecting related information about the scenic spot before carry out the interpreting task so as to interpret the culture-loaded words for foreign tourists in a understandable and clear way.This report is based on the author’s own interpreting task for three foreign business clients at Sankong, namely, Kong Family Mansion, the Temple of Confucius, and Cemetery of Confucius. Combining interpreting practice with theoretical expertise and based on the analysis of recorded transcription during the interpreting task, the author will try to analyze problems caused by culture-loaded words, attempt to figure out possible solutions and summarize frequently-used interpreting tactics towards culture-loaded words, which hopefully can provide enlightenment to guide interpreters.