On Methods For Translating Chinese Cuisine Names From A Cultural Perspective

Food is regarded as the paramount necessity of the people.Chinese culture has a long and glorious history,with its cuisine culture renowned to the whole world.With the further deepening of globalization,the communication between China and western countries is becoming increasingly more frequent than before,as a result of which foreign friends have grown stronger and stronger interest in Chinese food as well as Chinese cuisine culture.Therefore,Chinese cuisine has become a significant window where the world and China can exchange with each other.However,the English translation versions for the Chinese cuisine names are less than satisfactory due to lack of standards,which leads to foreigners having difficulties understanding those cuisine names.As a result,a systematical study of Chinese cuisines names is of practical importance.Translation in essence is an intercultural communication.As Chinese cuisine names are mostly endowed with various cultural implications,it will be a good attempt to translate Chinese cuisine names from a cultural perspective.Translation is more the transformation between two cultures than that between two languages.Chinese cuisine is featured by special cultural implications.Bearing the purpose to promote Chinese cuisine culture,the thesis introduces views of Susan Bassnett,a representative in the cultural school of translation studies.Based on that the thesis puts forward five translation principles,namely: 1)principle of transmitting basic information;2)principle of transmitting source language culture;3)principle of translating with simplicity and integrity;4)principle of considering the taboos of English-speaking people;5)principle of considering target readers' acceptance.Besides,Chinese cuisines contain rich cultural factors,such as delicate cooking methods,all kinds of rhetorics and allusions,birth land of the cuisines,and the festivals.From a cultural perspective,the thesis classifies the Chinese cuisine names into five categories,namely the names related with folk festivals,names of distinct regional features,names related with history and allusions,and names related with literature and art.A Bite of China is one of the most distinctive TV programs on Chinese cuisine and its culture,and the English version will definitely facilitate the transmission of Chinese cuisine culture.Therefore,the thesis will take the English-version A Bite of China as an example,classify Chinese cuisine names and their English translation,find out and analyze the problems occurring in the translation,and suggests some typical Chinese cuisine names and provide certain translation methods,namely literal translation,transliteration,literal translation plus transliteration,free translation,and literal translation plus free translation.Through a series of analysis,the thesis suggests that the translators should raise their cultural awareness so as to better convey and transmit Chinese culture.