Strategies Of Dealing With Chinese Cultural Elements In E-C Translation

With the ever-increasing overall strength,China has win more and more attention from the outside world and its contact with other countries has become much closer,under this context,it is urgent for China to let its culture “go global”.Shanghai International Studies University's Center for Cross-Cultural Research has compiled and published the book China in My Eyes,which includes many stories and experience of the foreign experts working and living in China.The book intends to translate these stories into Chinese to let the Chinese readers know about their country from the perspective of foreign friends.This is a new way of culture spreading.However,since the articles written by these foreign experts are all concerned with Chinese matters and objects,containing Chinese cultural elements,therefore translators should,first of all,have a comprehensive understanding of“culture back translation”,so as to more appropriately and efficiently translate those Chinese cultural elements,letting it more aligned with its original meaning.Several problems concerned with culture back translation are as follows: first,the different way of expression between Chinese and foreign languages is not well handled;second,historical context is not taken into consideration;third,translators tend to be subjective in their translation;fourth,translators often show their lack of cultural confidence in their translation.To better solve the problems mentioned above,it is proposed that translators shall,on the one hand,respect the original text,on the other hand,make sure that the Chinese cultural elements are correctly expressed in the article by consulting to some useful resources.Suggestions are as follows: 1)the translation of Chinese cultural elements should be in accordance with the Chinese way of expression,word use,word collocation and writing style.2)use resources such as literature,documents,books,records and websites to learn about the historical context,and avoid subjectivity.3)understand the different way of expression between Chinese and English.Do not constrain to the original form of English.4)the translation shall demonstrate our cultural confidence,and embody Chinese culture and value.