The English translations of relic descriptions in Chinese museums

A comparative case study of jade descriptions

Bibliographic Data

ID21243160
AuthorsTingting Zhou (0000-0003-1331-3981, Nanjing University, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume6
Issue1
Pages64-78
Publication date2019-01-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAsia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2330-6351 • E-ISSN: 2330-6343
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23306343.2019.1605764
OpenAlexW2945573862
LanguageEN
References cited2

Many relic descriptions in Chinese museums have been translated into English to meet readers’ needs, yet a review of studies on those translations reveals a lack of considerations from the perspective of readers. Drawing on Reiss and Vermeer’s concept of translation as a second offer of information, the present study attempts to answer: (1) how the English translations of descriptions in Chinese museums are different from their comparable texts in English-speaking world; (2) how potential readers feel about those translations of Chinese relic descriptions and what kinds of translations they expect to read. The present author compared the English translations (TTs) of 15 jade descriptions in the Nanjing Museum and the Shanghai Museum with their comparable texts (CTs) in the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to illustrate the differences between the TTs and the CTs. A comparative reading of the TTs and their source texts (STs) was conducted to find out which of the two: the STs or the translators, should be responsible for the differences. An online questionnaire was designed to solicit TT readers’ opinions on the English translations for jade descriptions and readers’ expectations for future translations

Art · Linguistics · Visual arts · Computer Science · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · History · Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare · Translation Studies and Practices

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