An Introduction to

Culture and Translation

Wang Mengfan
 Quotations from Nida
 Bilingual competence has almost been regarded
as an essential requirement for translators.
 For truly sucessful translating, biculturalism is
even more important than bilingualism, since
words only have meanings in terms of the cultures
in which they function. Dictionaries and
encyclopedias are an important source of strategic
cultural information, but they can never take the
place of personal involvement in a foregin society.
(Nida, Language, Culture and Translating, p.307-308)
 Contents
1. What's culture?

2. What cultural factors make translating

difficult?

3. How are language, culture and translating

related?
 1. What is culture?

 Edward Burnett Tylor, 1871

 “Culture is that complex whole which includes

knowledge, belief, art, morals, law,customs and
any other capabilities and habits acquired by
man as a member of society.”
 Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, 2008:430
 Culture: Integrated pattern of human knowledge,
belief, and behaviour that is both a result of an
integral to the human capacity for learning and
transmitting knowledge to succeeding
generations.
 Culture thus consists of language, ideas,
beliefs, customs, taboos, codes, institutions,
tools, techniques, works of art, rituals,
ceremonies, and symbols...
2.What cultural factors make
translating difficult?
 I. A. Richards (1953) has claimed that it
is probably the most complex type of
event in the history of cosmos.
A. Culture word/ Zero of
equivalent words/ Empty words
 The word/phrase that carries the meaning of
a cultural trait particular to a certain socio-
cultural community, that is, whose referent is
a unique thing or conception, and therefore
that has no corresponding equivalent in other
communities
 Some particular English expressions widely
accepted and used in Chinese: coffee,whiskey,
Coca-cola, McDonald, Trojan horse (trick)，
Waterloo(遭遇毁灭性打击)

 Some particular Chinese expressions accepted

in English: 汤圆，饺子，衙门，乌纱帽，叩头，
阴，阳，十二生肖(12 animal zodiacal signs)
B. Culturally-loaded words
or phrases
a. Due to different classification
 In English, family members and relatives are
classified based on sex, generation, and lineal
degree (direct or lateral)
 In Chinese, we have one more distinction, that
is, between the inner and outer.
 In addition, For 公，婆，嫂，媳 等，English
people just add the all-function word “in–law”.
b. Due to discrepant metaphors and
associations

 龙--a holy symbol; absolute power and grandeur;

dignity, good omen; benevolent and auspicious,
bringer of rain and emblem of the emperor;

 Dragon--a cruel, fierce, savage and dreadful

monster
 狗-- in most cases, held in contempt
狗咬吕洞宾，不识好人心
a dog snarls and barks at lv Dongbin, one of the
eight immortals in Chinese mythology---mistake a
good man for a bad; wrong a person of good will
 Westerners cherish “dog” as their good friend
or companion.
Love me, Love my dog.
Top dog (the influential person).
c. Due to different cultural norms:
 Cultural meanings are expressed in the
cognitive structure as well as norms of
behavior people utilize when using
language.
 eg: - Isn’t he a professor?
- Yes, he is. 不，他是（教授）
- No, he isn’t. 是的，他不是（教授）
d. Different connotations caused by cultural
distinction

 Hot soup热汤还是辣汤？
 drug store药店还是杂货店？
 materialism物质主义还是唯物主义？
individualism个人主义还是自由主义(western or
eastern)？
 political campaign 政治运动还是选举运动？
3. Language, Culture and Translating
语言是文化的载体，语言文化相互依存

Language 1 Language 2

Culture 1 Culture 2

translator
翻译从形式上是翻译语言，从实质上是交流文化
 Our principles
 承认文化差异；尊重异族文化
 反对文化霸权(hegemony)；和平共处
 吸收优秀文化精髓
翻译对文化的促进作用
“为什么中华文化竟延续不断一直存在到今天呢？
我想，这里面是因为翻译在起作用。我曾在一篇
文章中说过，若拿河流来作比较，中华文化这一
条长河，有水满的时候，也有水少的时候，但却
从未枯竭。原因就是有新水注入，注入的次数大
大小小是颇多的，最大的有两次，一次是从印度
来的水，一次是从西方来的水。而这两次的大注
入依靠的都是翻译。中华文化之所以能常葆青春，
万应灵药就是翻译。翻译之为用大矣哉！”
（季羡林）
Thanks for your attention!