Strategies for Coping with Cultural Differences in Translation Between Chinese and English

Abstract

Translation facilitates communication between different languages, and translators have endeavored to ascertain the nature of language in order to establish translation methods that will ensure barrier-free communication across languages. As a matter of fact, language is the medium of culture, whereas translation is a facilitator of communication across cultures. Hence, translation not only interprets the meaning of a different language, but also communicates cultural messages. Translation bridges linguistic gaps which have largely arisen from cultural differences. With this understanding, this paper explores the causes of the cultural differences in the context of translation between Chinese and English, examines their impact on translation, and proposes effective strategies for translators to cope with such differences.