On Translation Methods of Chinese Menus from The Perspectives of Foreignization and DomesticationOn Translation Methods of Chinese Menus from The Perspectives of Foreignization and Domestication

On Translation Methods of Chinese Menus from
The Perspectives of Foreignization and Domestication
Contents
Introduction 1
1. Theoretical framework for the study 1
1.1 Literal translation & free translation 1
1.2 Foreignization & domestication 2
1.3 The relationship between the two couples of terms 2
2. Methodology 2
3. Features of Chinese dishes 3
3.1 Materials of Chinese dishes 3
3.2 Cutting styles of Chinese dishes 4
3.3 Cooking methods of Chinese dishes 4
4. Problems in existing menu translation 4
4.1 Different translations for the same dish 5
4.2 Failure in conveying the meanings between cultures 5
5. Proper strategies for translating Chinese dish names 5
5.1 The application of foreignization 6
5.1.1 Literal translation 6
5.1.2 Literal translation plus explanation 6
5.1.3 Zero translation 7
5.2 The application of domestication 8
Conclusion 9

Abstract

Chinese food, as an important part of Chinese culture, is well-known in the world, which attracts many foreigners to visit China. However, in many cases, foreigners feel puzzled when they look at the menus, because they can’t understand the translations of Chinese dish names at all. It is obvious that many Chinese people have difficulties in translating Chinese menus into English. Moreover, uniformed and standardized translation has not been built in this field. Thus, it’s extremely necessary to give an in-depth study on menu translation. This paper introduces features of Chinese dishes and explores the existing problems in Chinese menu translation. Then it proposes some proper methods for English translation of Chinese menu from the perspectives of foreignization and domestication.

Key words：translation strategies; Chinese menus; foreignization; domestication
摘要

中国饮食，作为中国文化的重要组成部分在世界享誉盛名，吸引着来自世界各地的游客。然而，当外国游客看到中国的菜单时他们常常因菜单上的菜名译文感到困惑。显然，许多中国人在菜单翻译方面存在困难。在中文菜单翻译这个领域，至今还没有建立起统一的标准。因此，对菜单翻译很有必要进行深入的研究。本文主要介绍了中国菜的特征，并且探讨了中国菜名翻译的现存问题，最后从异化和归化的角度提出菜单翻译的一些具体的方法。

关键词：翻译策略；中国菜单；异化；归化
Introduction

As an old

Bibliography: An, X. (2010). Practical tourism English. Wuhan: Huazhong University of Science and Technology Press. Cai, J. (2010). Analysis of translation skills of Chinese dish name. Overseas English, 10, 169-170. Fu, G. (2010). Application of skopos theory in translation of Chinese menu. Journal of Shanxi Agricultural University(Social Science Edition), 9 (2), 248-252.. Holmes, J. C. (1988). Translated: Papers on Literary translation and Translation Studies. Amsterdam: Dodopi. Horby, A.S. (2002). Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dietionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Huang, F. (2007). A study on the translation method of Chinese menu into English. Chinese Science & Technology Translators Journal, 20 (1), 40-42. Lefevere, A. & Bassenett, S. (1992). Translation, History and Culture. London: Routledge, 149. Eugene, A. N. (2001). Language and Culture-Contexts in Translation. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. Rao, L. (2010). A cultural study of domestication and foreignization in English translation of Chinese menus. Read and Write Overseas English, 7 (3), 16-22. Teng, Y. (2011). The English translation of Chinese menu and its cultural connotation from the perspective of pragmatic equivalence——the case of English translation of Chinese menu. Journal of Huaiyin Institute of Technology, 20 (2), 58-60. Xiong, C. (2011). A study on the English translation of Chinese menus. Overseas English, 15, 163-164. Zhou, X. (2003). The differences between Chinese and western cookery cultures and the translating of Chinese menu. The Northern Forum, 2, 107-110.