2023年试析中西饮食文化差异及中餐菜名英译中的几个问题.doc

ON THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES OF DIET BETWEEN CHINA AND ENGLISH COUNTRIES AND SOME POINTS FOR INTERPRETING CHINESE DISHES INTO ENGLISH by Xu Aifang June, 2023 Xiaogan Unversity Abstract This paper, through analysis of the differences between Chinese and English countries’ dietary cultures, points out several influential facts in interpretation of dietary culture at tables, and briefly discusses some methods for interpreting Chinese dishes into English. Food, an essential prerequisite for the existence and development of mankind, remains a close relation with culture, and food culture varies with nations. Therefore, there are great disparities between China and the English countries in ideas, attitudes, contents and functions of dietary cultures. This paper endeavors to analyze the cultural differences and their rooted causes in Chinese and English dietary cultures from the perspectives of concept, etiquette and content. At last it emphasizes that the interpreter’s cultural awareness plays an important role in the interpretation. Key Words: dietary culture; Chinese dish names; cultural awareness; C/E interpretation 试析中西饮食文化差异及中餐菜名英译中的几个问题 摘 要 本文通过探讨中西方饮食文化的差异以及结合实例归纳总结中式菜肴名称的翻译方法和技巧,指出影响中西方餐桌文化口译工作的因素。餐桌上的口译必然与饮食有关，饮食与文化更是密不可分。不同的民族造就了不同的饮食文化，所以饮食文化具有浓郁的民族性和多样性特点。中国与英美等西方国家对饮食的观点和态度，饮食内容以及饮食特点等方面都存在着显著的差异。本文就餐饮文化方面着重分析了中国与英美等西方国家在饮食观念，宴会礼仪，饮食内容等方面的跨文化差异，揭示了饮食文化差异对中餐菜名英译的影响。同时通过中式菜名的翻译的事例来加以分析说明译员跨文化意识的重要性。 关键词：饮食文化；中式菜肴名称；文化意识；英译 Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. The differences between Chinese and English countries’ dietary cultures 1 2.1 Differences in concept 1 2.1.1 Sensibility vs. practicality 1 2.1.2 Complexity vs. simplicity 2 2.2 Differences in table manners 3 2.2.1 Different table-wares: chopsticks vs. forks 3 2.2.2 Different concepts regarding the time of attendance 3 2.2.3 Different arrangements of seats 4 2.3 Differences in contents 4 2.3.1 Refinements vs. nutrients 4 2.3.2 Differences of dish names 4 3. Some points for interpreting Chinese dishes into English 5 3.1 Some methods of dish names’ translation 5 3.1.1 The preparation work 5 3.1.2 Literal translation 5 3.1.3 Liberal translation 6 3.1.4 The combination of literal and liberal translation 6 3.2 The cross-cultural awareness of the interpreter 7 3.2.1 Study the dietary culture 7 3.2.2 Know the level of guests’ understanding of Chinese culture 7 3.2.3 Actively participate in the cultural communication 8 4. Conclusion 8 5. Notes 10 6. Bibliography On the Cultural Differences of Diet between China and English Countries and Some Points for Interpreting Chinese Dishes into English 1. Introduction In recent years, with the rapid development of the Chinese economy and the influences of entering the WTO, the international communication activities between China and foreign countries are becoming more and more popular. Making friends during banquet is a kind of common form of communication. It is a good way to show one’s love and friendship to others, help to create a harmonious cooperation atmosphere between business partners to publicize the Chinese dietary culture. The Chinese people, who are well known for their hospitality both at home and abroad, should not miss such chances to introduce their various delicacies to foreign friends. On such occasions, the interpreter, as a bridge over people from different countries, plays a tremendously important role in the process of their communication. However, in recent years, some interpreters are often misunderstood by foreign guests because of their lack of cross-culture awareness and their inability to translate some Chinese dish names correctly. They do not know much about the differences between Chinese and English countries’ dietary cultures and do not pay enough attention to the translation methods for the Chinese dish name, which affects the spreading of Chinese dietary culture all over the world, and even sometimes makes foreign friends confused. Therefore, the author of this paper feels that it’s necessary to analyze several differences of Chinese and English countries’ dietary cultures, probe into some Chinese dish names’ translation methods, so that the Chinese profound dietary culture could be spread in a better way. 2. The differences between Chinese and English countries’ dietary cultures Different peoples and countries have different dietary cultures; their richness and diversity of different nationalities are also the embodiment of their creativity. China, Britain, the United States and other English countries have some different views and attitudes toward diet, and these differences might hinder interpreters from translating properly and spreading Chinese diet