s to solve the untranslatability of Chinese menu f the principle of cultural compatibility.doc

IV. Methods to solve the untranslatability of Chinese menu under the guidance of the principle of cultural compatibilityGuided by the principle of cultural compatibility, the following strategies will be conducive to solve the untranslatability of some Chinese dish names.A. Transliteration or transliteration with notes or transliteration with pictureBy definition, transliteration not only attempts to convey the content of the original text, but also preserves the rhetoric style and group of sentence of the original text. It is a mapping from one system of writing into another. In the practice of Chinese dish names translation, transliteration is widely accepted, such as饺子 and 粽子 are respectively transliterated as jiaozi and zongzi (Zhong 6).Previously, 饺子 is translated as dumplings. Yet, as is known, 饺子 and dumplings represent two different kinds of food and bear distinctive cultural information. On the contrary, an effective interpretation of the Chinese dish names should make sure that the readers of a translated text should be able to comprehend it to the point that they can conceive of how the original readers of the text must have understood and appreciated it. However, only for the dishes that have long been known by the foreigners, such as jiaozi and zongzi, the method of transliteration can be adopted. The transliteration of such famous Chinese dishes can be acceptable by them, for the foreign diners can directly know what the dishes are. To help the diners better appreciate the dishes, the concise explanation or the pictures can be adopted as an auxiliary. For instance, the picture of Goubulibaozi can directly show the foreigners what the food is. Actually, many foreigners also advocate transliteration of such famous Chinese dishes. Apart from communicating the food message to the diners, transliteration is also a kind of methods for cultural transmission.B. Literal translation or literal translation with notesLiteral translation is a kind of translation methods, which not only faithfully convey the meaning of the source text, but also reproduce the same order of the dishes. Firstly, the core of translation of Chinese dish names is to tell clearly to the diners the raw material, then the seasoning and cookery. The following are typical examples, fried eggs for 炒鸡蛋, double-fried pork for 回锅肉 and braised pork leg for 红烧猪蹄. The typical literal translation is to point out the cooking method and raw material, which can be reflected in the English versions of fried eggs for 炒鸡蛋 and braised pork leg for 红烧猪蹄. Fried and braised are the cooking methods. Eggs and pork leg are the raw materials. In view of the fact that some unique cultural connotations of Chinese dish names cannot find equivalence in the target language, the principle of cultural compatibility suggests interpreting the essential elements of Chinese dishes, such as the cooking method and raw material, at the expense of losing some unique cultural connotations. As for such kind of food, the Chinese dish names directly convey to the diners the essential elements of the dishesthe cooking method and raw material. Thus the literal translation of such kind of famous Chinese dishes is quite clear and concise and complies with the principle of cultural compatibility. Strictly speaking, literal translation with notes cannot be called a kind of translation method. As the Chinese dish names carry typical cultural background, very often, literal translation cannot convey all the information needed. If that is the case, further explanation of its cultural connotation to make the interpretation more understandable to the diners can be added. Many Chinese dishes are named after those who firstly made them or historical allusions, thus bearing rich cultural connotations. The basic message can be firstly interpreted and then additional explanations on the cultural connotation may be added, as further explanation reinforces cultural compatibility and produces a more natural interpretation of the original text, meanwhile the interpretation also better comply with the expressive habit of the target language. One case in point is as follows:叫化鸡: Beggars chickena name after a legend telling a beggar smeared a chicken all over with clay and throw it into a fire. After a long while, he removed it and cracked it open, finding it already baked into a delicious dish. Obviously and definitely, further explanation of beggars chicken gives a comprehensive illustration to the historical allusion. Complicate as it hears, the explanation successfully communicate the cultural connotations to the diners. By contrast, the English version of beggars chicken will let the diners mistake that the chicken is made by the beggars. So though this kind of interpretation is not concise, it strengthens the cultural compatibility, as the foreigners cannot know what beggars chicken is if further explanations are not presented.C. Free translation or free translation with notesAs illustrated in the previous part, the rich cultural connotation of the dish names results in some difficulty for translators. When the literal translation cannot be employed, the translation method of free translation or free translation with notes can be adopted. Some Chinese dish names cannot find counterpart in the western culture. In light of that, the rhetoric description method should not be employed to make a successful transformation by putting emphasis on the raw material and cookery. Here take the English version of some Chinese dishes for instance, steamed chicken in pumpkin for寿比南山, lotus nuts in syrup for 连生贵子 and vermicelli with spicy minced pork for 蚂蚁上树.蚂蚁 here is not ant, but minced meat. If 蚂蚁上树 is directly translated as ants climbing the tree, the diners will be astonished by the dish. As for 寿比南山, the dish tends to convey best wishes to the old. However, to reinforce the cultural compatibility and help people better appreciate the dish, the English version abandons the unique cultural connotation. Under the guidance of the principle of cultural compatibility which advocates interpreting the essential elements of the dishes at the expense some cultural connotations, 寿比南山 is accordingly translated as steamed chicken in pumpkin.D. Borrowing In terms of enhancing the cultural compatibility of the menu, borrowing dish names