Native Editor’s Roles In C-E Translation

In the Western world, there is an unwritten rule of the translation profession, that is, atranslator should only translate into his or her native language. But given the status quo ofthe translation profession in China, especially the C-E translation, it is not likely to relysolely on native translators, and instead, we should depend to a great extent on non-nativetranslators. But they are more or less influenced by Chinese way of thinking, which is quitedifferent from the Western mindset. Therefore, to present a best possible translation, anon-native translator needs an editor, particularly a native editor, who plays a significantrole in improving the quality of translations. This paper discusses the model of non-nativetranslator+native editor in C-E translation on the basis of four national image promotionalfilms on China, and focuses on the roles a native editor plays. Yet the native editor also hasdrawbacks, so this paper concludes that a good translator plus a native editor and afinalizing editor is essential to control the quality of translations.