A Tentative Approach To C-E Translation Of Xi’an Expo Garden Introductions

With the deepening economic globalization, China’s foreign exchanges and cooperation are witnessing rapid growth. As a result, Chinese tourism booms extensively in the world, bringing forward higher requirements for C-E translation of tourism texts. As an international event, the Thirtieth International Horticultural Exposition Xi’an2011(Xi’an Expo for short) offers good opportunities to improve China’s image and promote Chinese culture. And its garden introduction falls into the category of tourism text. High-quality translation of its garden introductions is of great importance to convey garden information, spread Chinese culture and attract foreign tourists for the translation reflects the image of Xi’an, or even China. Moreover, the success of its garden introduction translation relies on readers’response to the translation and the extent to which they accept the translation. Only when the translation is accepted and favored by foreign tourists can it arouse their interest for visiting. However, there are some problems in C-E translation of garden introductions in terms of linguistic level and cultural level caused by neglect of English readers’acceptability and response. It calls for the guidance of a reader-centered theory to avoid such problems during the translation process. Reception aesthetics is a literary theory, which focuses on reader’s reception and stresses the reader’s role. Reader’s role, indeterminacy and horizon of expectations are its major concepts. Influenced by linguistic habits, cultural backgrounds, and aesthetic preference and thinking patterns, different readers have different horizons of expectation before reading the work. The indeterminacy of the text invites readers to give full play to their initiative in the reception activities. The success of a work depends on reader’s response while readers’response is greatly determined by their horizon of expectations. Reception aesthetics can be applied in both literary works and appellative-focused texts.This thesis focuses on C-E translation of garden introductions from an innovative perspective, reception aesthetics. In chapter one, the thesis first introduces Xi’an Expo, linguistic features and functions of its garden introductions. Then in chapter2, an overview of reception aesthetics and applicability of reception aesthetics in C-E translation of Xi’an Expo garden introductions are illustrated. In chapter3, a questionnaire survey is adopted to explore the comprehensibility and acceptability of these English garden introductions. Problems in C-E translation of Xi’an Expo garden introductions are concluded at both linguistic level and cultural level. The author also tries to come up with the revised versions under the guidance of reception aesthetics. In the last chapter, the thesis puts forward strategies of Xi’an Expo garden introduction translation in the light of reception aesthetics:shortening aesthetic distance, broadening English readers’existing horizon of expectation and translation methods based on reception aesthetics. It is hoped that this thesis can contribute to boosting the prosperity of Xi’an Expo tourism.