The Culprit Of Mistranslations In China

Nowadays, the ubiquity of mistranslations has become a truism in China. In shops foreign customers are likely to question their English competence when they come across such brands as "Acid Horn" or "Gelatinous Mutant Coconut". On the road a foreigner driver may halt his vehicle when such a road sign—"Do Drunken Driving" comes in sight. Consequences of mistranslations make it necessary to improve the poor situation of mistranslations. Naturally, causes of mistranslations have always been hot topics for researchers and scholars in the field of translation study. Researchers hold different viewpoints towards causes of mistranslations, but they unanimously agree that translators should take direct responsibility for the production of mistranslations. Over the past decades, numerous studies have traced causes of mistranslations to translators and some countermeasures have been proposed. However, the poor situation of mistranslations has little improved in China. Previous studies have covered most aspects of mistranslations:the classification, causes and countermeasures. However, the reason why mistranslations are so persistent and rampant in China is seldom explored.This paper aims to reveal the culprit of mistranslations in China through case study, semantic analysis, and logic deduction. Mistranslations triggered by translator’s carelessness or low work ethic are attributed to lack of official regulatory institution or commission of translation in China. Moreover, mistranslations caused by translator’s bilingual incompetence indicate the low threshold for translators. Naturally, unqualified translators produce unqualified works. Furthermore, the lack of laws on translation activity should be responsible for the disorder of translation service and the persistency of mistranslations.Translators definitely should be responsible for mistranslations. However, this paper argues that the lack of official regulatory institution and laws of translation and the lack of standard or qualification for translators should be blamed for the persistency of mistranslations. Furthermore, the lack of official supervision should be responsible for the lack of official regulatory institution and laws of translation, and the lack of standard or qualification for translators. Therefore, it is concluded that the absence of official supervision is the culprit of mistranslations in China. To improve the poor situation of mistranslations, efforts should be made in three ways. First, translators should improve their translating competence, and strengthen their work ethic and sense of responsibility. Second, it is important to establish official supervision of translating activity to control translation quality. To set up official supervision, the most crucial step is to make laws to regulate translation service. Besides, a special institute in charge of the quality of translation before publication can help reduce mistranslations. Meanwhile, the establishment of qualification or standard for translators may effectively prevent unqualified translators entering the translation service. In addition, joint efforts are of importance for the correction of mistranslations.I conduct this research with the expectation to draw authorities’ attention to the urgency and necessity of remedying mistranslations. If my humble proposal could be recognized, and the government took practical remedial measures, I believe the situation of mistranslations in China would be improved greatly. Even if not, this research can at least explain why mistranslations are so persistent and rampant in China.