On Translation Strategies Of Chinese Tour Guides In Light Of Relevance Theory

In recent years, China has witnessed a rapid development in tourism industry and anincreasing number of foreign tourists coming to China. This means translating Chinesetour guides into English becomes more and more important. The translated versions ofChinese tour guides can promote China’s wonderful scenery and rich culture and attractmore foreign tourists. Translation of Chinese tour guides is a bilingual and biculturalcommunication process. To ensure translation quality, it is necessary to find an applicableguiding theory. The Relevance Theory is the suitable one.Relevance Theory regards communication as an ostensive-inferential process. Thekey to a successful communication is to search for optimal relevance, i.e. adequatecognitive effects for least processing efforts. According to the theory, translation is a kindof communication. Therefore, the critical factor for a successful translation is to seekoptimal relevance.Under the guidance of optimal relevance, the translator, when translating Chinesetour guides, should introduce information about China in a most ostensive way andconsider cognitive environment of the target audience so that the target audience caneasily understand the conveyed information about China with least processing efforts. Toachieve this goal, it is necessary for the translator to apply some strategies (addition,explanation and reduction) to the translation of Chinese tour guides.This thesis includes four chapters. Chapter One explains why to choose the tourguide about Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples as the translation material, andthen demonstrates functions and characteristics of Chinese tour guides, taking the chosentour guide as example. Chapter Two introduces the Relevance Theory and someimportant notions: ostensive-inferential, cognitive context, optimal relevance and mutualmanifestness. Chapter Three uses some strategies to translate the chosen tour guide.Chapter Four is the conclusion. The translation practice proves that the Relevant Theorycan effectively direct translation of Chinese tour guides, for example the guide about Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples. Therefore, it is necessary to consciouslyapply the Relevance Theory to translation of Chinese tour guides.