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Article published In:
Babel
Vol. 66:1 (2020) ► pp.118–141

Representing Anglophone culture in China

A case study of Peter Pan in translation

| Shantou University
Using three Chinese translations of Peter Pan completed at different times in history, this paper discusses how the spread of the Anglophone culture in China influenced the representation of Anglophone culture in translations. The paper provides an overview of different types of culture-bound elements identified in Peter Pan, illustrating the different translation strategies adopted to treat these elements. The analysis focuses on the influence of the changing sociocultural context in China, exploring how the spread of Anglophone culture in China over time is reflected in the translation of culture-bound elements. As the penetration of the Anglophone culture into China became more profound from the early twentieth century to the early twenty-first century, the source culture became better preserved, providing readers with a culturally rich target text with foreignizing translation strategies.
Keywords: translation, children’s literature, culture
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Culture-bound elements in the translation of children’s books
  • 3.Culture-bound elements and their translation strategies
  • 4.The translation of culture-bound elements in Peter Pan
    • 4.1Food and drink
    • 4.2Currency, weights and measures
    • 4.3Customs, practices, and games
    • 4.4Flora and fauna
    • 4.5Buildings and transportation
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 7 February 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00135.yua
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