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Target
Vol. 33:3 (2021) ► pp.381–409

The retranslation of Chinese political texts

Ideology, norms, and evolution

| Huazhong University of Science and Technology
ORCID logo | Shanghai Ocean University

The past three decades have witnessed an increase in research on retranslation. Drawing on Critical Discourse Analysis, this study examines the retranslation of political texts – specifically Work Reports by the Communist Party of China – as a special genre in its own right. By concentrating on the retranslation of a recurring set of Chinese political concepts, culture-specific items, and preferred usages into English from the early 1990s to the late 2010s, this study shows how and why the retranslations have been carried out, as motivated by the evolving ideologies of the original author – the Communist Party of China. The retranslations are shown to be influenced by the broader social, economic, and political dynamics within China, rather than by prevailing factors within the receiving culture or variables associated with the individual translators, as is commonly suggested in the literature. Our findings add to the existing body of research into retranslation by extending the genres and contexts of retranslation research.

Keywords: retranslation, Chinese political texts, ideology, norms
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Studies of retranslation
  • 3.Institutional translation of political texts in China
  • 4.Ideology, power, translation, and CDA
  • 5.Data analysis and discussion
    • 5.1Retranslation of political concepts: Evolving ideology within a dynamic social-political situation
    • 5.2Retranslation of culture-specific items and preferred verbs: Changing institutional translation norms within a new ideological milieu
      • 5.2.1Retranslation of culture-specific items
      • 5.2.2Retranslation of preferred verbs
      • 5.2.3Changing institutional norms of translation
    • 5.3A quantitative overview
    • 5.4Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 12 February 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.20057.pan
References

Work reports

Jiang, Zemin
1992a 加快改革开放和现代化建设步伐，夺取有中国特色社会主义事业的更大胜利 [Accelerate Reform, Opening up and Modernization and Achieve Greater Success in Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics]. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
1992b Accelerate Reform, Opening up and Modernization and Achieve Greater Success in Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
1997a 高举邓小平理论伟大旗帜，把建设有中国特色社会主义事业全面推向二十一世纪 [Hold High the Great Banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory for an All-round Advancement of the Cause of Building Socialism With Chinese Characteristics into the 21st Century]. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
1997b Hold High the Great Banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory for an All-round Advancement of the Cause of Building Socialism With Chinese Characteristics into the 21st Century. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
2002a 全面建设小康社会，开创中国特色社会主义事业新局面 [Build a Well-off Society in an All-round Way and Create a New Situation in Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics]. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
2002b Build a Well-off Society in an All-round Way and Create a New Situation in Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
Hu, Jintao
2007a 高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜, 为夺取全面建设小康社会新胜利而奋斗 [Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive for New Victories in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects]. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
2007b Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive for New Victories in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
2012a 坚定不移沿着中国特色社会主义道路前进，为全面建成小康社会而奋斗 [Firmly March on the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive to Complete the Building of a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects]. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
2012b Firmly March on the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive to Complete the Building of a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
Xi, Jinping
2017a 决胜全面建成小康社会，夺取新时代中国特色社会主义伟大胜利 [Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era]. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]
2017b Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Accessed July 12 2019 [URL]

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