Features of translation policies on the Chinese mainland (1979–2021): A corpus-based analysis of policy documents under a new classification
HuiyuZhang,HailingZhang,YayuShi and YueyuChen
Zhejiang University
Abstract
This research presents a new classification of translation policy by referring to Baldauf’s (2006) framework of language planning. It constructs a policy database containing 363 policy
documents issued on the Chinese mainland from 1979 to 2021, and analyzes the features of each policy category by integrating
corpus analysis with text analysis. It is revealed that policy documents on translation education aim to train professional
translators with standard national tests and postgraduate programs; policy documents on translation profession are committed to
improving the professional title system for translators and interpreters; policy documents on translation standardization are
supported by national standards and cover various stakeholders and fields; and policy documents on official translation projects
aim to disseminate Chinese culture, provide language services for international events, and organize minority language
translation. With these findings, this study contributes to research on translation policy with new knowledge about China and a
novel perspective, classification, and approach.
Since China’s reform and opening-up commenced in December 1978, translation activities
in the country have continually increased to facilitate its ever-more-frequent global exchanges. To promote these activities, a series
of policies have been introduced by various Chinese ministries and local governments. Translation policy plays a decisive role in
guiding and regulating translation activities (Meylaerts 2011a) and its importance is
self-evident, but scholarly attention to contemporary Chinese translation policy is limited, and a general picture of translation
policy in this country is lacking.
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