Analysis of the Translation Problems of Words with Chinese Characteristics: Taking Chinese-English Translation as an Example

Abstract

As a bridge and linkage of external communication, translation undertakes an important task for international communication. With the enhancement of China's soft power, the diffusion of culture has become increasingly important. That makes translation an essential stage. However, in the process of translation, many mistranslations cause the international community to misunderstand the original meaning and even misinterpret its culture. Starting from real situations and texts in Chinese to English translation, this study focuses on the problems of three phrases: “Taiwan question”, “The Communist Party of China”, and “People's democratic dictatorship” in Chinese to English translation by case analysis. As supplementary data, the researchers also conducted interviews with a Ph.D. in political science. It found that the problems may be created by the English meaning of the words, China's history and culture, and the translator's comprehension of the original language. Some suggestions for improving translation quality were also put forward from the perspectives of the country, the translation industry, and individuals.