后殖民主义视野下的跨文化传播与翻译——从“龙”和“dragon”谈起

Intercultural Communication and Translation:——A Discussion about Long and Dragon from the Perspective of Post-colonialism

汉语中"龙"和英语中"dragon"的不当互译引来了诸多跨文化交际的麻烦。"龙"和"dragon"的问题是一个语言翻译和跨文化传播的问题,更是一个后殖民主义视野下的哲学问题。在对两个概念重新编码的时候,必须考虑到对象文化接收者的选择性、倾向性和认知特点。两者的指示意义大不相同,联想意义更是有天壤之别。在保护、发展和传播中华文化和中华民族价值观念的时候,要让中国参与世界性话语建构,破除以西方的"文化霸权"为特征的西方话语权力中心。在学界充分讨论的基础上,不妨由政府来正式向外公布"龙"的准确英译名,这对于"龙"的形象和整个中华民族的形象的重构和传播是有利的。

The inappropriate translation of Long as Dragon and Dragon as Long has caused many problems in cross-cultural communication. The problem is not simply a translation or cross-cultural dilemma, but a philosophical matter against the background of postcolonialism. When recoding the two concepts, the preference, attitude and cognitive characteristics of the target receiver should be taken into consideration. The two differ in referential meaning as well as associative meaning. When protecting, developing and diffusing Chinese culture and value system, China should take part in the international discourse restructuring to break the West-centered cultural hegemony. Official promulgation of the right translation of Long after thorough discussion in the academia will contribute to the diffusion and restructuring of the image of Long and the image of the Chinese people.