Translating the Untranslatable

Translations contribute to our knowledge and understanding in various fields of daily life, as they open us to a greater awareness of the world in which we live. The deeper we are delved into the meaning of the translation, the more questions are raised, among which, translatable/untranslatable argument strikes the most. In this article, factors including cultural vocabulary vacancy and different image associations leading to temporary untranslatability are presented. Besides, the strategies to change this situation to relatively translatable are given as well.

Translating the Untranslatable—A Case Study of David Hawkes' Translation Work of Hong Lou Meng

Recognizing translatability instead of untranslatability is of significance, since a wide-spread recognition of untranslatability may daunt the efforts of translators. The paper approaches the question of untranslatability thorough categorizing untranslatability into different groups and then examining untranslatability in each group by analyzing some typical examples from David Hawkes' translation of Hong Lou Meng. Through the analysis of how David Hawkes translated the untranslatables, the paper argues that real untranslatability is rare, while translatability rules.

Comparative Criticism beyond Eurocentrism:In Search of the Untranslatables of Literary Theory

While the study of world literature is often seen as escaping the boundaries of eurocentrism-albeit with the need for constant revision and self-critique-a truer overcoming would involve another sort of anthologization,namely,of world theory and criticism.World literature should go beyond being a reified collection of translated texts,to become an exploration and comparison of the different ways of thinking about literature and aesthetics in different parts of the world.Barbara Cassin's Vocabulaire Europeen des philosophies:Dictionnaire des intraduisibles provides a possible model in this regard.The untranslatability of critical terms from different traditions is generative of new meanings due to the repeated efforts to translate and to compare non-synonymous terms with each other.This essay examines the untranslatability and comparability of several different terms from Asian aesthetic traditions.

论文化的可译性

一、从“龙”的翻译说起大凡论及中国文化，人们总不免提起“龙”。四海之内的中国人都把自己看作是“龙”的传人。在中国人的心目中，“龙”是神圣的象征，是中华民族凝聚力的标志。汉语中与“龙”有关的词语无一不是褒义词，如“龙腾虎跃”、“龙飞凤舞”等。中国文化常...

Structure-function relationship in viral RNA genomes: The case of hepatitis C virus

The acquisition of a storage information system beyond the nucleotide sequence has been a crucial issue for the propagation and dispersion of RNA viruses. This system is composed by highly conserved, complex structural units in the genomic RNA, termed functional RNA domains. These elements interact with other regions of the viral genome and/or proteins to direct viral translation, replication and encapsidation. The genomic RNA of the hepatitis C virus(HCV) is a good model for investigating about conserved structural units. It contains functional domains, defined by highly conserved structural RNA motifs, mostly located in the 5'-untranslatable regions(5'UTRs) and 3'UTR, but also occupying long stretches of the coding sequence. Viral translation initiation is mediated by an internal ribosome entry site located at the 5' terminus of the viral genome and regulated by distal functional RNA domains placed at the 3' end. Subsequent RNA replication strongly depends on the 3'UTR folding and is also influenced by the 5' end of the HCV RNA. Further increase in the genome copy number unleashes the formation of homodimers by direct interaction of two genomic RNA molecules, which are finally packed and released to the extracellular medium. All these processes, as well as transitions between them, are controlled by structural RNA elements that establish a complex, direct and long-distance RNARNA interaction network. This review summarizes current knowledge about functional RNA domains within the HCV RNA genome and provides an overview of the control exerted by direct, long-range RNA-RNA contacts for the execution of the viral cycle.

On the Untranslatability of Poetry

Quite a number of scholars from western to eastern have been arguing about the question of translatability and untranslatability of poetry. Robert Frost, the well-known American poet once said,"Poetry is what gets lost in translation."Even though, practice of translating poetry has never ceased. This paper argues that poetry is untranslatable from the aesthetic point of view. Poetry's language function is to convey the aesthetic effect, thus the purpose of rendering poetry is to reach the aesthetic effect. However, aesthetic effect is based on its language form; the inerasable differences between languages determine that the translation of poetry is impossible, which tends to change language form of one language to another.

On Untranslatability and Its Compensation

The paper analyzes some kinds of untranslatability in translation and the practicable compensation methods to deal with it at levels of linguistics,culture through bounds of typical examples.The author wants to indicate that untranslatability is absolute,while translatability is relative and during the translation the compensation must be made.

A Discussion on Translatability of Poetry

The issue of the translatability of poetry is still under hot discussion. Translation of poetry was, and still is by some, believed as impossibility, for the myth of untranslatability looks upon poetry as beauty itself which is untouchable for once it is touched it is destroyed[1]. From different perspectives, such as the perspective of word formation, pun, reduplicated words etc, the author argues that poetic translation is translatable, and that poetry and aesthetics can be reproduced in another language and culture if accommodation is made.

On untranslatability of classical Chinese poetry： From the perspective of aesthetic function of language

The author analyzes the untranslatability of the classical Chinese poetry from the perspective of aesthetic function of language. The untranslatability lies firstly in the heterogeneity, indeterminism and the ambiguity of the Chinese language itself. Moreover, the classical Chinese poetry displays its unique features and beauty which can not be rendered into English in terms of aesthetic function of language.

On Linguistic Untranslatability and Some Tentative Compensation

The paper analyzes the linguistic untranslatability at levels of phonetics, morpheme, vocabulary and grammar, etc. through typical examples. The authors advocate adopting manifold translation methods flexibly in handling untranslatability. Some principles are proposed to supplement the loss of meaning during the course of translatability-untranslatability conversion, aiming at further probing and improving translating skills.

On the Untranslatability of Classical Chinese Poetry

China is one of the countries which has the longest history and brilliant development of poetry.Among the translation of literature works,the translation of poetry has the most difficulty,which has reached common agreement in the field of translation.Particularly,the translation of Classical Chinese poetry arouses widely discussion,that is if it translatable or untranslatable.

A Discussion of Untranslatability of Poetry within the Framework of the Studies of Translating Chinese Classics into English

There is a strange phenomenon that the translated works of Chinese classics have not been enjoyed by a large readership abroad,stemming from the untranslatability of poetry,an inherent nature of poetry translation.It is argued with theoretical analyses coupled by case studies that linguistic untranslatability(including intralingual inequivalence,interlingual inequivalence),cultural untranslatability(intercultural inequivalence),translator's inadequacy and governmental or institutional translation briefs contribute to problem mentioned.It is hoped that once the factors influencing untranslatability of poetry is realized,translators'presumptuousness along with despondence can be lessened or even eradicated with a production of a better version free from overrepresentation or underrepresentation or misrepresentation of the originals.

Discussion on the Translation of Chinese Ancient Literatures

The Chinese ancient literature has a long history.More and more foreign friends give strong interest into reading and learning it.However,not all the foreign people are proficient at classical Chinese,the metre and rhyme of Chinese poems,thus,translators have to translate these words into English or other languages,which brought a discussion about whether the Chinese ancient poems can be translated or not.This paper starts from this very point,to analyze current situation of the research on Chinese ancient literatures translation,taking Chinese ancient poems as examples,to discuss this topic,and to give opinions and possible solutions.

On the Cultural Untranslatability in Chinese-English Literary Translation

The paper is intended to study the cultural untranslatability in Chinese-English literary translation and its compensation with a view to find some practical strategies in translation when untranslatabiltiy occurs. Based on Eugene A. Nida’s classification of language culture, the author analyzes causes of cultural untranslatability in terms of ecological culture, material culture, social culture, religious culture, and linguistic culture through specific examples. As the cultural untranslatability is conditioned, variable, and dynamic, some translation strategies are proposed for tranferring untranslatability to translatability.

Cultural gaps between English and Chinese and untranslatability

The goal theory of translation believes that translation is inevitably affected by translating-in and translating-out culture because it considers that translation belongs to the category of the study of human behavior. Moreover, communication of human beings is limited by linguistic environment, which is rooted in cultural habit. From this we can see that different linguistic environment determines the withdrawing of the meaning in word translation and also the judgment and understanding of translators toward different cultures. This thesis will explore the effects of numerous factors on word translation in cultural environment and the corresponding translation methods. Moreover, the translators also should understand correctly the cultural meanings of the words included and adopt corresponding methods.

A Study on the Untranslatability of Classical Chinese Poems and Untranslatability Compensation

Classical Chinese poems（CCP） is regarded as the inheritance and treasure of Chinese culture. CCP translation, on one hand, makes us have access to explore the linguistic charming and the cultural value of classical Chinese poems; on the other hand, it provides an opportunity to transmit Chinese classical culture into western culture. While translatability of CCP translation, coupled with its untranslatability is considered a contentious topic in translation circle. Admittedly, in the process of CCP translation, some problems or barriers turn out to be our stumbling stone. But generally speaking, most of the poetry are translatable and untranslatability can be transformed into translatability with certain strategies. This thesis have compared the similarities and differences between Chinese and western poems to analyze the reasons why CCP can or cannot be translated and lays much emphasis on untranslatability as well as the compensation of untranslatability. Lastly, foreignization and domestication are recommended as two strategies in CCP translation when untranslatability occurs.

On Discussion and Balance of Cultural Untranslatability in Chinese-English Translation

In cross-cultural communication,a translator has to study the cultural differences prior to his efficient linguistic transference. As a matter of fact, the cultural differences across nations always create sorts of untranslatable factors.The cultural universals, however, make cultural exchange and linguistic transference possible. A translator, in this sense, shall resort to some balancing point in translating.

Untranslatability and its Compensation Strategies——Taking The Original of Laura as an Example

As is known to all in the translation field,the problem of translatability and untranslatability has been a long-debated is sue in the field of translation.And the phenomenon of untranslatability is especially prominent in translation of literary works.This paper tries to discuss,from theory and practice,the phenomenon of untranslatability and its compensation strategies in trans lation between Chinese and English.It is roughly divided into two parts,wherein the first part deals with the phenomenon of un translatability,explaining its causes and giving some examples,and the second part deals with the compensation strategies,intro ducing several methods of compensation and taking The Original of Laura written by the deceased Russian-American writer Nabokov as an example.With the development of intercultural communication in the world and the great efforts of translators,the untranslatable words today can be translatable tomorrow.

Advertising Translation： To Translate or Not To Translate？--The Untranslatability of Advertising Translation in a Cultural Perspective

This paper aimed to probe the influence of culture on advertising translation between Chinese language and English language. Based on an analysis of the samples of advertisements in both Chinese and English languages, it is found that cultural differences in terms of value, Referent association, and historical and cultural background can affect the process of Advertising Translation. It is suggested that the strategy of domestication and translation methods such as neutralization, conversion can be adopted to minimize cultural Untranslatability in Advertising Translation.