3.2 Translation of Culture-loaded Words of Materials 6

3.2.1 Translation of Culture-loaded Words of Names 6

3.2.2 Translation of Culture-loaded Words of Places 7

3.2.3 Translation of Culture-loaded Words of the Name of Clothes and Tools 8

3.2.4 Conclusion 8

3.3 Translation of Culture-loaded Words of Language 8

3.3.1 Translation of Dialect 8

3.3.2 Translation of Phrases with Specific Meaning 9

3.3.3 Conclusion 10

3.4 Translation of Culture-loaded Words of Religion 10

3.4.1 Translation of Culture-loaded Words of Religion 10

3.4.2 Conclusion 11

3.5 Conclusion of Translation Strategies of Three Categories of Culture-loaded Words in Memories of Peking: South Side Stories 11

3.6 Merits and Demerits of the Translation 12

4. Conclusion 13

References 14

1. Introduction

1.1 Research Background

Every nation in the world has its own unique culture, owing to the perse development of history, geography, social environment, religion, etc. Nowadays, the communication and interdependence among countries are getting closer. As an important part of international communication, cultural communication cannot be ignored. Therefore, with its special function on cultural communication, translation has aroused a great amount of concerns, and various translation theories were put forward. For more than fifty years, translators have noticed the significance of cultural translation, for translation concerns more about cultural communication. Under this circumstance, Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory offers an effective approach to cultural translation.

The translation of the words with specific meaning plays a significant role in cultural translation, since language is an indispensable part of culture. As the prevalence of Chinese culture in the world, Chinese cultural words catch translators’ attention, especially the culture-loaded words in literary works, which contains numerous Chinese cultures of language, customs, materials, etc. Memories of Peking: South Side Stories is such a literary work. Therefore, the study on the translation of culture-loaded words in Memories of Peking: South Side Stories will help contribute to Chinese cultural diffusion.

1.2 Research Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the translating strategies taken in the translation of Chinese culture-loaded words in Memories of Peking: South Side Stories from the perspective of Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory. The purpose of this paper is to help readers to appreciate the English version of Memories of Peking: South Side Stories translated by Qi Bangyuan and Yin Zhang Lanxi, and also to summarize the translation methods used by the two translators through the study from the perspective of Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory, and validate the function of Nida’s theory in literature translation.

Although Memories of Peking: South Side Stories is such a great work deserves praise and appreciation, there is only one English translation for this book. Meanwhile, most of the studies on this book focus on its literary value or other aspects; few of which are about its English translation, in particular the study from the perspective of Nida’s theory. Therefore, this paper also attempts to fill the gap and to arouse people’s interest in its translation.

1.3 Research Questions

Research questions of this thesis are listed as follow:

1. According to Nida’s classification, what are the main culture-loaded words in Memories of Peking: South Side Stories?

2. What translation strategies do Qi Bangyuan and Yin Zhang Lanxi adopt when translating the culture-loaded words? What are the merits and demerits of their translation?

3. Based on Nida’s theory, what translation strategies can be employed to translate culture-loaded words?

1.4 Research Structure

This paper consists of four parts.

Chapter one provides the introduction of the thesis, including the research background, purpose of the study, research questions and structure of this thesis.