An Analysis of Cultural Adaptation in the Translation of Names of Characters and Arts Moves in Jin Yong’s Arts Fiction

Abstract

As the most influential and wide-spread literary genre in Chinese literature, arts fiction is deeply loved by the public for its distinctive narration style and language charm ever since 1960s. However, the arts fiction, represented by Jin Yong’s works, was neglected by Western literary and translation field. The reason lies in the abundant cultural elements contained in Jin Yong’s arts fictions, which is particularly true in the names of characters and arts moves. Therefore, how to translate such information emerges as the key to translating the full text. Legends of the Condor Heroes that is translated by Anna Holmwood is well recognized by Western world. On the basis of cultural adaptation, this thesis aims to explore the translation strategies that were adopted from the perspective of adaptation to different sense of nature, religious culture, custom and tradition as well as appreciation of the beauty. This paper finds that cultural adaptation effectively guided the translation when Holmwood deals with heterogenous cultural elements. Besides, cultural adaptation can facilitate the translation and oversea introduction of the same literary genre, and it can also promote “Chinese culture goes global”.