On Cultural Default and Translation Compensation Strategies in The Middle from the Perspective of Relevance Theory

Abstract

This paper, based on Relevance Theory, analyzes the phenomenon of cultural default present in the situational comedy The Middle. By dissecting the cultural elements within the show, it reveals how the cultural information in the original work affects audience comprehension. To address these cultural deficiencies, various compensation strategies are proposed, which not only preserve the humor effect and emotional depth of the original but also effectively bridge the cultural cognitive gaps for the target language audience, thereby enhancing the acceptability and viewing experience of the translated work. Ultimately, the study concludes that appropriate compensation techniques can promote cross-cultural communication and deepen audience understanding and resonance with the work.