A Study on the C-E Translation of Scenic Spot Introduction in Mount Emei

Abstract

In light of the rapid development of China’s tourism sector and the growing demand for cross-cultural communication, the translation quality of scenic spot introductions has become increasingly important. Focusing on the Chinese-English translation project of Mount Emei scenic spot introductions, this study attempts to explore the possibility of applying Reception Theory in tourism translation. By focusing on the role of target readers and their “horizon of expectations,” this study attempts to strike a balance between cultural transmission and communicative efficiency. With a qualitative case analysis method, the study investigates general translation examples from a linguistic, cultural, and aesthetic perspective. In terms of linguistic translation, strategies such as domestication are used to make the text more readable and to obtain natural English expressions. In terms of cultural translation, foreignization, along with explanation or annotation where necessary, is used to keep cultural content in the translation. In terms of aesthetic translation, the translation of rhetorical styles in the original text is changed according to the taste of English readers, who prefer concise and objective descriptions of scenery. Some aesthetic elements are also retained in order to keep cultural flavor. The finding shows that a reader-oriented translation strategy can be an effective way to improve the readability, acceptability, and effectiveness of tourism texts. This study both proves the practicality of applying Reception Theory in non-literary translation and offers a practical guideline for translating culture-loaded tourism materials.