AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, Volume 8, Number 1. February 2024 Pp. 58-72
Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication,
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
Culture-specific items (CSIs) constitute a critical component within the realm of cultural translation, particularly evident in the context of China’s widely participated CET-4 and CET-6 (College English Test Band 4 and Band 6). These examinations have garnered increasing scholarly attention due to their substantial influence on language education and international communication. Drawing inspiration from Nida’s (1945) cultural criteria and Newmark’s (1988) translation strategies, this comprehensive study delves into the intricacies of CET-4 and CET-6 CSIs spanning the decade from 2013 to 2023. The findings reveal that diverse types of CSIs necessitate distinct translation strategies, influenced by political, economic, sociocultural factors, and translation purposes. Moreover, a majority of these CSI
employ a combination of translation strategies to fulfill their translation objectives. In essence, this study analyzes CSIs in China’s CET-4 and CET-6 English tests, enhancing the understanding of cultural translation and improving the cultural translation skills. It reveals that different CSIs require distinct translation strategies influenced by various factors, providing valuable insights for translators, students and educators.
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Niu Chunyuan is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Her research focuses on Cultural Translation and Translation Competence.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2455-6257
Dr. Ng Chwee Fang is an experienced senior lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Her specializations include Chinese linguistics, comparative linguistics, psycholinguistics and linguistic typology.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2413-265X
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hazlina Abdul Halim is the dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Her specializations include French applied linguistics and translation studies.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3599-9195
Dr. Nik Farhan Mustapha is an experienced senior lecturer at the Department of Foreign. Languages, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Her specializations include second language reading (Arabic); psycholinguistics. farhan@upm.edu.my
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8809-0578