A Study on the Cultural Connotation of Chinese Dishes and Their Translation

China is renowned for its unique dishes. Nowadays tasting Chinese dishes has become an important element for foreigners to know better about China. Although a lot of restaurants have their English versions of menus today, those translations are not so satisfying. It occurs too often that many foreigners feel confused while they are looking through the menus. Why is it so difficult to translate Chinese dishes into English and how is it translated into sound English versions to fit the fine Chinese dishes? To find the answers is the main purpose of this paper which focuses on the cultural connotation of Chinese dishes and their translation. In our study of translating Chinese dishes, we should first know well about what the criteria for translation are. In Guo Junxia’s ( ) article, I get the information as the following: the three characters, faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance formulated by Yan Fu in his Introductory Remarks are thought of and supported as the one and only maxim all translators must absorb (qtd. In Guo Junxia,258). So when we translate Chinese dishes into English, we should take these three criteria into consideration. When I search for the materials on this study, I find that many people have been engaged in this study and have brought forward many strategies on it. Literal translation is a strategy frequently used in translating Chinese dish names. When the target reader understands the information in the source text easily and clearly, the dish names maybe translated literally. However, the Chinese strive for elegance when they name the dishes, so a word-for-word translation may lead to misunderstanding, puzzlement or even embarrassment. The best way to avoid invalid translation is to paraphrase (namely, free translation) it. Transliteration is involved in the strategies as well, making the local characteristic of the dish and its connection with a certain person more prominent( ). Many experts have referred to the strategies of translating Chinese dishes like above, and some gave more details or other different opinions. In Feng Qinghua ( ) and Mu Lei’s ( ) book, they gave details on how to translate Chinese dishes by using the strategies of literal translation and free translation. 1. Literal translation: cooking method(s)+ major ingredient(s) 2. Literal translation + explanations 3. Free translation: 1. Major ingredient(s)+ with+ sauce 2. Sauce+ major ingredient(s) 4. Transliteration+ explanation(s) They also said sometimes we can translate Chinese dishes by using the names with which Westerners are very familiar, making the translation more real and understandable (241). Although their strategies are very detailed, the examples they gave may make us frustrated. In their book, one dish is taken for example to explain one strategy, but then the same dish will be also mentioned in another strategy. Lu Hongmei ( has put forward a similar opinion, but she added one point: how to translate the pharmaceutical dishes. When translate this kind of dishes, the translators should translate both the ingredients and cooking methods, as well as the explanations on its functions (128). Sometimes when the translators translate the Chinese dishes by using literal translation, the beauty of original version will get lost. What should we do to deal with this problem? As Li Zubing’s ( ) has states in his essay, when translate Chinese dishes, translators should integrate the â€Å"format† with â€Å"meaning† very well, but it is not always that easy. Nevertheless, the translator should always gain an idea that the content is invariably superior to the format. To translate the principal ingredients, subsidiary or auxiliary ingredients, ways of cutting and ways of cooking always rank as the priority in the list, just as Westerns do, letting the dinning people know what taste these dishes are (65). I prefer his idea because I believe that until others understand what the meaning you convey is, then it is possible that they can get the further information behind the words. In Zhu Chunlin’s ( essay, he has explained the strategies from another standpoint. He said there are two strategies of translating Chinese dishes, namely, the first one is perfect translation, and the other one is adequate translation. The perfect translation means the translated version is only to convey the original information, regardless of the story or history hidden behind it. When translate Chinese dishes, the translator only needs to translate the pr incipal ingredients, subsidiary or auxiliary ingredients, ways of cutting, and ways of cooking, etc. By contrast, the adequate translation, as Li Zubing explained, requires the translator to yield up the format, but instead, to keep the content (187). As to the Chinese dishes with cultural connotation, which are connected with history, legend, fairy tales, and so on, many scholars have presented different opinions on the strategies of translation. Yang Qunyan ( ) has explained that if the Chinese dished are translated literally or paraphrased, the cultural connotations embedded in them will be lost. So the translator should provide some background information as well (66). Although it is reasonable to give more information to better understand the dishes, the room of the menu does not permit to admit too many words. When we are in this kind of dilemma, we should add the background information selectively according to different dishes. Just as Xie Xianze ( ), Pan Yanqiang ( ), and Du Li (? ?)have stated in their essay, the primary thing of translating Chinese dishes is the conciseness. When translate the Chinese dishes with cultural connotation, the translator needs to provide some explanations on them. However, different explanations should be given according to their different names, and the co-authors have classified them into two categories. For the dishes of requiring little explanations, the translator should only translate the principal ingredients, subsidiary or auxiliary ingredients, ways of cutting, and ways of cooking, etc, and then add their pinyin and literal meaning in parenthesis. As for the dishes requiring more explanations, the stories of the dishes should be added after the names, or, the waiters can explain to the dinning persons when they are looking through the menu (72). Zheng Jinhuai ( )has given more details on the strategies of translating Chinese dishes. He offered his analysis on the characteristics of naming Chinese dishes with cultural connotation, and gave three main strategies to translate them, and the translator can use them accordingly. Firstly, when the dishes involve the historical persons, stories, legend, etc, the literal translation can be used and further explanations should be added. Then, when the dishes involve the places, the translator had better choose the strategy of literal translation. Lastly, when the dishes relate to figures, shape, color, culinary jargon, best wishes and expectations, and imagination, etc, the free translation is the best choice (90). My essay will put forward to my strategies after analyzing the characteristics of naming Chinese dishes. Additionally, we should take account of the cultural differences. As Li Yuqing ( ) said in her essay, the translated versions can sometime arises a cross-language and cross-cultural problem. We should take into consideration whether the translations ate culturally acceptable to foreigner or not. After all, it is suggested that we should follow the principles of stability and consistency in cuisine naming and its translation, trying our best to translate the refined and graceful cuisine names in the foreign language by keeping their original cultural connotation (98). For this paper, many strategies will be put forward, including the literal translation and free translation; especially the Chinese dishes with cultural connotation. This paper will pick up many typical Chinese dishes to exam the strategies from various aspects. Where can I get the English versions of Chinese dishes?