Translating Science into Chinese: An Interactive Perspective

Abstract

In the studies of science translation into Chinese, the focus lies primarily on the role of translation in knowledge transmission. In terms of the linguistic impact of science translation, the discussions tend to focus on the creation of terminology, and the attention of translators is drawn to different methods of translating new terms. The studies conducted in the past have been based mostly on specialised science, but nowadays, more and more science translations are targeting a lay audience. We feel that the translation of popular science is an area that remains under-researched. This paper presents an interactive perspective in the area of science translation, focusing on the genre of popular science. Literature reviews on pragmatic studies of science communication are explored and these insights are related to the changing perceptions of science translation. A quantitative analysis based on the English magazine Scientific American and its Chinese edition published in Taiwansheds some light on the patterns of the selected interactive features in the translations. Two case studies are used to demonstrate how translators' interactive strategies are designed according to the purpose of translation and considerations regarding the target readers.