Translating food is translating culture: Australian English speakers’ reception of food translation

Abstract

The reception of culture-specific items has recently emerged as a key focus in empirical translation studies. Food is one of the most iconic culture-specific items, as it is regarded as a cultural product across its production, preparation, and consumption. Due to its culturally embedded nature, the quality of food translation depends significantly on how readers decode and respond to the culturally specific elements of foodstuffs and foodways. However, the reception of food translation by readers remains underexplored. This study examines the reception of food translation among Australian English speakers. Twenty-two participants were asked to read translated food-related content and articulate their understanding in semi-structured interviews. The study finds that domestication can lead to cultural misconceptions, while foreignisation may result in problematic lexical choices and stylistic inconsistencies. Nevertheless, readers tend to prefer foreignised translations of exotic food content, expecting only minimal explanation to avoid confusion. While generally tolerant of linguistic errors, readers are particularly sensitive to the precision of lexical choices in translation. This article offers empirical data on readers’ cultural perceptions of culinary norms and their expectations to inform translators’ decision-making in food translation.