A Comparative Study on Translation Strategies of "Covert Text" in Chinese Allusions: Take Two English Versions of the First Visit to the Red Cliff as Examples

Xiaofang Yang

doi:10.6918/IJOSSER.202502_8(2).0001

Authors

Xiaofang Yang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6918/IJOSSER.202502_8(2).0001

Keywords:

English versions of the First Visit to the Red Cliff, Studies of Translation Dynamics, “Covert Text”, English Translation of Chinese Allusions.

Abstract

The translation of allusions is, to some extent, a form of cultural exchange, often involving ethnic elements, imagery, and associative meaning. In the First Visit to the Red Cliff, the poem was set in the Battle of Red Cliff during the Three Kingdoms period, with many allusions rich in cultural connotations to express Su Shi’s broad-minded, optimistic, and positive attitude towards his life. In this paper, the author attempts to analyse two English-translated texts of the First Visit to the Red Cliff from the perspective of Studies of Translation Dynamics, exploring the translation strategies and skills employed by the two translators facing “Covert Text” and comparing their commonalities and differences.

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