A Study on the English Translation Strategies of Chinese Culinary Vocabulary in the Context of Cultural Vacancy

Abstract

Due to the differences between Chinese and Western cultures in terms of regional environment, social customs, religious beliefs, and other aspects, the phenomenon of "Cultural vacancy" will arise in the process of cultural communication and exchange. Culinary culture is an indispensable part of Chinese and Western cultures. In the process of spreading and translating Chinese culinary culture, the phenomenon of cultural omission and vocabulary vacancy often occurs, and this "Cultural vacancy" will cause obstacles in translation. This study analyzes the English translation strategies of Chinese culinary culture vocabulary in five aspects, namely, cooking methods, names of condiments, the eight cuisines and their representative dishes, tea culture, and wine culture in Chapter 8 of A Glimpse of Chinese Culture, edited by Liao Huaying. It is found that under the cultural vacancy, the literal translation, transliteration, and free translation will lead to cultural misunderstandings and a lack of cultural connotations. It is necessary to carry out assimilation or foreignization strategies according to the characteristics of culinary culture vocabulary, and add explanations or pictures to assist on this basis, aiming to restore the cultural connotation of the source language to the maximum extent by using compensatory strategies.