Author(s)

Yanxia Hou

Corresponding Author

Yanxia Hou

Abstract

Eco-translatology is an emerging interdisciplinary theory proposed by Professor Hu Gengshen, who applies Darwin’s evolution theory “Natural Selection, Survival of the Fittest” to analyze translation activities. It focuses on maximizing translator’s subjective initiative to better adapt and select in the eco-environment of translation, thus to produce a highly integrated translated text. Words with Chinese characteristics, a unique language phenomenon in Chinese, are the most common expressions in political publicity including government reports, public speeches delivered by national leaders, other political documents and the like. Translation of such words definitely affects the world’s understanding and interpretation towards China. Taking words with Chinese characteristics from Xi Jinping: The Governance of China and Government Work Reports as an example, this paper probes into the translator’s transformation in the translation process of selective adaptation and adaptive selection from linguistic, cultural and communicative dimensions, so as to make English translation of words with Chinese characteristics be more accurate and convictive.

Keywords

Words With Chinese Characteristics, Eco-Translatology, Adaptation and Selection