Linguistic Landscape Translation in Huzhou: A Study from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/36e47z30Keywords:
Linguistic Landscape Translation, Cultural Communication, Functional Equivalence, Cultural AccessibilityAbstract
As an important medium of intercultural communication, linguistic landscape translation plays a vital role in shaping urban image and promoting regional culture. Taking Huzhou as the research site, this study examines bilingual public signs from the perspective of Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory. Through field investigation and case analysis, it identifies major problems in informational, cultural, and response equivalence, such as inconsistent naming, unnatural or over-literal translation, insufficient cultural explanation, and limited audience awareness, all of which reduce the communicative effectiveness of public signage. The study argues that effective translation should go beyond literal reproduction and help target readers understand and use information appropriately in context. It therefore proposes improving translation standardization, optimizing culture-loaded expressions, strengthening audience-oriented information design, and establishing a review mechanism, in order to enhance Huzhou’s linguistic landscape translation and provide reference for other Chinese cities.
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