Abstract

Many theorists, like Toury’s and Lefevere’s, advocate that literary texts are cultural made and are parts of “a system which is operating in the larger social, literary and historical systems of the target culture” (Munday, 2001: 108). Likely, it can be assumed that translated texts are products of the target culture and need to meet the socio-cultural demands of the receiving system as this is initial yet critical role of translators in today’s worldwide quest for nurturing trust and understanding. Unless the messages of the ST are transported in a comprehensible and acceptable way for the receiving audience, the translators’ mission of building trust and understanding cannot be accomplished. Translators may, therefore, be said to face various constraints in 

making the translation acceptable and comprehensible for the target audiences and in allowing the translation

to fulfilll a certain function assigned by the target system.However, collecting data in one language and presenting the findings in another involves researchers taking translation-related decisions that have a direct impact on the validity of the research and its report.Factors which affect the quality of translation in social research include: the linguistic competence of the translator/s; the translator’s knowledge of the culture of the people under study; the autobiography of those involved in the translation; and the circumstances in which the translation takes place.

There is a need for social researchers who have to translate data from one language to another to explore the factors concerned and make the best choice.

Key words: translation; culture; social; circumstance

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1.Introduction. 1

2.Different cultural background 2

122.1Western translation background .2

2.2On English and Chinese cultural differences3

343.What are social and cultural factors in translation?5

1233.1religious beliefs.5

3.2thinking modes.6

3.3traditional customs.7

4.Translation strategies in related with social and cultural factors10

12344.1Literal translation10

4.2Free translation11

4.2.1use pun and metaphors11

4.2.2Addition11

4.2.3Substitution.11

5.Conclusion.13

Reference.14