Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Research Background
In 2017, an influential CCTV program named National Treasure has aroused a “cultural relics heat” in cultural relics among Chinese from all walks of life. Each of nine famous museums selects three national treasures to tell the past and present story of them and interprets the genetic code of Chinese culture. President Xi said, “The museum is a large school. It must be well protected and managed. We should study and make good use of the cultural relics that are condensed with traditional Chinese culture, so that artifacts can survive, let the history speak, and give the contemporary people national confidence and historical inspiration.” Museums are the palaces for inheriting and protecting human culture. As a valuable platform for collecting, displaying and studying the human cultural heritage, the museum is open to the public and has made significant contributions to the inheritance of human civilization. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the museums have been developing rapidly. State owned, private, and industrial museums have sprung up, and museums such as science and technology museums, history museums, ethnic museums, and revolutionary museums are competing (Sun 2017).
With the deepening of economic globalization and China's opening to the outside world, information flows further around the world. As an ancient and charming country, China now is increasingly communicating with the countries around the world in many different ways. From 21th century, according to the statistics, more than 28 million foreigners come to China for work, travel and study. So how can they know the Chinese history and culture in a close way? The museums play an important role in introducing Chinese culture (Guo 2012). As an important part of external publicity, the cultural relics exhibition text in museum is an important medium for foreign tourists to understand Chinese culture. There are different ways to explain cultural relics, such as multimedia technology, pictures and so on, and the most important way is probably texts (Li 2006:205). Therefore, its translation is particularly important. The C-E translation of cultural relics exhibition texts will lead foreign tourists into the fascinating world of Chinese culture.
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1.2 Research Significance
In order to better introduce the Chinese traditional culture to the world and let the world better understand the history of China, the C-E translation of cultural relics exhibition texts is an indispensable requirement and plays an increasingly important role in cross-cultural communication. After visiting several famous museums and their websites in China, the author finds that the translation of cultural relics exhibition texts still exists some problems in linguistic and textual aspects against the English texts in Western museums. In spite of its significance, the translation of cultural relics exhibition texts has gained little attention in international publicity translation studies. On the systematic study of C-E translation of cultural relics exhibition texts in museums from the Skopos theory perspective with reference of English texts in Western museums, the thesis has certain significance.
Firstly, by comparing the linguistic and textual differences in translation of cultural relics exhibition texts with the English texts in Western museums, this thesis will try to find out principles and strategies in Chinese museums for the translation.
Secondly, a systematic study of C-E translation of cultural relics exhibition texts in museums from the perspective of Skopos theory with reference of English texts is still novel. This thesis will further provide the C-E principles and information construction advice in cultural relics exhibition texts, which will make a positive contribution to the museum translation and culture dissemination.
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Chapter 2 Literature Review: Museum Texts and Cultural Relics Exhibition Texts
2.1 Museum Texts
Each kind of communication has its own unique media, and the museum text is the media of museum communication. Louise Ravelli (2006) concentrates on a generalized use of museum texts, and illustrates the issues with texts deriving mainly from written sources. R.J.Neather (2012) claims that the museum has been considered as a complex semiotic system for a long term where various interactions come out within and between differing systems of signification. The museum has been recognized as such linguistic or verbal system which plays an important role in creating meanings and making visitors accessible to the cultural relics on exhibition in the museums. Museum texts are important because they form a central component of a museum’s communication agenda.
2.1.1 Museums and Museum texts
The word ‘museum’, derived from the Greek word ‘mouseion’, originally means the temple of the nine Muse goddesses who are in charge of art and science. As a symbol in society, the function of museum is both intricate and multi-layered. And its function differs in domination and liberation, learning and leisure. Ravelli (2006) explores the changing function of the museum, from early role as cabinets of curiosity or the privileged face of learned societies and now the function has been entrenched to the responsibility to the public. The relations between museums and their visitors are also changing, enabling more dynamic encounters and more diverse interpretations. In 1974, the 11th General Assembly of the International Association of Museums adopts a charter that clearly stated that the museum is a permanent institution that is not pursuing profit and it aims at serving the public for research, education and appreciation. Louvre Museum, located in Seine, which has the longest history and it is the largest modern museum. It used to be the imperial palace of France. British Museum is the first modern museum officially open to the public in 1759 and it’s also the national museum located in the Great Russell Square north of New Oxford Street in London.
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2.2 Cultural Relics Exhibition Texts
The museum texts include different types according to Ravelli (2006:2), her emphasis is placed on the written language, including the titles, exhibition texts, brochure and catalogue descriptions. The cultural relics exhibition text is part of the museum texts for the communication between the cultural relics and their visitors. As Hooper-Greenhill (1994:125) notes in regard to the issue of museum texts: “Exhibition texts and catalogue texts are very often the same, with the same words being used as panels or labels and as parts of a catalogue. There are specific problems with this approach.” He describes the exhibition texts in a more detailed way. However, the study of museum text starts earlier at home. In 1986, Peng divides museum text into three parts, which includes the various titles, exhibition texts and comprehensive introduction. Cultural relics exhibition texts can lead visitors into a charming world of the cultural relics. If the cultural relics have their own lines in the exhibition stage, the texts must be their words to express themselves. #p#分页标题#e#
2.2.1 Cultural Relics Exhibition Texts in Museums
There are some different ways for the visitors to have a clear idea about the cultural relics in museums, such as the content of guided tour, or the recordings in an audio/CD guide, or the public lectures given by specialists, or the hypertexts which may be found on website. According to Peng (1986), the cultural relics exhibition texts should include the content of three aspects. First, the natural attributes of cultural relics need to be written in the texts such as the name, dynasty and characteristics and so on. Second, the social attributes of cultural relics should be included, the value and function. Third, the cultural relics exhibition texts ought to account for the exact origin of the relics.
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Chapter 3 Skopos Theory: Theoretical Framework ................ 10
3.1 Historical Overview of Skopos Theory .......................... 10
3.2 Basic Concepts of Skopos Theory ....................... 12
Chapter 4 Data Collection and Analysis: C-E translation of Cultural Relics Exhibition Texts in Museums from Perspective of Skopos Theory...........19
4.1 The Skopos of Cultural Relics Exhibition Texts in Museums ........................ 19
4.1.1 Skopos of Education ......................................... 19
4.1.2 Skopos of Communication .......................... 20
Chapter 5 Conclusion .................................. 53
5.1 Major Findings ................................... 53
5.2 Limitations and Suggestions ........................... 54
Chapter 4 Data Collection and Analysis: C-E translation of Cultural Relics Exhibition Texts in Museums from Perspective of Skopos Theory
4.1 The Skopos of Cultural Relics Exhibition Texts in Museums
In order to compare the linguistic and textual differences in translation of cultural relics exhibition texts with the English texts in Western museums and discuss the principles of C-E translation of cultural relics exhibition texts in museums, firstly the Skopos of cultural relics exhibition texts should be elaborated. What the Skopos states is that one must translate, consciously and consistently, in accordance with principle respecting the cultural relics exhibition texts (TT). Actually, the Skopos does not state what the principle is: it must be decided separately in each specific case.
4.1.1 Skopos of Education
In 1974, at the 11th International Museum Association Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, it was clearly stated that the museum is an institution that does not pursue profitability. It serves the society, and it is permanently open to the public. The Museum collects preserves and studies, disseminates and exhibits witnesses of human beings and the objects that recorded the memories of human history. The cultural relic is an important carrier for inheriting the historical and cultural heritage of mankind and an important “window” for demonstrating the development of social civilization. The function of the museum stated in the British Museum Commemorative Book is to spread knowledge and educate the public. The cultural relics exhibitions held in the museum is to exhibit the valuable and charming objects to the public. So the text is used to explain the detailed information and spread knowledge of history to the public. The Skopos of education lets the visitors in the museum appreciate the cultural relics in a more scientific way. The C-E translation of cultural relics exhibition texts in museums is to educate the foreign visitors with the correct information thus they are able to form a comprehensive understanding of the profound Chinese culture and history.
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Chapter 5 Conclusion
5.1 Major Findings
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