Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum

This study focused on the translation of culture-specific items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s novel Red Sorghum and the applicability of Functionalist Theory in analysing the data. This aim was divided into three specific objectives: identifying the strategies of translating CSIs, exploring their occurrence ra...

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Main Authors: Zuo, Yunchao, Syed Abdullah, Syed Nurulakla, Toh, Florence Haw Ching
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Islamic University Malaysia 2025
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/1/120906.pdf
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author Zuo, Yunchao
Syed Abdullah, Syed Nurulakla
Toh, Florence Haw Ching
author_facet Zuo, Yunchao
Syed Abdullah, Syed Nurulakla
Toh, Florence Haw Ching
author_sort Zuo, Yunchao
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This study focused on the translation of culture-specific items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s novel Red Sorghum and the applicability of Functionalist Theory in analysing the data. This aim was divided into three specific objectives: identifying the strategies of translating CSIs, exploring their occurrence rates, and examining whether or not functionalist theory is applicable to the analysis of data. Drawing upon Aixelá’s translation strategies and Nida’s classification, this study examined translation strategies within the framework of functionalist theory. The results showed that the most commonly used techniques are absolute universalisation and linguistic translation. Second, different translation procedures are required for different classifications of CSIs. Thirdly, the study found that in order to maintain artistic and aesthetic value, an aesthetic rule shall be considered in literary translation.
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publisher International Islamic University Malaysia
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spelling upm-1209062025-10-15T03:54:13Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/ Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum Zuo, Yunchao Syed Abdullah, Syed Nurulakla Toh, Florence Haw Ching This study focused on the translation of culture-specific items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s novel Red Sorghum and the applicability of Functionalist Theory in analysing the data. This aim was divided into three specific objectives: identifying the strategies of translating CSIs, exploring their occurrence rates, and examining whether or not functionalist theory is applicable to the analysis of data. Drawing upon Aixelá’s translation strategies and Nida’s classification, this study examined translation strategies within the framework of functionalist theory. The results showed that the most commonly used techniques are absolute universalisation and linguistic translation. Second, different translation procedures are required for different classifications of CSIs. Thirdly, the study found that in order to maintain artistic and aesthetic value, an aesthetic rule shall be considered in literary translation. International Islamic University Malaysia 2025 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/1/120906.pdf Zuo, Yunchao and Syed Abdullah, Syed Nurulakla and Toh, Florence Haw Ching (2025) Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum. Asiatic, 19 (1). pp. 95-114. ISSN 1985-3106 https://journals.iium.edu.my/asiatic/index.php/ajell/article/view/3644 10.31436/asiatic.v19i1.3644
spellingShingle Zuo, Yunchao
Syed Abdullah, Syed Nurulakla
Toh, Florence Haw Ching
Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum
title Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum
title_full Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum
title_fullStr Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum
title_full_unstemmed Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum
title_short Strategies of translating Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) in Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum
title_sort strategies of translating culture-specific items (csis) in mo yan’s red sorghum
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120906/1/120906.pdf