This paper explores the use of explicitation strategies in the translation of Chinese rural literature, using Jeffrey C. Kinkley’s English translation of Border Town as an example. Explicitation refers to the translation technique of explicitly expressing implicit information in the source text in the translated text, which is significant for cross-cultural communication. By comparing Kinkley’s translation with the original Border Town and Gladys Yang’s translation, this paper deeply analyzes the application and effects of explicitation strategies at both implicit and explicit levels in Kinkley’s version. The results show that explicitation strategies play a significant positive role in Kinkley’s translation, not only enhancing the readability and accuracy of the translated text but also effectively conveying the cultural connotation of the original text and the author’s writing intention. This study can provide a useful reference for translation practice and also help improve the quality of English translations of Chinese literary works and the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication.

Jeffrey C. Kinkley;Border Town;Explicitation

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The Research Project of Philosophy and Social Sciences in Jiangsu Province titled: "On the Explicitness of Translated English from the Perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics" (No. 2021SJA1928). The Key Project of Educational Reform of Yancheng Institute of Technology: “Research on the Training Model of Application Translation Talents with CATTI Certificates Embedded” (JYKT2022A033).

DOI： https://doi.org/10.62639/sspjiss06.20240105

Published： 2024