Translating National Identities Between China and the West

Diplomatic Political Discourse 1792-1867
1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-032-93679-6
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 211 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

Reihe: Routledge Studies in Empirical Translation and Multilingual Communication

This book explores the discursive construction of national identities in diplomatic political discourse, focusing on translation’s pivotal role. It examines diplomatic exchanges between China and the West from 1792 to 1867, a period marked by China’s national identity crisis. By combining Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS) with Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA), the book uncovers how translation shaped the national identities of both China and the West during a time of intercultural conflict and change.

Through the analysis of 29 authentic historical documents, the book offers a groundbreaking analysis of how translators at the Qing court initially portrayed China as superior and the West as inferior. However, as China’s global position shifted, so did its translation strategies, gradually transforming China’s national identity to be seen as equal to the West. During diplomatic interactions, translators played a crucial role in shaping perceptions of both Chinese and Western identities, thereby influencing international relations.

Essential for scholars and students of translation studies, political discourse, and Chinese history, this book goes beyond traditional analysis, offering a new perspective on the intricate relationship between translation, power, and identity. Its blend of qualitative and quantitative methods provides a comprehensive view of East-West relations during a pivotal period in world history.

Zielgruppe

Academic and Postgraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

Zheng, Xinnian

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Übersetzungswissenschaft, Translatologie, Dolmetschen
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Internationale Beziehungen Diplomatie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1 Introduction 2 Contextualization: world order and national identity 3 Conceptual problems: discourse, diplomatic discourse, identity, national identity 4 Political discourse analysis: a discursive and a translation perspective 5 Theoretical consideration: descriptive translation studies and critical discourse analysis 6 Research design: methodology and data processing 7 Corpus analysis: translation of national affiliations and forms of address in diplomatic discourse between China and the West (1792–1867) 8 Conclusions

Über Autor(innen)

Xinnian Zheng, lecturer at Jinan University, specializes in political discourse translation, critical discourse analysis, and AI-assisted translation. Her publications include articles and book reviews in Meta: Translators’ Journal; TTR: Traduction Terminologie Rédaction; and Applied Research in Quality of Life.