A Study on the English Translation of Pingnan Folk Culture from the Perspective of Translation Shift Theory

Abstract

Rooted in the regional cultural soil of southeastern Guangxi, Pingnan folk culture integrates the diverse characteristics of the Hakka, Yao and other ethnic groups, forming a cultural system that boasts both uniqueness and inheritance. Terms and texts of this culture, bearing strong regional cultural connotations, encounter the dilemma of balancing linguistic form and cultural meaning in cross-cultural translation. The Translation Shifts Theory proposed by British linguist J.C. Catford, with a focus on linguistic levels and categories, provides a systematic analytical framework for addressing translation adaptation issues in culture-loaded texts. From the perspective of this theory, this paper adopts literature research, case analysis and comparative research methods. It classifies Pingnan folk culture into three categories—material folk culture, social folk culture and belief folk culture—and systematically explores the applicability of Translation Shifts Theory in translating Pingnan folk culture. By examining the specific application paths of level shifts and category shifts in translating folk terms and texts, this study aims to resolve the core contradiction between "formal constraints" and "meaning loss" in the translation of regional folk culture. Based on this, the paper constructs a translation framework of "level adaptation - category reconstruction - meaning conservation". It proposes targeted translation strategies and verifies their feasibility with specific cases. The research intends to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the cross-cultural communication of Pingnan folk culture, and contribute to the "going global" of Chinese regional folk culture.