There is a huge difference between Chinese and English literature. Chinese literature is distinctive, and you will never find any Chinese reference in Western or English literature. You will surely find Italian, Latin, and Spanish references in Western literature, but not Chinese. One of the factors that contributes to this distinctiveness is the language difference. Mandarin-to-English and English to Mandarin translation services help remove this language contrast.
In this read, we are going to talk about the factors that contribute to the differences and how Chinese translation traditional or simplified helps in the process.
The Chinese and English Language
Chinese and English are among the most spoken languages in the world. Chinese is at the top of the list with 1.3 billion native speakers while English is at the third number, with 313 million native speakers. Also, the Chinese and Americans are among the strongest nations in the world. It is because of their strong beliefs in their ideology as well as their history that shape their minds. This language is an evident factor when it comes to the literature of both languages.
How Translation Bridges the Gap Between Chinese and Western Literature?
Translation is responsible for building our knowledge about certain things. One thing to remember here is that translation does not only deal with the conversion of one language to another. But it also contributes to the difference between dialects and the old version of languages. For example, the English in Shakespeare’s plays is classic, which is very difficult for us as we speak modern English and use it in writing. Translation, here helps us with the understanding of such difficult text. The same goes with Chinese translation traditional or simplified.
Linguistic and Cultural Adaptation
In the English and Mandarin translation, adapting the content according to the culture of the target audience is very important. You might wonder why we say Mandarin translation. The reason is that Mandarin is the most spoken as well as the easiest dialect of Chinese.
Other than linguistic and cultural adaptation, it is also important to know what is the main focus of Chinese and English literature. So let’s talk about that.
Philosophical Nature of Chinese Literature
So we have established that Chinese and English literature differ from each other on many grounds. One of these grounds is the philosophical nature of Chinese literature. This literature exerts pressure on maintaining harmony among people. Chinese writings are mainly based on Chinese philosophies. These philosophies consist of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and many more. It is the effect of these philosophies that the Chinese have a strong impact on social harmony and filial piety.
It is Mandarin translation services that convey these beliefs to not only the Chinese audience but also to other people through multilingual translations.
Western Literature – Focus on Human Conditions
On the other hand, the western literature focuses on human nature and conditions. For example, the theories of existentialism and individualism are the center of Western or we can say English literature. The work of Sigmund Freud is worth mentioning here because it is the most accurate example. The Renaissance period is especially the one during which philosophers started focusing on humans.
Historical Perspective of Chinese and Western Literature
Western historical literature consists of periods like the Romantic, Victorian, Enlightenment, and medieval eras. Chinese historical literature focuses on the dynasties such as the Qin, Sui, and Yuan Dynasty. The origin of idioms and phrases that Chinese speakers use today, date back to these old dynasties. These dynasties are the reason behind the Chinese dialects that we have today. It is due to the bunch of kingdoms and emperors that new words have been coined.
The historical perspective of both languages is the reason behind their today’s successful state. Unlike other languages, both Chinese and English take pride in inheritance and linguistic backgrounds.
Translation services not only help in the understanding of different literature, but they are also helpful in many other industries. The most common one is the business sector. With accurate translation, any English brand can attract Chinese audience just by knowing their preferences.
Final Words!
The success of a language is determined by its number of speakers, dialects, and how easy it is to communicate in that language. Fortunately, Chinese and English languages comply with all the features. We clearly know that there is a gap between Chinese and Western or English literature. The difference arises because of their different theories. With the help of translation, these differences don’t remain so big. It is because both speakers can understand the historical perspective of these two literatures that, in the long run, bridges the gap.
