Jun 2026· Journal of Foreign Languages and Cultures· Vol 10, pp. 54-66· 0 citations
Abstract
This study examines the semiotic modes of meaning-making in literary translation from the perspective of multimodal stylistics. Taking Bi Feiyu’s novel Massage and its English translation as a case study, this research finds that typographical choices reinforce the transmission of tone and the representation of characters’ psychological states; punctuation modifications reshape the rhythm of reading and literary effect; and spatial layout accentuates narrative emphasis through visual adaptation, thereby enhancing the narrative tension of the translated text. In addition, the cover of the English version constructs multimodal meaning through visual metaphor and typographic design, foregrounding the novel’s theme. The transformation of multimodal semiotic resources in literary translation exemplifies a process of multimodal repragmatization, while such semiotic reconfiguration enables multilayered meaning-making across cultural contexts. These multimodal translation strategies not only enrich the expressive potential of the translated work but also provide target readers with a multidimensional reading experience.
It is argued that AI translation should not be understood solely as a technological tool but also as a transformative force redefining literary production, reception, and cross-cultural communication.
Nyiramukama Diana Kashaka· NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNA...· 0 citations
Metaphor, as a highly condensed and aesthetically rich mode of expression in language, carries abundant imagery, emotion and cultural connotations in literary texts. The translation of metaphor is not merely a transformation of meaning, but a process of aesthetic re-creation. For a long time, research on metaphor translation has mainly been conducted from the perspectives of cognitive linguistics or functional equivalence, while systematic exploration of its aesthetic value remains relatively insufficient. Taking translation aesthetics as its theoretical framework and integrating conceptual metaphor theory, this study conducts a comparative analysis of English metaphors and their Chinese translations in literary texts, with a particular focus on the reproduction of imagistic beauty, formal beauty and emotional beauty in the process of metaphor translation. The findings suggest that, on the basis of fidelity to the original meaning, translators should give full play to their subjectivity and achieve aesthetic reconstruction in the target text through strategies such as image retention, image transformation and aesthetic adjustment. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the aesthetic dimension of metaphor translation and offers valuable implications for literary translation practice and translation pedagogy.
Rong-Xiang Sun· Humanities and Social Scienc...· 0 citations
The translation of children's literature represents a complex process of linguistic and cultural mediation between the source text and the young target audience. Unlike other literary genres, children's literature requires translators to take into account the cognitive, emotional, and cultural development of young readers. The translator must not only render the linguistic meaning of the original text but also adapt cultural references, humor, and narrative elements to make them accessible and meaningful. This process often involves balancing fidelity to the source text with the need for cultural adaptation. Translators may simplify certain expressions, clarify implicit meanings, or replace culture-specific elements with more familiar ones. At the same time, they play an important role in introducing children to new cultural realities and perspectives. Thus, translation becomes a form of intercultural communication and education. The translator acts as a mediator who shapes the reception of the literary work in the target culture. Particular attention is required when translating idioms, wordplay, and stylistic devices frequently used in children's literature. These elements often demand creative solutions in order to preserve the expressive and aesthetic value of the original text. Therefore, the translation of children's literature is both a linguistic task and a cultural act that contributes to the formation of young readers' intercultural awareness.
Angela Grădinaru· Dynamics of the Romance and...· 0 citations
Taking visual grammar of multimodal discourse analysis as the core theory, this paper chooses three cross-era Yunnan border cultural symbols: anti-colonial archives, stone monuments and native folk songs. It combines field investigation, annotated thick translation and cross-media effect evaluation as mixed research methods. Analysis proves text-only English translations without audio-visual aids fail to build complete three-layer multimodal meanings, causing severe cultural bias among overseas audiences. Combining translated texts with on-site footage and ethnic audio can fully interpret the history of border ethnic solidarity against foreign invasion. This paper establishes a four-dimensional closed research path of cultural excavation, annotated translation, multimodal creation and effect assessment, and forms a replicable paradigm applicable to southwest frontier texts, facilitating global understanding of China’s pluralistic national development and international dissemination of ethnic unity stories.
Mengting Geng, Bin Duan· Financial Economics Research· 0 citations
— Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms is a fantasy film adapted from The Investiture of the Gods, recounting ancient Chinese historical and mythological stories. As an intuitive and effective means of cross-cultural communication, subtitle translation in films assumes paramount importance. With the development of multimedia technology, this paper analyzes the subtitle translation of the film from the four dimensions of culture, context, content, and expression proposed by Zhang Delu in his multi-modal discourse analysis framework. The study reveals that the English subtitle translation predominantly employs free translation strategies, interacting with the film’s visual and auditory modalities to help audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds better understand and appreciate the film, thus fulfilling the cultural transmission function of film and television works.
Hui Wang· International Journal of Lan...· 0 citations
The study concludes that, in postcolonial Arabic literary translation, human mediation remains essential for preserving figurative meaning and narrative positioning, while AI tools may serve only as preliminary support rather than as a replacement for human judgment.
Haitham M. K. AlYousef· International Journal of Tra...· 0 citations
