Bridging the Gap: Exploring Translation Equivalence and Enhancing Public Sign Translations in Xuzhou's Tourism Spots

Abstract

In the tourism industry, effective communication is essential, and accurate translation of public signs plays a significant role in providing information to domestic and foreign visitors. However, in translation studies, few scholars divide tourism public signs into equivalent types. This paper aims to solve this gap by analyzing the translation of tourism public signs in Xuzhou, China. To explore this, an empirical research approach was adopted, including the collection of photographs of public sign translations and their subsequent analysis. This study makes an in-depth analysis of the translation of public signs in Xuzhou, including their content and language. The researcher examined the strategies used by translators to ensure the accuracy and cultural appropriateness of their translations and assessed their effectiveness in conveying the intended meaning to visitors. The results show that the application ratio of Functional Equivalence is the highest. These special translations are usually carried out by translators with varying degrees of English proficiency, who rely on available language resources to achieve their communicative goals. In addition, the advantages and limitations of functional equivalence are discussed. It is suggested based on this situation that translation of public signs in tourism should be completed by translators with rich knowledge of both Chinese and English.