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Translation and Foreign Language Learning

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ArticleTranslation Theories and Skills http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.08.005

A Study of Subtitle Translation of A Bite of China from the Perspective of Cognitive Translatology

Xvhan Huang, Jing Lin*

Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China.

*Corresponding author: Jing Lin

This work was supported by the Fujian Provincial Social Science Foundation [Grant Number FJ2023B035] and the FLTRP University Foreign Language Teaching & Research Fund [Grant Number 2023052502].
Published: September 26,2025

Abstract

As an outstanding culinary documentary, A Bite of China has successfully disseminated Chinese food culture to a global audience. Subtitle translation plays a crucial role in achieving effective cross-cultural communication. This paper employs cognitive translatology as the theoretical framework to explore the transmission of cultural information in the subtitle translation of A Bite of China, focusing on how translators utilize cognitive strategies, such as conceptual metaphors and cultural schemas, to address cultural differences and promote cross-cultural understanding. The findings reveal that successful subtitle translation involves a strategic balance between cognitive efficiency and cultural mediation, where translators optimize cognitive load while effectively conveying cultural richness. The study demonstrates that merely minimizing cognitive effort is insufficient; instead, translators must employ techniques such as conceptual metaphor adaptation and cultural schema restructuring to facilitate meaningful engagement with cultural content. Through the analysis of specific cases, this paper aims to reveal the guiding significance of cognitive translatology for subtitle translation practice and provide references for enhancing the effectiveness of Chinese cultural dissemination abroad.

Keywords

Cognitive Translation; A Bite of China; Subtitle Translation; Cultural Schema; Conceptual Metaphor

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How to cite this paper

A Study of Subtitle Translation of A Bite of China from the Perspective of Cognitive Translatology

How to cite this paper: Xvhan Huang, Jing Lin. (2025). A Study of Subtitle Translation of A Bite of China from the Perspective of Cognitive Translatology. Translation and Foreign Language Learning1(1), 33-38.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.08.005