This work was supported by the 2025 Tianjin Philosophy and Social Science Planning Project, Tianjin School of Culture Research Special Topic: Research on the Translation and International Communication Influence Enhancement Strategy of Tianjin School Intangible Cultural Heritage (NO. TJJW01-04).
Published: November 30, 2025
Article history: Updated on June 26, 2026
Abstract
Based on the theoretical basis of Translator Behaviour Criticism, this paper will compare and contrast the translation of magic words in the two official Chinese editions of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series - The Mainland Chinese and Taiwan versions. Instead of just showing the differences in strategies, this analysis will use the "truth-seeking-utility-attaining" continuum and the idea of "translator-ness" to examine the rationality of the translator's behaviour and the socio-cultural interventions that can be observed in their choice of language. Through the qualitative analysis of some representative translated works, this paper will examine how translators reconcile the pursuit of truth in the original text with the cultural demand for acceptance (utilitarianism). Based on the above results, although both versions are at the same level, they have been organised differently in an organised manner; the Mainland version is more "practical" and often uses vernacular four-character idioms and clear rhetorical devices to improve accessibility and immediate literary effect for a large number of readers. The Taiwan version, on the other hand, is based on a different system and does not place more emphasis on easy pronunciation; it has begun to use many foreign transliterations and older three-character patterns. Translators have varied views on the role of a translator ("translator-ness"), and due to different socio-cultural and publishing environments, these views also differ. It is concluded that the magical foreignness of the text and the different expectations of the publishers for their target readers are the two causes of this dual pressure. Translator Behaviour Criticism can be used to see both at the same time, so we will not only list the strategies but also explore why the two versions are different.
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How to cite this paper
Translator Behavior Criticism and the Chinese Translation of Spells in Harry Potter: A Comparative Study of the Mainland and Taiwan Versions
How to cite this paper: Ziqi Liu, Hao Liu. (2025). Translator Behavior Criticism and the Chinese Translation of Spells in Harry Potter: A Comparative Study of the Mainland and Taiwan Versions. Translation and Foreign Language Learning, 1(4), 618-622.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.11.004