This paper is an interim achievement of the 2025 Teaching Quality and Reform Project “Comprehensive Business English I” at Guangzhou City University of Technology (Grant No. J2125025).
Abstract
This study investigates cultural aphasia in translation among English majors at Guangzhou City University of Technology through Bassnett’s Cultural Translation Theory. Adopting a mixed-method approach, the study explores the manifestations and causes of cultural aphasia in translation. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 233 students and semi-structured interviews with 12 students. The findings indicate that cultural aphasia is quite rampant, particularly in translating culturally loaded expressions. Its main manifestations include inaccurate substitution, excessive paraphrasing, omission, and rigid transliteration. The results show that students’ difficulties are associated with limited knowledge of both cultures, insufficient culture-specific vocabulary, and inadequate training in cultural translation strategies. The study argues that cultural aphasia reflects a gap in intercultural mediation rather than merely a vocabulary deficiency. It therefore recommends strengthening cultural translation instruction, balancing cultural content in English teaching, and providing systematic translation practice to improve students’ ability to convey Chinese culture effectively in English.
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How to cite this paper
A Study on Cultural Aphasia in Translation Among English Majors at Guangzhou City University of Technology Through the Lens of Bassnett’s Cultural Translation Theory
How to cite this paper: Lina Long, Songshan Hou. (2026) A Study on Cultural Aphasia in Translation Among English Majors at Guangzhou City University of Technology Through the Lens of Bassnett’s Cultural Translation Theory. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 10(8), 940-944.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2026.08.013