摘要

一个民族的传统美食，体现着一个民族的历史文化特点。中国的饮食文化独具风格，享誉世界；其菜肴种类繁多，口味绝佳，更是受到外国朋友的称赞。在这样的形式下，中文菜单英译则显得十分必要。然而，中式菜单英译的现状不容乐观，形形色色的误译出现在餐桌上。本文首先对中式菜单英译的常见错误及其产生的原因进行了研究，接着阐述功能翻译学派的主导理论——目的论，及其在菜单翻译的实际应用；然后分析了文化因素在菜单翻译中的重要性；最后归纳出菜单英译的实用策略。通过对中式菜单英译的跨文化分析研究，旨在使翻译人士弥补自身不足，规范中式菜单翻译的标准，使译文更加通畅易懂、准确优美，推动中国饮食文化进一步发展。

关键词：中文菜单翻译，目的论，翻译原则和策略，跨文化研究

Abstract

The traditional food of a nation embodies its historical and cultural characteristics. Chinese cuisine culture has enjoyed great prestige in the world for its unique characteristics and also is praised by foreigners due to the multitudinous dishes and excellent flavor. In such situation, English of Chinese menu translation is very indispensable. However, the current situation is not good and all brands of mistranslations appear on the table. This paper firstly studies the common errors and the related reasons of the Chinese dishes translation; after that, the mainly theory of German functional school—Skopos theory—is introduced, which include the practical application in menu translation; then, it analyzes the importance of cultural factors in English translation for Chinese dishes; at last, it concludes some pragmatic strategies of menu translation. According to the cross-cultural analysis of menu translation , this paper aims to make translators realize their shortages and make up for a lack of comprehensive knowledge and carry out a standard of menu translation, producing more easy-flowing, accurate and elegant version and promoting the further development of Chinese food culture.

Key words: Chinese menu translation, skopos theory, translation principles and strategies, cross-culture study

1.    Introduction
As the saying goes, food is the paramount necessity of the people. It is generally known that Chinese cuisine culture boasts a very long history and has a unique charm. Chinese food has enjoyed a wonderful reputation for its exquisite delicacies for a long year, which capture much attention of foreigners. Thus, China is a veritable Kingdom of food. Food culture plays a significant role in promoting the interaction among peoples of different nations when cultural exchanges have been increasingly taking place. Food name is the most important external embodiment of food culture transmission. An accurate English menu translation can not only reflects some basic information of dishes, including raw materials and cooking methods, also contains a lot of profound cultural elements, such as the historical allusions, symbolic meanings and local flavors. Therefore, how to translate Chinese dishes into an accurate and elegant version, conveying the Chinese culture simultaneously, which has placed a prominent position and caused the attention of government, scholars and related professionals.