A Comparative Study of Two Chinese Translations of Charlotte’s Web

Abstract

As a classic in children’s literature, Charlotte’s Web has been translated into more than 20 languages, including Chinese. As there are multi-level and multi-dimensional selections and adaptations in the translation of children’s literature, this paper makes an attempt to apply the adaptation theory to study the selections and adaptations in the two Chinese versions of Charlotte’s Web from the phonological, lexical, syntactic, discoursal and socio-cultural levels. It is suggested that the translator of children’s literature should make sensible language choices that adapt to children’s understandability and appreciation, so that the translation can be readily understood and accepted by the target readers and its social value realized. Key words: Charlotte’s Web; Children’s literature; Translation; Selection; Adaptation