A Study on the Translation Strategies of the Documentary Mills Explores Ecological China from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication

Xinyi Wang

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2025.KM25885

Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public MediaOpen access

A Study on the Translation Strategies of the Documentary Mills Explores Ecological China from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication

Research Article

Open Access

A Study on the Translation Strategies of the Documentary Mills Explores Ecological China from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication

Xinyi Wang ^1*

¹ Dalian University of Foreign Languages

^*Corresponding author: pumpkinmia1031@outlook.com

Published on 13 August 2025

LNEP Vol.114

ISSN (Print): 2753-7056

ISSN (Online): 2753-7048

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-327-7

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-328-4

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Abstract

The international dissemination of documentaries plays a crucial role in shaping national image and enhancing cross-cultural understanding. Taking the BBC documentary Mills Explores Ecological China as a case study, this paper analyzes its Chinese-English subtitle translation strategies through the lens of cross-cultural communication theory. Drawing on representative examples, the study focuses on culturally loaded expressions—such as plant names, symbolic imagery, and intergenerational knowledge transmission—and examines how translation techniques, including functional equivalence, cultural adaptation, and audience orientation, are employed. The analysis reveals that translators often adopt a hybrid strategy that combines domestication with explanatory foreignization. For instance, cultural metaphors like "见血封喉树" are translated into scientific terms like Antiaris toxicaria, supplemented with descriptive phrases such as "it's lethal" to retain communicative effectiveness while avoiding cultural misinterpretation. Similarly, expressions such as "文明与野性交界" are softened into "where wildlife meets humanity," aligning the narrative with global discourses of ecological harmony. These strategies reflect a balance between semantic accuracy and cultural acceptability, facilitating meaning reconstruction across different cultural contexts. This study contributes to the theoretical development of cross-cultural communication in ecological media contexts and offers practical insights for the translation of nature-themed documentaries. It highlights the translator's role not just as a linguistic mediator, but as a cultural negotiator. Ultimately, the research provides a foundation for enhancing the global communicability of China's ecological narratives through effective subtitle translation.

Keywords:

subtitle translation, cross-cultural communication, ecological documentary, cultural adaptation, China's national image

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References

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References

[1]. Liu, X., & Xiong, S. (2019). A Brief Analysis of Subtitle Translation Based on the Intercultural Perspective—A Case Study of Kung Fu Panda. US-China Foreign Language, 17(4), 177-182.

[4]. Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture. New York: Anchor Press.

[5]. Bennett, M. J. (1998). Intercultural communication: A current perspective. Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication: Selected Readings, 1(1), 1–34.

[6]. Wang, N. (2005). The Cultural Construction of Translation and the Cultural Turn in Translation Studies. Chinese Translators Journal, (6), 5–9.

[11]. Zhang, J. (2023). The Intercultural Communication Analysis of Chinese Documentary Films from the Perspective of Empathy. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 179, p. 05029). EDP Sciences.

Cite this article

Wang,X. (2025). A Study on the Translation Strategies of the Documentary Mills Explores Ecological China from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,114,23-30.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceeding of ICIHCS 2025 Symposium: Integration & Boundaries: Humanities/Arts, Technology and Communication

ISBN: 978-1-80590-327-7(Print) / 978-1-80590-328-4(Online)

Editor: Enrique Mallen

Conference website: https://2025.icihcs.org/Kunming.html

Conference date: 21 October 2025

Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media

Volume number: Vol.114

ISSN: 2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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