TITLE:
An Analysis of the Current Situation of English Translation of Library Public Signs: Case Study of Libraries in Xi’an
AUTHORS:
Junye Li, Jiayi Wu
KEYWORDS:
Public Signs Translation, Linguistic Landscape, Communicative Translation, Text Typology
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.8,
August
27,
2026
ABSTRACT: Public signs refer to written information displayed in public spaces, which serve to prompt, guide, warn or restrict public conduct and reflect the cultural civilization and image of a region to a certain extent. From the perspective of Peter Newmark’s communicative translation theory, this study analyzes English translations of public signs collected from provincial, municipal and university libraries in Xi’an. In accordance with national standards for the functional classification of public sign texts, this study categorizes library public signs into four types: facility information, warning information, prohibitory information, and directive information. It systematically sorts out prevalent defects in existing English translations from linguistic, pragmatic and normative dimension. This research aims to optimize the translation quality of library public signs, deliver better services to foreign readers, strike a balance between information transmission and behavioral guidance, and embody the humanistic care of public cultural venues.