TITLE:
A Study on the English Translation of High-Frequency Movement Names in Chen-Style Taijiquan from the Perspective of Eco-Translatology
AUTHORS:
Yidan Niu
KEYWORDS:
Eco-Translatology, Chen-Style Taijiquan, English Translation of Movement Names
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.11,
October
30,
2026
ABSTRACT: Against the backdrop of the international dissemination of Chen-style Taijiquan, the English translation of its high-frequency movement names faces challenges such as the absence of standardized renderings and the loss of cultural information. Adopting the theoretical framework of the “three-dimensional transformations” (linguistic, cultural, and communicative dimensions) in Eco-translatology, this study selects eight typical movements (including “Single Whip”, “Cloud Hands”, “White Crane Spreads Its Wings”, “Buddha’s Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar” and “Lazily Tying Coat” among others) and examines the adaptive selection processes underlying their established English translations. The findings reveal that: at the linguistic dimension, translators employ literal translation or structural restructuring to achieve formal correspondence and grammatical acceptability; at the cultural dimension, they resort to image transplantation, explanatory conversion, or direct transliteration to preserve culture-specific items, thereby conveying animal imagery, religious-philosophical connotations, and combat wisdom; at the communicative dimension, they ensure the practicality and unambiguity of the translated names in teaching and interactive contexts through functional explicitation and action-oriented instruction. This study demonstrates that the existing translations are the result of the translator’s multi-dimensional trade-offs and adaptations within the translational eco-environment, effectively integrating linguistic forms, cultural connotations, and communicative functions. It thus offers a referential eco-translatological pathway for the cross-cultural translation of Taijiquan terminology.