Cultural Filtering in Literary Translation: A Case Study of Sidney Shapiro’s English Version of The Family

Abstract

Cultural filtering is deeply embedded in cross-cultural literary exchange and exerts a lasting influence on both the transmission and interpretation of literary works. This article examines the English translation of Ba Jin’s The Family by Sidney Shapiro, focusing on the manifestations and underlying causes of cultural filtering in the translated text. The translator adopts a range of strategies—including the addition of cultural annotations, selective omission, and abridged translation of certain content—to implement various forms of cultural filtering. These choices are shaped by multiple filtering processes, such as the translator’s cultural identity and his understanding of traditional Chinese culture. While cultural filtering in cross-cultural translation is inevitable and may result in partial loss of meaning, it can also breathe new life into the source text and facilitate mutual understanding and dialogue between different cultural systems.