A Dialectical Study on Translatability and Untranslatability

In the process of code-switching, information asymmetry between the translated text and the original text is an objective reality. This is caused by the uncertainty of the meaning of the words in the translated material on which the translation is based, the differences in the paradigms and cultures of the two languages, and the subjective initiative of the translator. Untranslatability presupposes linguistic uniqueness and implies the denial of correspondence between different languages in terms of expressions, ways of thinking, mental qualities, and other factors. The claim of translatability presupposes the affirmation of these correspondences. The apparent opposition between untranslatability and translatability obscures the fact that the two are concerned with different aspects of language and culture, and that the relationship between them is dialectically complementary. This paper summarizes the research and debates on translatability and untranslatability both at home and abroad, sorts out the theoretical basis of translatability and untranslatability, and then elaborates the main factors affecting translatability and untranslatability. On this basis, the dialectical complementary relationship between translatability and untranslatability is analyzed with examples, and finally, the implications of this study for translation teaching are summarized.