“Translation and International Communication” vs. Translation: A Conceptual Distinction

Abstract

Against the backdrop of globalization and the continued advancement of China’s “going global” cultural strategy, the scope and connotation of translation studies are undergoing profound changes. In the traditional sense, translation primarily refers to the transformation between languages and the accurate transmission of meaning. By contrast, “translation and international communication” extends this function to serve broader purposes, including cross-cultural exchange, national image construction, and the competition for international discourse power. This paper first reviews the basic concept and conventional functions of translation, and then explains the background and connotation of “translation and international communication.” It proceeds to compare the two from five dimensions: communicative purpose, audience orientation, strategy selection, interdisciplinary engagement, and evaluation criteria. Based on this analysis, the paper argues that while the two are closely related, they differ significantly in terms of functional orientation and disciplinary boundaries. Translation serves as the foundation of international communication, whereas translation oriented toward international communication represents a new trend in the development of translation practice. This trend requires translators to go beyond linguistic competence and develop stronger awareness of cross-cultural communication as well as interdisciplinary literacy.