On April 3, Prof. Yukteshwar Kumar (Chinese name: 余德烁, Yu Deshuo), a professor, doctoral supervisor, and director of Chinese and English Interpretation and Translation at the University of Bath, delivered a captivating lecture titled “Translation Research and Practice: The Challenges of Translating Feng Jicai’s Works” at the invitation of the School of Foreign Studies at Nankai University. The lecture was presented to the students and teachers of the School of Foreign Studies. The lecture was hosted by Professor Yan Guodong, Dean of the School of Foreign Studies, and attended by Professor Hu Cui’e, Professor Zhang Zhizhong, and Associate Professor Li Chunjiang, with the participation of undergraduate and doctoral students from various language departments of the School of Foreign Studies.
Professor Yukteshwar Kumar, who studied under the famous sinologist Tan Zhong, loves Chinese culture. He possesses profound Chinese language skills, rich experience in translation, and has taught courses on Chinese language, culture, and Chinese-English translation in numerous colleges and universities in India. At the beginning of the lecture, Yukteshwar Kumar first shared with the students and teachers the latest achievements in translating Feng Jicai’s works and their reception and dissemination in foreign countries. Afterward, Yu Deshuo briefly introduced the famous Chinese and foreign translation theories, such as Yan Fu’s “Faithfulness, Expressiveness, and Elegance” and Eugene Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory, engaging in a warm discussion with the students and teachers. Starting from the theory, Yu shared the challenges encountered in translating Feng Jicai’s works, as well as the inspirations and reflections gained through the analysis of typical translation cases. For example, Prof. Kumar pointed out that when translating localized content, such as colloquialisms and jargon, translators need to seek answers in specific cultural and historical contexts and avoid direct translation. Finally, Prof. Kumar mentioned that students from the School of Foreign Studies at Nankai University are welcome to study at the University of Bath.
Prof. Kumar is multilingual, knowledgeable, and talkative. During the interactive session, the students and teachers asked questions enthusiastically, and the professors shared their opinions and suggestions. All attendees greatly benefited from the discussion in a warm atmosphere. The lecture was successfully concluded with thunderous applause.
