The commissioning process of tourism translation: a case study of Hainan Island

Abstract

This thesis explores the issue of translation and tourism ─ not in the traditional sense of error categorisation, cultural concerns, eco-translatology, and translators’ competence, but in terms of a holistic translation commissioning process. Such an approach remains limited; so far, a few references specific to this domain exist in scholarly works, with notable exceptions being the contributions of Sulaiman (2013, 2016), Napu (2016, 2018), and Sulaiman and Wilson (2019). The study investigates the positions and roles of agents in the translation commissioning process based on interview data collected from forty-one people working in Hainan Island (China) tourism translation. The discussion focuses on commissioners’ influences, communication among agents, translators’ selection procedures, national and local policies’ impacts on the translation process, and the issue of quality assurance throughout the translation cycle. This thesis argues, based on the research findings, that effective communication among agents and layers of review may play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of tourism translation. Although limited to Hainan Island, the thesis offers an example of an investigation into tourism translation practices beyond Hainan Island to identify both challenges and good practices.

Thesis is embargoed until 31st December 2027.

Date of Award	Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Supervisor	Sue-Ann Harding (Supervisor) & Sarah Eardley-Weaver (Supervisor)