On the Translation of “Juvenile Delinquency” into Chinese

• In Event: ACCCJ Chinese Societies, Law and Justice

Abstract

Abstract: With increased challenge from computerized automatic translation, more attention must be paid to the word to word and phrase to phrase equivalence in the globalized world. Chinese as a simple and flexible language is in need of adapting itself to this new challenge by increasing its word capacity and its accuracy. Many old translations are too ambivalent and inaccurate. Therefore they are increasingly called into question. Within criminology, the translation of “juvenile delinquency” is one of such incidents. This article argues that the old translation of “少年犯罪” must be changed and the new phrase will be more politically sensitive and correct in the new environment of rising juvenile delinquency in China.

Authors

• Liqun Cao, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

• Shangen Zhang, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, China