At 14:00 on November 17, 2025, the thirteenth session of the “Frontier Lecture Series in the Translation Industry” was successfully held in the Lecture Hall two at Chang’an Campus, School of Foreign Languages, Northwest University. Titled “Practical Skills and Case Studies in Book Translation,” the lecture was delivered by Cao Mengying, Senior Translator and Team Leader of the Book Translation Group at Yiguoyimin Xi’an Branch. The session was hosted by He Hua, Director of the MTI Center of our School, and attended by all 2025 Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) students.
First, Team Leader Cao Mengying provided a systematic introduction to the fundamental process of book translation, drawing on her extensive experience in book translation and revision. Subsequently, by analyzing real-world translation and revision cases across various fields such as literature, popular science, and academic works, she elucidated the unique characteristics, challenges, and complexities of book translation, emphasizing that it entails deeper implications beyond literal conversion. Team Leader Cao stressed that translators must possess broad cultural knowledge, solid bilingual competence, keen cultural awareness, the ability for in-depth learning, and a rigorous professional attitude. Additionally, she shared practical techniques on balancing fidelity and fluency in book translation, refining writing style, and handling culture-loaded terms.
Following Team Leader Cao Mengying’s presentation, students actively raised questions regarding the formatting standards, review criteria, and career development in book translation. Team Leader Cao provided detailed responses to each query based on industry practices and encouraged students to maintain consistent reading habits and continue honing their translation skills. In conclusion, Director He summarized the lecture, urging students to adopt a serious attitude toward learning, enhance their comprehension and expression in both languages, and continually improve their translation literacy and cross-cultural communication skills. The lecture, rich in content and vivid in case studies, offered valuable industry insights and practical guidance, helping students solidify their foundation in translation studies and identify clear directions for their career planning.
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