Reading Confucius in translation: An empirical study of western academic readers' responses to English translations of The Analects.

This article examines the communicative effectiveness of translated versions of The Analects from an Anglophone perspective using a questionnaire-based survey targeting English-speaking academics. Sinologists, translators, and readers specializing in East Asian philosophy provided insights about their preferences, reading expectations, and opinions regarding the translations' influence. The findings indicate a preference for translations that they considered to be not entirely fluent, but rather more accurate and in an easily accessible and readable form. Other important considerations include the content of translations and the translations' influence on their value systems and cultural orientations. The study also suggests that collaborative efforts in translating Chinese classics could enhance quality, meet readers' needs more effectively, and promote East–West cultural exchange. Recommendations are made for translators and publishers to support a more balanced interaction among scholars, translators, and readers in China and the Anglophone world, enriching Confucian studies with a communicative approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]