Abstract:How to interpret cultural-loaded words accurately in press conferences brings interpreters many difficulties and challenges as such words carry rich cultural connotation, which also provides language learners with new area of study. The paper collects the cultural-loaded words contained in the speeches that Premier Li Keqiang delivered in the press conferences held during the NPC and CPPCC from 2013 to 2016. The author categorizes the cultural-loaded words collated in accordance with the four corresponding relations of cultural schema and analyzes the interpreters’ treatment of cultural-loaded words in detail from the perspective of Schema Theory. The author achieves two major findings as follows from the analysis: Firstly, three major strategies adopted by on-site interpreters when they interpret the cultural-loaded words in the press conferences: literal interpretation, literal interpretation with additional explanation and borrowing. Secondly, these strategies should be used respectively to deal with each kind of corresponding relationship of cultural schema.

Key words: schema theory; cultural-loaded word; coping strategies

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1.Introduction1 

  1.1 Research Background

  1.2 Research Objectives

2. Literature Review .3

  2.1 An Introduction to PCI

  2.2 Culture-Loaded Words

    2.2.1 Definition of Culture

    2.2.2 Language and Culture

2.2.3 Definition of Culture-Loaded Words

  2.3 Theoretical Framework

    2.3.1 An Introduction to Schema Theory

    2.3.2 An Introduction to Cultural Schema

3. Comparative Study of Chinese and English Cultural Schema9

  3.1 Coincidence of Cultural Schema

  3.2 Conflict of Cultural Schema

  3.3 Default of Cultural Schema

  3.4 Cross-matching of Cultural Schema

4. Case Study-Strategies of Interpreting Cultural-Loaded Words11

  4.1 Strategies Applying to Coincidence of Cultural Schema

  4.2 Strategies Applying to Conflicts of Cultural Schema

  4.3 Strategies Applying to Default of Cultural Schema

  4.4 Strategies Applying to Cross-matching of Cultural Schema

  4.5 Major Findings of Case Study  

5. Conclusion17

  5.1 Overview

  5.2 Limitations

  5.3 Suggestions for future studies

Bibliography.18

Acknowledgements..21