Chinese to English Video Game Linguists and Culture Specific Items in the Translation of a Wuxia RPG: a controlled partial-localisation case study

Abstract

Despite the size of the video game industry and the growing demand for localisation, there remains a lack of research into the socio-cultural factors that impact the translation of culture specific items (CSIs) in video game localisation. This is particularly the case for Chinese wuxia role playing games combining elements from Chinese history with fictional elements of wuxia literature, which present considerable localisation challenges. As such, this thesis aims to investigate the Chinese to English translation of CSIs in the partial localisation of a wuxia role playing video game (RPG). This involves addressing the research questions of do how linguists translate CSIs, why do they use certain approaches, and what is revealed when both the translation behaviour and the reasons underpinning their practice are considered in context. A case-study design was adopted, that involved professional localisation teams translating CSIs in a wuxia RPG text within a localisation agency. The translations were analysed using the theory of norms in translation (Gideon Toury 1995) to reveal how linguists translated CSIs, and the concept of habitus (Pierre Bourdieu 1977), was utilised to learn why the linguists used certain approaches. Research into video game localisation has been limited by industry restrictions, in terms of access to translation materials, and the linguists, who must sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) concerning all completed work. Thus, a video game text was professionally created to authentically simulate the culture specific features of existing games, and thereby grant full access to both translation materials, and the linguists. The results demonstrated that CSIs in wuxia RPGs were translated using three normative cultural approaches based on four types of socio-cultural reasoning. Furthermore, two main synergies between the four types of socio-cultural reasoning resulted in a dichotomy of cultural translation outcomes with strong normative behaviour. Hence, source culture centric and industry centric reasoning led to more source culture adequate approaches, governed by the power of intermediality, a manifestation of established dominant normative translation action connecting text, audio-visual, and interactive elements across various media formats. Conversely, target culture centric and game centric reasoning led to more target culture acceptable approaches, guided by the power of interactivity. These findings contribute crucial knowledge to the study of translating CSIs in highly culturally specific video games, such as Chinese wuxia RPGs, and the theoretical understanding of how and why socio-cultural factors can govern and guide linguists in video game translation. This thesis therefore represents the inception of the socio-cultural turn in the research of video game localisation.