Translation as Method: Exploring Soundscape in Travel Writing through Intersemiotic Translation

Abstract This essay adopts translation as a method for close reading to analyze the representation of soundscapes in Peter Hessler’s River Town and Country Driving , employing the theoretical framework of intersemiotic translation. Drawing on Roman Jakobson’s concept of translating non-verbal signs into textual form, the study explores how auditory experiences mediate cultural differences and reflect the traveler’s evolving perceptions. By tracing Hessler’s progression from initial estrangement and decontextualized foreignization to contextualized interpretations that emphasize cultural specificity, the essay illustrates the dynamic and multilayered nature of soundscapes in travel writing. The translational lens reveals the selective and constructed nature of travel narratives. Further, it demonstrates the critical potential of translation concepts and theories in close reading practices, particularly in examining cross-cultural text.