Enhancing the English Translation of Chinese Classics Through the Ratio of English Words to Chinese Characters: A Pedagogical Study

This study introduces a novel pedagogical approach in the translation teaching of Chinese classics: the Ratio of English Words to Chinese Characters (REWCC), which denotes the proportion of English words used in a translation relative to the number of Chinese characters in the source text. Drawing on an empirical study involving junior undergraduate students majoring in translation, our findings suggest that controlling the number of English words within a prescribed REWCC range can contribute to enhancing students’ translation quality compared to traditional instructional methods. Improvements are observed in grammatical accuracy, information richness, and effective transmission of cultural content. By providing novice translators with actionable guidance, the REWCC mode serves as a practical supplement to mainstream translation pedagogy and offers valuable insights into the translation teaching of Chinese classics.