ABSTRACT
The Chinese attitude toward foreign otherness in its modern history is epitomized by ambivalence, uncertainty and anxiety, articulated in only a loosely disguised form. In the contact zones of cross-cultural communication, self and other are in constant need of negotiation underlying the important function of dialogical interaction. Since the concept of authenticity is often met with caution and skepticism, translation is somewhat akin to an imposter playing upon the credulity of the reading public without claiming that it is the original, but wishing it to be seen pretty much like the original. The diasporic condition for foreignization is essential to effective cross-cultural communication. A translator with a diasporic experience is better positioned to mediate foreignization and accessibility. The performative nature of translation for a particular purpose creates a reality that reveals something violent about cultural form with its salient features foregrounded by translation. Cross-cultural communication in the Chinese cultural/political context has always been fraught with anxiety and tension.
