My experience in China has been filled with opportunities to contemplate issues of linguistic and cultural translation. In critically examining the underlying belief systems and cultural shaping inherent in the languages I utilize (or attempt to), I am intrigued by the conflict between historicity and fluidity in the construction of new hybrid languages and meanings (such as the questions surrounding “Englishes” and the academy).
Fancy-Lady Dog (贵妇犬, guìfùquǎn) is the literal translation from Hànzì/Mandarin to English of one of the expressions for “Poodle” where “fancy” is connoted as “expensive.” This in it of itself is fascinating – originally bred for the European aristocracy for hunting, they then were altered to become the lap-companions of primarily wealthy women.
The poodle has now entered East Asia:
Click on image to link to article.
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