Abstract:

The official media in our country usually equate “体操”(ticao) with “artistic gymnastics” in sports events, and “艺术体操”(yishuticao) with “rhythmic gymnastics”. From the point of view of language logic, this translation in itself is problematic. The present study demonstrates that to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, “rhythmic gymnastics” and “artistic gymnastics” had better be rendered into “韵律体操”(yunlvticao) and “艺术体操”(yishuticao) respectively, whether from the perspective of language consistency or from translation practice in the world. The establishment of translated terms by convention is a more of a process than an outcome. To achieve real equivalence of some terms between two languages, the necessity of reestablishment of certain translated terms by convention arises from time to time. When translating core concepts, we must lay emphasis on the logic of language. Both intra-coherence and inter-coherence are to be taken into account.

Key words: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, translation, “establishment by convention”, “reestablishment by convention”