Abstract:

Xiang Kao Feiji, published on Zhixinbao in 1897, is one of the earliest translations introducing aviation knowledge to China. It embodies some significant features of the early translation of aviation knowledge. Without a source text, there are few studies on knowledge mistranslation and knowledge translation features in the text. In our research on the key figure Octave Chanute, we found that the text is translated from Aviation, published on The Mechanical World. Through a comparative analysis with its source, we corrected a misconception on aviation history caused by mistranslation, expounded on the feature of terminological attenuation in aviation knowledge translation, and proposed a knowledge translation descriptive model of “terminological attenuation—terminological intensification” continuum.

Key words: Aviation, Zhixinbao, transknowletology, terminological attenuation