Modern Social Science Research

From the perspective of Ecological Translation Theory, this study employs comparative analysis to investigate the adaptive selection and transformation across linguistic, cultural, and communicative dimensions in James Legge’s and D.C. Lau’s English translations of Mencius. The research aims to explore translation strategies and effects of different translators while adhering to academic norms. Methodologically, systematic comparisons reveal dimensional specifics: In the linguistic dimension, Legge’s translation prioritizes academic rigor through formal vocabulary, complex syntax, and early transliteration but exhibits sentence redundancy and cultural semantic generalization. Conversely, Lau’s version achieves semantic integrity and fluency via dynamic verbs, compound adjectives, and modern transliteration. Culturally, Legge emphasizes semantic preservation while Lau enhances cross-cultural readability. Communicatively, the former maintains academic objectivity whereas the latter strengthens interactivity and dissemination efficacy. Findings demonstrate that Lau’s translation better aligns with contemporary translation ecology demands. Its reader-centered approach provides theoretical frameworks and practical references for Chinese cultural translation, validating the necessity of balancing cultural fidelity with cross-cultural adaptability. This study contributes replicable methodologies for optimizing classical translation strategies, offering direct implications for global dissemination of Chinese culture.

Ecological translation theory; English translations of Mencius; Comparative study; Translation strategies