The paradigm shift in Spanish missionary translation in China and the Philippines between the 16th and 18th centuries

Abstract

This article addresses the challenges and solutions of religious translation in five documents prepared by Spanish missionaries in the Philippines and China from the late sixteenth to the late eighteenth century. It analyzes the translations into Chinese of religious terminology, with the aim of identifying the criteria and strategies employed by the translators. The study traces an evolution, from initial fluctuating strategies to their consolidation. Finally, it observes how translation paradigms have evolved from a focus on cultural adaptation to a focus on linguistic adaptation, reflecting the contact between the Spanish and Chinese languages.