乡土语言由学者周领顺于 2016 正式提出,是一个高度凝练的概念，包括熟语、惯用 语、谚语、歇后语、俚语、成语、格言、俗语和方言等，是反映地区文化和特色的一部 分。《边城》作为二十世纪经乡土文学的代表作之一，刻画了一个几乎与世隔绝的饱含 本土人文风情的茶峒小镇。随着中西方的不断深入交流，文学作品的翻译在传播中国文 化方面起着不可忽视的作用，尤其是那些遍布于经典乡土文学作品中体现独特地域文化 的乡土语言。关联翻译理论对翻译具有强大的解释力，本研究在关联翻译理论的指导下 研究最新的两个《边城》英译本，选取五类乡土语言的经典例子进行对比研究，探讨 Gladys 和 Kinkley 翻译乡土语言的策略，讨论两个译本的译者通过何种尝试和努力成为 原作和读者之间的桥梁，扮演译者在翻译中的双重身份；研究译者如何考虑读者的认知 环境，如何通过充分理解沈从文的真正意图达到译文与原文的最佳关联性。研究发现 Kinkley 总体采取直译的翻译策略，尽最大可能还原和再现乡土语言的特征和文化意象， 将《边城》中的独特语言魅力和风土人情传递给目的语读者。而 Gladys 总体采取间接翻 译策略，推理原作者的交际意图将乡土语言的隐含义显化，帮助目标读者理解小说总体 故事发展，弱化了中国乡土文化的传递。

Officially proposed by Zhou Lingshun in 2016, folk language refers to a highly condensed concept that includes folk adages, idiom, proverb, locution, slang, motto, allegorical saying,and dialect. Bian Cheng (Border Town) portrays an almost isolated town of Chadong, full of local humanity. As China and the West continue to engage in deeper exchanges, the translation of literary works plays an indispensable role in spreading Chinese culture, especially those folk languages that embody unique regional cultures found throughout classic vernacular literature. Relevance translation theory has powerful explanatory power for translation. This study, guided by relevance translation theory, studies the two latest English translations of Bian Cheng. Five classic examples of local languages were selected for contrastive study to explore the translation strategies of Gladys and Kinkley in translating folk languages, and to discuss how the two translators become bridges between the original work and the reader through their attempts and efforts, playing a dual role of translators in translation. The study also discusses how translators consider readers’ cognitive environment and achieve optimal relevance between the source and target texts by fully understanding Shen Congwen’s true intentions. The study found that Kinkley generally adopted direct translation strategy, trying to restore and reproduce the features and cultural imagery of folk languages, conveying the unique language charm and local customs in Bian Cheng to target readers. While Gladys generally adopted indirect translation strategy, reasoning the communicative intent of the author and making the implied meanings of folk language visible, helping target readers understand the overall story development of the novella, but weakening the transmission of Chinese local culture.