Volume 2 - Issue 3, May - June 2026

Popular science as a genre aims to disseminate scientific knowledge in a manner that is accessible to both experts and non-experts. While translation challenges in this domain are often assumed to be primarily semantic, particularly related to the rendering of technical terms, this perspective overlooks the significant role of cultural and contextual adaptations. In fact, the process of recontextualisation in popular science involves the reformulation of the same content while taking into account factors such as what information to convey, the communicative function of the text, and how to present it effectively while maintaining reader engagement. This study seeks to examine the translation of cultural elements in popular science texts, with a particular focus on how such elements are reproduced in the target language. The analysis is based on two popular science articles on artificial intelligence, originally written in English and translated into French. These texts make a relevant corpus for investigating cultural adaptation. This research highlights the challenges posed by culturespecific references, writing conventions, and reader expectations, which go beyond terminological challenges. To analyse the translation challenges, the study is based on two complementary theoretical frameworks: the translation strategies proposed by Mona Baker and the cultural translation strategies proposed in Thinking Translation by Sandor Hervey and Ian Higgins. By analysing the strategies employed in the selected corpus, this study aims to identify patterns in the translation of cultural elements and to evaluate the effectiveness of these choices. Overall, the study contributes to a broader understanding of popular science translation as a multilayered process involving recontextualisation, cultural adaptation, and communicative function.

Shivani Tulsyan, "Translation of Cultural Elements in Popular Science" International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Development, V2(3): Page(27-31) May-June 2026. ISSN: 3107-6513. www.ijamred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.