Exploring variation translation: from interlingual to intersemiotic variation

In the 1990s, Professor Huang Zhonglian proposed the methodology of variation translation as a pro-found reexamination of traditional translation theory, emphasizing that translation is not merely an equivalent transfor-mation between languages, but a process of flexible adaptation of the source text considering the needs and cultural background of specific target readers. This theory, which goes beyond traditional concepts of fidelity and equivalence, emphasizes the translator’s flexibility and adaptability in the translation process. This article examines the application of variation translation theory in interlingual and intersemiotic translation, analyzing how flexible translation strategies address issues of cultural differences, contextual changes, and semiotic disparities between source and target languages. Variation translation theory can flexibly adapt to multiple requirements of cultural background and emotional transmis-sion, avoiding cultural distortions and contextual misunderstandings that can arise in traditional translation. The article aims to provide new perspectives in the field of cross-cultural and multimodal translation, as well as theoretical support and practical guidance for addressing semiotic transformation challenges in future translation practice.