Lost in translation
I recently participated in a city government discussion on how the terms of local administrative divisions should be translated into English. While “區” and “鄰” are uncontroversial, translated respectively as “district” and “neighborhood,” how to render “里” in English presents a somewhat thorny issue.
The city government in question has previously translated “里” as “subdistrict,” which is one of several reasonable alternatives, as “里” is an administrative unit below a district and above a neighborhood.
However, since this translation is out of line with the central government, which ordains that “里” should be translated as “village,” it was reluctantly decided that this should be adopted in place of “subdistrict.”
I strongly disagree. Firstly because there is already another different administrative unit, “村,” that is appropriately translated as “village.”
Secondly because it is wholly inappropriate to formally term an area of a city as a “village.”
Wikipedia’s list of administrative divisions by country shows a variety of terms used around the world, but no use of “village” in any urban setting that is anything like Taiwan’s six special municipalities (the only administrative entities in which there are “里”).
The problem appears to stem from poor translation in the official English versions of the Local Government Act (地方制度法) and the Operational Directions for Issuing English Household Registration Transcripts (核發英文戶籍謄本作業要點).
The offending provision of the Local Government Act is Article 3, Paragraph 4, which states: “鄉以內之編組為村；鎮、縣轄市及區以內之編組為里。村、里〔以下稱村（里）〕以內之編組為鄰.”
The official English version is translated sloppily as: “Townships, county-administered cities and districts are subdivided into villages. Villages are subdivided into neighborhoods.”
Translated more precisely, closely adhering to the exact wording of the Chinese, and leaving aside the question of how best to translate “里,” I suggest it ought to be rendered as: “Rural townships are subdivided into villages; urban townships, county-administered cities and districts are subdivided into ‘里’. Villages and ‘里’ are subdivided into neighborhoods.”
So how should “里” be rendered in English if not as “village”?
The four most obvious alternatives that come to mind are “borough,” “ward,” “subdistrict” and “community,” all of which are used for similar administrative subdivisions in other countries.
A case can also be made for its transliteration simply as “li,” since it is arguably an administrative entity unique to Taiwan.
An excellent Taiwan politics database — www.taiwan-database.net — translates it as “borough.”
I would happily accept that, but marginally prefer “ward.”
The Taipei Times has frequently used both, with Google searches turning up many examples of articles in which “里長” are referred to as “ward chief,” “borough chief” or “borough warden.”
I live in the 東勢里 of New Taipei’s Linkou District. Nothing could be more absurd than referring to this concrete jungle of highrise buildings among traffic-choked arteries as a “village.”
I suggest that the Ministry of the Interior reconsider its ruling on the English rendition of “里,” and amend the English translations of the relevant laws and regulations accordingly. Otherwise, local governments will continue to be in the difficult position of knowing full well how absurd it is to have to use such an inappropriate English term, but feeling unable to go against the pronouncement of the central government.
Peter Whittle
Linkou District,
New Taipei City
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