<p>The <a href="http://en.shisu.edu.cn/" rel="noreferrer">official site</a> of 上海外国语大学 has its English name as “Shanghai International Studies University”</p>
<p>Translation of proper names does not always follow normal translation rules.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-19T06:25:46.800Z
so a university doesn't know how translate?
Redwood
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-19T07:04:05.210Z
Perhaps "Foreign Languages University" is too confining in scope for a university? I mean how could a university just teaches foreign languages? So, "International Studies" could encompass other areas of study, like politics, socio-economics, even jounalism as well as foreign languages?
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-19T09:58:34.640Z
BTW, the  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT), doesn't just offer programs in science & technology alone but the humanities, history, as well as linguistics with philosophy, music and theater arts. No one has said MIT has mislabelled itself.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-19T14:52:03.623Z
Many Chinese-English names don't match up 1:1, it's not at all surprising that they aren't directly translated from one language to the other.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T06:34:01.040Z
@WayneCheah A Student from sjtu suggests it rename to Shanghai Wai Guo Yu University, So it will be translated correctly. :)
tsh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T07:15:11.063Z
@tsh  "Wài Guó Yǔ" would not be a "translation" as such, but merely the Pinyin spelling of 外国语. The meaning remains the same. Thanks for the infor though. But it is unusual to name a university so narrowly in terms of academic tuition ostensibly offered. However, since the word "university", (from Latin), originally means a "community of teachers and scholars", and not about the variety or vastness of its curriculum, then I suppose simply calling a university a  "Foreign Languages University" is perfectly tenable.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-19T05:37:44.423Z
2021-01-19T07:30:14.283Z
2021-01-19T07:30:14.283Z
fefe
<p>Apparently, now the department, schools, etc. specialized in foreign language teaching are translated by International Studies. For instance, the Zhejiang University's school specialized in foreign language teaching is named School of International Studies.
It might be related to the fact that not only foreign languages per se are taught, but also foreign literature, politics, etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T09:56:55.580Z
2021-01-25T10:05:57.157Z
2021-01-25T10:05:57.157Z
Starckman
<p>Google translate is not wrong in translation.<br />
It just goes for general translation rather than proper nouns (as @fefe mentioned).<br />
And this is always not a simple translation when something comes to historical.</p>
<p>From <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E8%AF%AD%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">上海外国语大学-wiki</a>, you'll see the chinese name was given in 1956 exactly for &quot;learning foreign language&quot; only, but it expanded the scope of education in 1980s.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>1956年：6月，经国务院批准，学校增设英语、德语、法语专业，学制定为四年，更名为上海外国语学院。<br />
...<br />
1980年代起，学校为适应改革开放新形势的需要，在办学体制方面采取了一系列重大措施，总的目标是把单科性的专业外语学院逐步改办成多科性应用文科类的外国语大学。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Apparently, there was no English name officially given until 1985, check <a href="http://www.shisu.edu.cn/about/introducing-sisu" rel="nofollow noreferrer">second paragraph &quot;历史承传&quot; on SISU website</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>1985年经教育部批准，学校英文校名确定为“Shanghai International Studies University”（缩写为“SISU”），并于1994年正式更名为“上海外国语大学”。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In general, Chinese universities tend to keep the chinese name so as to preserve the history behind (if you could understand the paragraph title mentioned before, &quot;历史承传&quot;).<br />
While the English name was given afterwards based on the new circumstances at that time (like the extended edu scope, the new global era or the future influence).</p>
<p>So, again, it is NOT a simple translation, the translation doesn't match because of the history.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T21:56:04.050Z
2021-01-25T22:04:55.463Z
2021-01-25T22:04:55.463Z
Shaw
<p>Google Translate says 上海外国语大学 means Shanghai International Studies University. Shouldn't it mean Shanghai Foreign Languages University?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-19T04:33:01.550Z
...........yes.
小奥利奥
<word>
Is google translate wrong about 上海外国语大学?
# Is google translate wrong about 上海外国语大学?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-19)

Google Translate says 上海外国语大学 means Shanghai International Studies University. Shouldn't it mean Shanghai Foreign Languages University?

**Tags:** word
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: ...........yes.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-01-19. Score: 5

The [official site](http://en.shisu.edu.cn/) of 上海外国语大学 has its English name as “Shanghai International Studies University”

Translation of proper names does not always follow normal translation rules.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: so a university doesn't know how translate?  
> **username_3**: Perhaps "Foreign Languages University" is too confining in scope for a university? I mean how could a university just teaches foreign languages? So, "International Studies" could encompass other areas of study, like politics, socio-economics, even jounalism as well as foreign languages?  
> **username_3**: BTW, the  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT), doesn't just offer programs in science & technology alone but the humanities, history, as well as linguistics with philosophy, music and theater arts. No one has said MIT has mislabelled itself.  
> **username_4**: Many Chinese-English names don't match up 1:1, it's not at all surprising that they aren't directly translated from one language to the other.  
> **username_5**: @WayneCheah A Student from sjtu suggests it rename to Shanghai Wai Guo Yu University, So it will be translated correctly. :)  
> **username_3**: @tsh  "Wài Guó Yǔ" would not be a "translation" as such, but merely the Pinyin spelling of 外国语. The meaning remains the same. Thanks for the infor though. But it is unusual to name a university so narrowly in terms of academic tuition ostensibly offered. However, since the word "university", (from Latin), originally means a "community of teachers and scholars", and not about the variety or vastness of its curriculum, then I suppose simply calling a university a  "Foreign Languages University" is perfectly tenable.  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2021-01-25. Score: 1

Apparently, now the department, schools, etc. specialized in foreign language teaching are translated by International Studies. For instance, the Zhejiang University's school specialized in foreign language teaching is named School of International Studies.
It might be related to the fact that not only foreign languages per se are taught, but also foreign literature, politics, etc.


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### Answer by username_7 on 2021-01-25. Score: 0

Google translate is not wrong in translation.  
It just goes for general translation rather than proper nouns (as @fefe mentioned).  
And this is always not a simple translation when something comes to historical.

From [上海外国语大学-wiki](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E8%AF%AD%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6), you'll see the chinese name was given in 1956 exactly for "learning foreign language" only, but it expanded the scope of education in 1980s.

> 1956年：6月，经国务院批准，学校增设英语、德语、法语专业，学制定为四年，更名为上海外国语学院。  
> ...  
> 1980年代起，学校为适应改革开放新形势的需要，在办学体制方面采取了一系列重大措施，总的目标是把单科性的专业外语学院逐步改办成多科性应用文科类的外国语大学。

Apparently, there was no English name officially given until 1985, check [second paragraph "历史承传" on SISU website](http://www.shisu.edu.cn/about/introducing-sisu).

> 1985年经教育部批准，学校英文校名确定为“Shanghai International Studies University”（缩写为“SISU”），并于1994年正式更名为“上海外国语大学”。

In general, Chinese universities tend to keep the chinese name so as to preserve the history behind (if you could understand the paragraph title mentioned before, "历史承传").  
While the English name was given afterwards based on the new circumstances at that time (like the extended edu scope, the new global era or the future influence).

So, again, it is NOT a simple translation, the translation doesn't match because of the history.


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