An introduction to the Skopos Theory

Vermeer’s definition of action
For an act of behaviour to be called an action the person performing it must (potentially) be able to explain why he acts as he does although he could have acted otherwise (Venuti, 2000: 221)
– Legree claims violently that he is God, which insults
Tom’s religious belief greatly. The ST describes Tom’s feeling then in detail
In his translations, he often deleted some of the ST or made other changes. For example, when translating Uncle Tom’s Cabin, he deleted most of such pages as 29(13, TT), 289(141, TT), 359(173, TT), 392(188, TT). Lin Shu (1852-1924) translated over 200 works although he did not know any foreign languages at all. He is considered as “文学家, 翻译 家”(《中国大百科全书》).
Purposes
General purpose (just for living ) Communicative purpose(for instruction) Purpose aimed at by a particular strategy or procedure (to show sth. of the ST)
Yan Fu (1854-1921) finished translating Evolution and Ethics and Other Essays in Tianjin in 1895. The translation 《天演论》 was then published in 1898. Henry Huxley(1825-1895), 1894, Evolution and Ethics and Other Essays. http://aleph0.clarku.edu/huxley/ “启蒙思想家，翻译家” (《中国大百科全书》)
Equivalence-based theories: ST, effects on ST recipients, function assigned by the author determining translation process. Skopos-based theories: prospective function or skopos of TT determining translation process.
An introduction to the Skopos Theory
Major source: Christiane Nord, Translating as a Purposeful Activity, Functionalist approaches explained, Jerome Publishing, 1997.
Nida’s equivalence
Formal equivalence: a faithful reproduction of ST form elements Dynamic equivalence: the dgree to which the receptors of the message in the receptor language respond to it substantially the same manner as the receptors in the source language. Functional equivalence: seeks to translate not only the text itself, but the effect of the text on its readers; more satisfatory to describe the degrees of adequacy of a translation. (Jan de Waard and Eugene A. Nida)
Theoretical Bases
Action theory Text linguistics Communication theory Basically an attempt at bringing together equivalence theory and Vermeer’s action-oriented approach.
Evolution:
– progressive development – indefinite persistence in the same condition and with retrogressive modification.
The second part of the definition was totally deleted by Yan Fu. Why?
The Theory
The prime principle determining any translation process is the purpose (Skopos) of the overall translational action.
Equivalence-based vs. skopos-based
Aim, purpose, function, intention
Aim: the final result an agent intends to achieve by means of an action. Purpose: a provisional stage in the process of attaining an aim. Function: what a text means or is intended to mean from the receiver’s point of view. Intention: function of the action, from viewpoint of the sender who wants to achieve a certain purpose.
Yan Fu did not follow his own principles “faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance” in his translations. Why so?
What is skopos?
Skopos is the Greek word for ‘aim’ or ‘purpose’ and was introduced into translation theory in the 1970s by Hans. J. Vermeer as a technical term for the purpose of a translation and of the action of translating
Lin Shu’s translations are absolutely not faithful to the ST, but he is still considered a great translator. Why so?
Example: Yan Fu
It may be safely assumed that two thousand years ago, before Caesar set foot in southern Britain, the whole countryside visible from the windows of the room in which I write, was in what is called ‘state of nature’. 赫胥黎独处一室之中，背山而面野，槛外诸 景，历历如在机下。 乃悬想二千年前，当罗马大将恺彻未到时， 此间有何景物。计唯有天造草昧，人功未施。
The characteristics of functionalist approaches
Oriented towards cultural rather than linguistic transfer To view transltion not as a process of transcoding, but as an act of communication Oriented towards the funtion of TT (prospective translation) rather than the prescriptions of SS (retrospective translation) To view the text as an integral part of the world, not as an isolated specimen of language(SnellHornby, 2001: 43)
What is equivalence? (synthesis)
A relationship of equal commmunicative value or function between a source and a target text or, on lower ranks, between words, phrases, sentences, syntactic structures etc. of a source and a target language.
Are these translations?
Hale Waihona Puke Baidu
Lin Shu as an example Yan Fu as an example
Example: Lin Shu
Something within the silent black man answered No! and, as it repeated by an invisible voice came the words of an old prophetic scroll, as Eva had often read them to him,--“Fear not! For I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by my name. Thou art Mine!” (p377) 汤姆素崇基督之教，闻言极不谓然，特不敢 出口 (p162)
Are they translators?
林纾 严复 傅东华 孙致礼 杨宪益、戴乃迭
Fu Donghua deleted a large number of paragraphs of the ST when translating Gone with the Wind《飘》. Sun Zhili deleted the descriptions of sex when translating Widow《寡妇》. Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang translated Butterfly (50,000 words) into 《蝴蝶》 with only about 20,000 words. Does it mean that famous translators can delete at will?