Creat App Theo EN 4

4 Yin Meida

Abstract

The skopos theory, after being constantly refined, has become a very powerful theory which could guide many translation practices and end the eternal debate over literal translation and free translation, domestication and foreignization. And it has provided a new perspective on the process of translating and the study of translation. But skopos theory isn’t without its deficiencies. In fact, there are some drawbacks such as being not appropriate for literary translation, the theoretical foundation being not solid enough, giving too much priority to target text and target audiences etc. Furthermore, skopos theory makes translation a way of obtaining money and wealth, thus makes it a commercial activity for utilitarianism. This article will focus on pointing out some deficiencies of skopos theory and giving opinions on the improvement of skopos theory that maybe helpful to the development of appropriateness theory as a generous translation theory.

Key Words

skopos theory; deficiencies; appropriateness theory

Introduction

Skopos theory is an approach to translation firstly put forward by German scholars Reiss and Vermeer in 1970s, which reflects a general shift from predominantly LINGUISTIC and rather formal translation theories to a more functionally and socioculturally oriented concept of translation[1]. This theory is developed on the basis of action theory, text type theory, skopostheorie, as well as the theory of function plus loyalty by C. Nord. “Skopos” is a Greek word for “purpose”, ”aim” or “intention”. According to skopostheorie, the basic principle which determines the process of translation is the purpose (skopos) of the translational action[3]. The idea of intentionality is part of the very definition of any action (Nord,1997:27). Functional translation theory originated in Germany in the 1970s. It provides a new perspective on translation action, which inherits the essence of traditional translation theories and at the same time, break away the shackles of traditional translation theories. Skopos theory is the foundation of the functional theory of translation whose development has gone through the following four stages.

Stage one: Katharina Reiss first introduced functional categories into translation criticism, developed the connection among language functions, text types and translation strategies, thus put forward a model of translation criticism based on the functional relation between source text and target text. The functional translation theory began to take shape. Stage two: Hans Vermeer put forward skopostheorie, which freed translation studies from the bondage of traditional original-text-centered theory. According to skopostheorie, translation should follow three priciples, namely, the principle of purpose, the principle of intralingual coherence and the principle of interlingual fidelity, among which the principle of purpose takes the first place. Also, the criterion for translation criticism is transformed from “equivalence” to “adequacy” to fulfill the expectation of translation. Translators are given much rights in retaining, omitting and modifying the target text. Stage three: Jasta Hotz Mantari draws on the communication theory and action theory, and puts forward the behavioral theory of translation, which further develops the functionalist theory of translation. This theory regards translation as a purpose-driven, result-oriented interaction between people, and was later incorporated into skopos theory by Hans Vermeer. Stage four: Kristina Nord, for the first time in English, expounded systematically the internal and external factors that need to be considered in the text analysis of translation, and how to choose appropriate translation strategies based on the function of the original text. Nord sorted out various theories of functionalism and brought out the principle of “function plus loyalty”, which improved the skopos theory.