On Equivalent Translation Theory and Its Application to C-E Translation
Abstract
The dynamic equivalence and functional equivalence put forward by Eugene A. Nida have been influential in the translating circle. Nida defines dynamic equivalence as the relation of target language receptors to the target language text should be roughly equivalent to the relationship between the original receptors and the original text. However, his theory came under attack from the very beginning. For instance, some one argues that no translation of a poem is ever the same as or equivalent to its original. Actually, Nida’s theory does not mean the absolute equivalence. He argues in Language, Culture, and Translating, “it is best to speak of functional equivalence in terms of a range of adequacy, since no translation is ever completely equivalent”. Jin Di also declares that equivalence is a relative concept. That the absolute equivalence is impossible to achieve doesn’t mean it is meaningless. It should be considered as an aim and a standard. Based on the study of many scholars, three principles are generalized: accuracy and flexibility, faithfulness and smoothness, and content and effect. Then from the perspective of translation of Words, sentences and texts respectively, the application of equivalence to C-E translation will be discussed.
Key Words: equivalent translation theory; dynamic equivalence; functional
equivalence; application
摘 要
尤金•奈達提出的動態對等和功能對等在翻譯圈中頗有影響。奈達把動態對等定義為：目標語讀者與譯文之間的`關係應該同源語讀者與原文之間的關係大致對應。但是，他的理論從1開始就受到批判。有人反對說沒有1首詩的翻譯能與原詩相同或對等。事實上，奈達的理論並不是指完全對等。就如他在《語言、文化和翻譯》1書中所說：最好把功能對等說描敘為1定範圍內的準確度，因為沒有翻譯是完全對等的。金隄也說對等是1個相對概念。完全對等是不可能的，但這並不意味著它沒有意義。應該把它看成1個目標，1個標準。在許多學者研究的基礎上，本文提出了3個等效翻譯的原則，即準確與靈活、信與順、內容與效果。然後分別從詞、句子、篇章3個方面探討等效翻譯理論在漢譯英中的應用。
關鍵詞：等效翻譯理論、動態對等、功能對等、應用