2。2。1 Generation and development of skopos theory

 In the 1970s, skopos theory origins from Germany, its development had gone through the following stages。

 In 1971, in the book Translation Criticism: The Potentials and Limitations, Katharina Reiss put forward the concept of functional approach。 For the first time, she introduced functional categories as an objective method into translation criticism。 On the basis of equivalence, she proposed a translation criticism model based on the functional relationship between source language and target language text。 Reiss argued that target language should be equivalent to source language in terms of conceptual content, language form and communicative function。 This is the ideal translation。 She called this method of translation “integrated communication”。

 Hans Vermeer, who had engaged in language and translation studies for a long time, followed by his teacher Katharina Reiss, established Skopos theory in his work “The Basics of General Translation Theories” (1984)。 Vermeer holds the view that the translator’s reference frame throughout the translation process should not focus on the original text and its function, but should achieve one or more communicative functions。 He points out that translation is not merely a process of code-switching from the original language to the target language, but a specific pattern of human behavior, which has a certain purpose。 The task of the translator is to bridge the gap between different languages and cultural groups。 Vermeer’s three principles in teleology are of great significance to concrete translation practice。

Moreover, further development was achieved by Jasta Hortz-Mantari and Christine Nord, the other two Germany translators who summed up and improved skopos theory。 They widened the field of vision in translation study。 Skopos theory gets rid of equivalence and conducts a deconstruction from the viewpoint of the translation。 It lays great emphasis on translating practicality。

Owing to the great contributions by Katharina Reiss, Hans Vermeer, Justa H。 Manttari and Christine Nord, skopos theory forms a relative sound concept and has a great effect on the following translation work and the functional translation theory。

2。2。2 Principles of skopos theory

In the skopos theory, there are four important principles, including skopos rule, coherence rule, fidelity rule and loyalty rule, among which the most important law is skopos rule。 

According to skopos rule, translational strategies are determined by the expected skopos of the translation。 Skopos, namely, purpose that refers to the communicative purpose of translation, that is, “the communicative function produced by the target language in the social and cultural context of the target language”。 (Venuti: 2001) Therefore, the translator should clarify its specific purpose in a given translation context, and decide which translation method to use -- literal, paraphrase, or another。 论文网

In addition to laying emphasis on the function of the translation, skopos theory also pays attention to coherence rule。 It means that the translation must conform to the standard of intra-textual coherence, that is, the translation is able to be read and acceptable。 So the recipient can understand the culture of the target language and make the communicative language in the context become meaningful。

The loyalty principle is put forward by Nord。 He believes that the translator has a moral responsibility for the recipient of the translation and must explain to them what he has done and why he has done so。 This is one aspect of the loyalty principle。 The other aspect of the principle is to require the translator to be faithful to the original author。 The translator should respect the original author and coordinate the target language and author’s intention。 (Nord: 2001)