A Study On Culture-specific Items In The Translation Of Call To Arms From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

Since the 1970s, lots of scholars in western countries have shifted their translation studies from static linguistic typologies of translation to functional theory. Meanwhile, in Germany, there appeared a functionalist and communicative approach to the analysis of translation. Among them, the most influential theory is the skopostheorie put forward by Hans J. Vermeer. He holds that translation is a kind of human action with a certain aim. He also considers translation as a purposeful intercultural communicative activity, and the end jusifies the means. Since the process of translation has been restricted by various elements together, whether the translation adequately achieves the skopos is the major evaluation criterion.However, another representative of functionalist approach, Nord pointed out that another two aspects should be taken into consideration in Vermeer's. One is the culture-specificity of translation models, and the other is about the relationship between the translator and the source-text author. Thus, she put forward a new functional model "functionality plus loyalty" as a supplement to Skopos theory.As an embodiment of national culture, culture-specific items are always presented in classical literary works. For example, there are many culture-specific items in Nahan written by Lu Xun who is known as the distinguished master of language in China. Owing to the cultural differences between Chinese and western countries, translators have difficulties in finding corresponding words and expressions in target language when translating culture-specific items. Therefore, how to translate culture-specific items has been attracting close attention at all times. Consequently, it is necessary for this thesis to study the translation strategies of culture-specific items in the guidance of Skopos theory.Unlike other researches about how to deal with culture-specific items, this thesis intends to apply Aixela's translation theory of culture-specific items to analyzing the English version Nahan which was written by Luxun and translated by Yang Xianyi and his wife Gladys Yang. It is going to verify whether the Yangs adopted the eleven procedures brought up by Aixela in their translation of culture-specific items. At the same time, the author will use the three rules of skopostheorie and Nord's functionality plus loyalty model to validate these strategies one by one. Moreover, based on Nord's two basic typologies of translation, the author classifies and summarizes each of the procedure in succession.In brief, this thesis attempts to sum up the culture-specific items translation strategies that the Yangs adopted in translating Nahan by analyzing some typical examples from a new perspective, so that some significant referential suggestions can be brought up for translators to facilitate their transmission of Chinese culture to western readers in the future.