On The Treatment Of Implicit Information In E-C Translation: A Relevance-Theoretic Perspective

The Relevance Theory formulated by Sperber and Wilson not only gives rise to a new research on pragmatics, but provides a new theoretic sketch for other disciplines as well. Gutt gives a relevance-theoretic account of translation, which paves a new way for translation study and testifies the theory can make an adequate explanation in terms of translation in interlingual communication. Translation is an interpretive use of language. And if the translator intends to achieve successful communication, he or she is obliged to make the audience obtain the adequate contextual effect with minimal effort.The relevance-theoretic communicative model provides rational explanation for the existence of implicit information. In the process of translation, the appropriate treatment of implicit information accords with the audience's cognitive environment and expectation. What is conveyed in human communication is determined not only by the text, but also the inferential context. The adequate contextual effect is derived from the correct judgment and inference of implicit information in communication. Implicit information can be represented as semantics, pragmatics, and syntax, etc. The relevance-theoretic account of translation provides a new perspective to the analysis and treatment of implicit information.