Translation Effects: A Perspective Of The Theory Of Mass Communication Effects

This thesis is the study of translation effects from the perspective of the theory of mass communication effects and recognizes the fact that, as cross-cultural communication, translation is transmission by nature. Steiner once said: "Any model of communication is at the same time a model of translation." Thus, the theory of mass communication effects, as a part of mass communication theory, can be applied to the studies on translation effects. The study may provide translation theory with a new perspective and yield fresh insights into it.The introduction of this thesis raises the necessity of the study of translation effects and shows the aim of the thesis.Chapter 1 reviews the literature of communication via translation both in the western countries and in China.Chapter 2 gives an outline of mass communication theory, which derived from information theory, cybernetics and systems theory, provides a brief introduction of four pioneers and one refiner-----Schramm and comes to the development of communication theory, and expounds the theory of mass communication effects, which includes the definition, the categories and the influencing elements of mass communication effects.Chapter 3 explores translation effects by using the theory of mass communication effects. Firstly, it puts forward the possibility of applying the theory of mass communication effects to the studies on translation effects. Secondly, it tentatively discusses the definition of translation effects, which means the influence on the target audience, society and translator himself/herself and essential changes brought about by translation, in which the translator transmits the content of the original to the target audience. What is more, the chapter expounds the categories, which translation effects may cover. They are the cognitive effects, attitudinal effects, affective effects, psychological effects and behavioral effects. Thirdly, the chapter discusses the factors in realizing translation effects, including the translator, who is the decisive element; the source text, which is the main support; the environments of translation, which are the restricting element; the target audience, who is the criticizer of the translation effects.In conclusion, the main contents of the above chapters are reviewed and the value of the study of translation effects is mentioned. It is restated that the study on translation effects can be made by way of using the theory of mass communication effects, and that the practical and theoretical significance have been achieved as well.