On The Translation Of Children's Literature From The Perspective Of Skopostheorie

In this paper, from the perspective of Skopostheorie, the author attemptsto discuss four aspects of E-C translation of children's literature with examples takenfrom the two Chinese versions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.The author maintains that any translation should be directed by a clear andappropriate purpose. The translation of children's literature is no exception. Thuschapter one of this chapter begins with a brief introduction to Skopostheorie, atranslation theory different from equivalence-based ones. This theory brings fresh air totranslation studies since it views translation as a purposeful activity and focuses on thefunction of the texts and translations, especially the target-text's function. With theguideline of this theory, considerable problems existing in the translation of children'sliterature can be dealt with.As a break with the traditional idea of equivalence and an important complement totranslation theories, the functional concept of translation, in which the Skopostheorie isthe first and utmost important, has opened up a new perspective to translation studiessince it was introduced. Therefore, chapter two is devoted to detailed information ofSkopostheorie. After full and accurate data about the development of Skopostheorie,attention is paid to some basic concepts, including Skopos, translation brief, adequacyand culture, which are of great importance for understanding Skopostheorie. Thentranslation rules proposed by the Skopostheorie occupy the rest space of the secondchapter, in which Skopos rule is the top-ranking, and fidelity rule is surbodinate tocoherence rule.Having a definite and appropriate Skopos in the translation of children's literatureinvolves thorough knowledge of children, of children's literature, and of the translationof children's literature. Accordingly, chapter three is composed of two sections. The firstsection is devoted to information about children at different ages, especially theirlanguage abilities. Then with a brief review of children's literature's development abroad and in China, a great deal of systematical information on children's literature isgiven, such as its definition, its features, its functions, and its differences from adults'literature. The second section of this chapter comes to the translation of children'sliterature mainly in China from four periods of time, late Qing and early RepublicPeriods, the May 4th Movement period, from the 1930s to 1960s and contemporarytranslation. Each period has its own features which can shed light on the presenttranslation of children's literature. By analyzing some translated versions and byabsorbing some experience in the translation of children's literature, the author proposesthat translating children's literature should be children-oriented, and be guided by thetranslation purpose, that is, to serve children.The fourth chapter is actually the kernel of this paper. Skopostheorie can be madefull use of in the translation of literature. Since children's literature is a branch ofliterature, Skopostheorie can also be applied to the translation of children's literature.Following brief introductions to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, to the text's author,Lewis Carroll, and to the case text's two Chinese versions, ample examples from bothversions are given, compared and analyzed at diction, syntax, rhetoric, and other levelsso as to show that keeping the Skopos to serve children in mind can have the translationof children's literature well done.The fifth section is the conclusion of this paper. In this section the author suggeststhat translation should learn from Lewis Carroll and ZhaoYuanren, who both try theirbest to learn about children cognitively and mentally. Moreover, the translation ofchildren's literature is a developing cause, greatly influenced by the time. Translatorsshould follow the time and understand children thoroughly. Only in this way can atranslator of children's literature achieve his goals——to serve children heart and soul.This thesis is written in the hope that more attention may be dawn to the translationof children's literature in both theory and practice.