On Application Of Relevance Theory To Translation

At present, research on relevance theory of translation is in full swing in the translation theoretical circles in China. Relevance Theory (RT) was first put forward by Sperber & Wilson, and then was first introduced into the explanation to the translation phenomena by E. A. Gutt. From the perspective of the RT, translation is a communicative activity between languages, inferential processes closely related to the mechanism of brain and translation is the interpretive use of the source language. involving not only the linguistic codes, but what is more important is the dynamic inference according to the dynamic context with relevance as the base. Accordingly, in translation, an intralingual or interlingual communication, relevance also serves as the base in the understanding of the source text, the choice-making process of linguistic codes in translating process. Relevance theory of translation renovates people's views and provides a macro–theoretical framework to translation, the value of which has got confirmed by most of the scholars while there are others voiced their different opinions on the explanatory power and applicability of RT.Based on RT itself and the previous research on Gutt's translation concepts, this paper tries to present a more comprehensive explanation of the applicability and limitations of RT. Besides further and systemic recognition of the great explanatory power of the RT to translation, the defects of the theory itself and the limitations of the RT to translation are also discussed in order to get a comprehensive and dialectical view on the application of RT to translation.Six parts are included in this paper:Chapter One is a brief literature review of the present research on the application of RT to translation. The present study is mainly based on Gutt's relevance theory of translation, lack of further research on RT itself. Views on the limitations of the application of RT to translation mainly are misunderstandings, paying no attention to Sperber and Wilson's revision in the second edition. The abstractness and ambiguity of RT itself still remains unsolved, which is sure to affect the translation study. Meanwhile the focus of Gutt's adoption of RT to translation is description and explanation of translation phenomena, which seems to be vague, general and difficult to operate, not specific.Chapter Two is an introduction to RT. The core terms and concepts such as informative and communicative intentions, cognitive environment, mutual manifestness, ostension and inference, the principle of relevance and presumption of optimal relevance are introduced in the order of communicative purpose, prerequisite, process, principle and effect.Chapter Three is relevance-theoretic account of translation. The significance and explanatory power of RT to translation is studied in three stratum namely the nature standard, and strategy of translation, the focus of which is the feasibility of optimal relevance as translation standard. In the discussion, emphasis is laid on the psychological base, dialectical thinking in RT especially in the principle of relevance and presumption of optimal relevance and the diverse theoretical backgrounds of RT, which enable RT to gain more theoretical support than other communicative theories and also serve as the base of the great explanatory power of RT.Chapter Four is a discussion about the limitations of application of RT to translation. Five problems are discussed in this part namely: 1.complexity of the relations of relevance, processing effort and contextual effects 2.difficulty in mutual manifestness of cognitive environments 3.degrees of relevance 4.communicator's ability and preference 5.degree in the choice of ostensive stimuli.Chapter Five is further study of relevance theory of translation and possible revision. In this part, first, relations of relevance, processing effort and contextual effects are discussed. And then by introducing Adaptation Theory into relevance theory of translation, the translation process will be no longer too general and problems such as how to realize the mutual manifestness of the cognitive environments, how to improve the degree of relevance, in which aspects the translator should improve his ability etc. will all be specific. At last, by further study of relevance theory of translation together with Defamiliarization Theory, how to grasp the degree in choosing the ostensive stimuli for optimal relevance is clearer, in which optimal relevance and the concept of contextual effect could also be studied and understood from the new perspective of esthetic psychology with the discussion of Defamiliarization.The last part is conclusion. In this part, the defects of this paper are discussed and a summary is made. On the instructive value of the application of RT to translation, a comprehensive and dialectical view should be held, realizing not only its explanatory power but also its limitations. The later study should make the RT itself clearer and the relevance theory of translation more prescriptive and operative on the base of its description and explanation to translation so as to instruct the translation more effectively both in theory and practice.