A Study On Pearl S. Buck 's Translation Of Water Margin From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

Originating in 1970s, Functionalist translation theory has undergone four stages before it is fully developed, and Skopostheorie has become its most important part. Skopostheorie mainly stresses the translation purposes, arguing that they determine the choice and adoption of specific translation strategies and techniques in translating process. The purposes in the translating process are reflected in three ways, including the translators’ purposes, the communicative purpose of the translation version based on the original text, and the purpose to adopt specific translation techniques and strategies. The translation purposes are reflected directly in the prefaces, postscript, comments and notes, or indirectly in the translation version as well as in the choice and adoption of translation strategies and techniques. A study on translation purposes of translators benefits the comprehensive understanding of translators’ translation styles and their causes, and a thorough study on target texts will promote the sound and orderly development of translation criticism.As an American writer who lived in China over 40 years, Pearl S. Buck boasted a deep affection with China and Chinese peasants, and her English translation of Shuihuzhuan (All Men Are Brothers), which is so called the encyclopedia of Chinese folk customs, bears her significant devotion and passion for Chinese culture. All Men Are Brothers, her only translation work, has received mixed reviews both at home and abroad. It is necessary to give detailed translation studies on the translator’s translating purposes and methods to achieve them in order to know All Men Are Brothers objectively and comprehensively.This thesis focuses on four issues, including an overview of study advancement and limitations of the Pearl’s English translation of All Men Are Brothers, the three classic principles and new characteristics of Skopostheorie (the latter is an exploration of practical adaptation of classic theory under new circumstances), cultural and political motives of Pearl S. Buck’s English translation of Shuihuzhuan and methods applied in her English translation of All Men Are Brothers, which is relatively an objective and rare discussion of the translator’s purposes, and the economical method which is a trial of analyzing translator’s purposes and their methods under the guidance of newly discovered characteristics of Skopostheorie.The conclusion of this thesis is as follows. Firstly, Pearl S. Buck’s English translation of Shuihuzhuan has received comprehensive attentions, but there are still some limitations in the depth and breadth of its translation analysis. Secondly, as three classical rules of Skopostheorie, skopos rule, coherence rule and loyalty rule have developed three new characteristics, functionality, technicality and morality. Thirdly, her translation purposes fall into cultural and political ones, and the methods adopted in her English translation of All Men Are Brothers are economical, conservative and flexible.