A New Approach Towards Translation Teaching In Higher Vocational Colleges In Light Of German Functionalist Translation Theories

In recent years, higher vocational education has drawn more and more attention because of its practicability to meet the requirement from social and economy development. Furthermore, with frequent international communication, English translation teaching plays an important role in higher vocational education. It is therefore urgent that the present pragmatic translation teaching in higher vocational colleges needs a reform due to the negative influence from traditional translation theories and the factors from students. Compared with traditional translation theories, theories of German functionalist approach widen the concept of translation and release translators from the chain of source text. It adopts a ranking rule of "top-down" approach to translation problems, giving top priority to the skopos theories to ensure the right orientation. German functionalist approach's innovative view on translation has been in accordance with the nature of translation to pragmatic texts which takes up the most part of translation texts in higher vocational colleges.Consequently, theories from German functionalist approach are qualified to guide the reform of pragmatic translation teaching. Then the thesis probes into the implications from German functionalist approach in three aspects:At first, it sheds new lights on translation teaching objective for pragmatic translation teaching and is defined as "an elementary translation teaching" and considered fluent communication with clients as the final purpose rather than improve language proficiency. Secondly, because of its market-orientation, the compilation of textbooks should adopt functionalist approach, emphasizing source text with practical translation strategies and flexible translation exercises, which is a great innovation compared with traditional translation books. Thirdly, the application of text analysis by Christina Nord paves a new way for the reform of translation teaching model. By analyzing intratextual and extratextual factors, German functionalist approach attaches great importance to the translation process and the functional purpose.In a word, implications from German functionalist approach consist in how to translate and how to teach translation. Being adopted as theoretical basis for pragmatic translation teaching, it is significant for teaching reform and improving pragmatic translation teaching efficiency...