A Multi-dimensional Study Of Skopostheorie As A Functionalist Approach To Translation

This thesis, adopting a multi-dimensional research method, makes a detailedstudy of Skopostheorie—the key theory in German functionalist approaches totranslation. Tracing back to the origin, formation and development of Skopostheorie,the present thesis firstly gives a historical overview of its evolution and then proceedsto analyze its four major theoretical foundations—action theory, communicationtheory, reception theories, and text linguistics, which is followed by an interpretationof its basic concepts as opposed to relevant views of other approaches in Germanfunctionalism and by a thorough exploration into its merits, demerits, applicabilityand adaptability. Based on a diachronic research into Western translation history, theauthor finds that Skopostheorie did not suddenly appear overnight, or at least it mightbe safe to say that views similar to Skopostheorie had actually existed long before thetheory itself came into being. As an approach to translation with a clear orientation,Skopostheorie finally took shape as a natural result of the long-term development oftranslation theories and practice. The thesis further points out that a close study of thetheoretical foundations which Skopostheorie relies heavily on can not only helpdeepen the understanding of its theoretical concepts and practical rules but also serveto reveal their intrinsic defects which find their way to Skopostheorie as well. Besides,through a detailed interpretation of the important concepts and theoretical rules ofSkopostheorie, the author also notices that misinterpretations and misunderstandingsabout this theory prevail in China’s translation circle. In view of this, the reflectionand criticism in this respect will undoubtedly contribute to the research of itslocalization in China. Based on a contrast and comparison between basic concepts ofSkopostheorie and relevant views of other approaches in German functionalism, thesimilarities and differences thus generated can not only help to sort out the thread ofdevelopment of this trend but also differentiate Skopostheorie from these similarapproaches. A further comparison between Skopostheorie and traditional translationtheories reveals the merits of the former in the concept of translation, the status oftranslators and the shift of focus in translation. However, its demerits—the lack of the expected qualification in explaining and guiding practical translation process are alsoexposed from the close examination into the commissioning of the translation task,the negotiating of translation brief, the actual ST translation process as well as theskopos which runs through the whole process of translation. From perspectives of theactual operation of translation process and the ontological features of theoretical study,the present thesis, through an analysis of the characteristics of different types of text,reaches a well-grounded conclusion both in theory and in practice that Skopostheorieis only applicable to the translation of non-literary source texts into the same type oftarget texts while with regard to the translation of literary texts and other types oftexts whose literariness is prominent, the theory is probably unable to meet therequirements of fulfilling the intended TT function and conforming to translationontology at the same time. All the above analysis justifies the conclusion that thepresent study can hopefully remedy, to some extent, the defects as reflected from theresearch of Skopostheorie in China.