A Study Of Dialect Translation In The Scholars Based On Functional Equivalence

Based on the guidance of functional equivalence theory, the present thesis analysesYang Xianyi’s English version The Scholars in order to conduct some detailed translationstrategies. It aims to propose some suitable methods in English translation of dialects andachieve functional equivalence in the process of translation. After reading the translated work,the target language readers should react the same as the source language readers do, to thelargest extent. It aims to provide some help for the dialect translation from Chinese to Englishin the future.The thesis constitutes five chapters. In chapter one, the author introduced the background,research aim, questions of this research, significance of the study, organization of the thesis andput forward research methodology. In chapter two, the study on dialects was made includingdefinitions, categories, characteristics of dialects, the dialect translation and factors that influencedialect translation. In chapter three, the author established the theoretical framework of the thesisby introducing functional equivalence and Nida’s functional equivalence theory. Then in chapterfour, dialect translation cases were put forward according to the principles of some translationstrategies in Yang’s English version and conduct some effective strategies including literaltranslation, free translation, borrowing translation and omission. At last, in Chapter five, theauthor concluded this thesis by summarizing the implications, pointing out limitations, providingsuggestions for further research and summarizing of the thesis.The thesis has obtained the following major findings:1) Literal translation is the most important translation strategy when translating dialects becauseit can keep images and culture of the dialects and maximally reflect the motivation of theauthor’s and the aesthetic value of source text.2) Free translation is employed in the case when form and meanings cannot be kept at the sametime, and meaning prior to the form.3) Borrowing translation methods is employed when you can partly keep the form at the sametime you can express the real meaning s of dialects.4) Omission is employed if a sentence has repeated meaning or can’t find equivalent words in thetarget language system. Anyway, this method blocks cultural communication due to the deleting of cultural default.