Analysis On The Translation Of Spells In The Harry Potter Series: From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

The Harry Potter series is globally popular and translated into more than60languages. In the fascinating magic world it describes, spells attract eyeballs. As most spells are created by J.K. Rolling from Latin or other languages, translators cannot refer to the existing translation but rely on themselves. The translation of spells may involve linguistic and cultural elements, how to balance the original text and the target text so that readers can comprehend the message while wondering in the magic world and other questions is a huge challenge for translators. The simplified Chinese version of the series shows that efforts of translators are well applauded by readers. And analysis of these translations may provide new visions in translating texts similar to the Harry Potter series.The Skopos theory has three rules: the Skopos rule, the coherence rule and the fidelity rule. According to the Skopos theory, the translation process is determined by the Skopos of translation, the translation should be acceptable in a sense that readers can comprehend it in the culture and situation where it is applied. And the translation should be faithful to the original text, while the degree and form of faith depend on the Skopos of translation and translators’ interpretation.This thesis analyses the translation of spells from the perspective of the Skopos theory. Based on the analysis, this thesis aims to prove that the Skopos theory can apply to and guide the translation of spells.