On Flexibility In C-e Diplomatic Interpreting: A Skopos Theory Perspective

The seriousness of diplomatic interpreting determines that the issue of fidelity isalways the most basic component of quality evaluation in diplomatic interpreting.However, in order to make the output understood and accepted by the target hearer,the interpreter usually finds it necessary to modulate the form and even the content ofthe output without changes of key information. Although this kind of adjustment insome cases is thought to violate fidelity, it is an indispensable and useful tool for theinterpreter to reach communicative efficiency.This thesis aims to study flexibility in C-E diplomatic interpreting in light ofSkopos Theory. The thesis first discusses the possibility and necessity of flexibility inC-E diplomatic interpreting in three stages progressively—the nature of translation,the features of interpreting, and the linguistic and cultural differences in C-Ediplomatic interpreting. In the perspective of Skopos Theory, the thesis will then focuson the application of flexibility in C-E diplomatic interpreting and use the researchmethod of textual analysis to analyze the examples. The author expects that the resultsof this thesis will make up for the deficiency of research on flexibility in diplomaticinterpreting.