Strategies For Translating Sociological Texts From The Perspective Of Relevance Theory

This thesis employs Relevance Theory and applies the translator’s subjectivity to the author’s translation practice of the introduction and the first chapter of The Social Change and Social Governance of Contemporary China. It mainly analyses problems met during the translation process and classifies them according to the three major factors in restricting the translator’s whole process of understanding. These factors, generally, are seen as encyclopedic knowledge, logic information and lexical information, all of which consist in the cognitive context of audiences. The translation strategies which are found out in the current study can be summarized as below:1. for lexical information: parallel texts applied, annotation with detailed explanations, or context taken into consideration;2. for logic information: logic to be cleared, sentences to be reconstructed, and words to be simplified;3. for encyclopedic knowledge: digging into the deeper meanings or the hidden cultural differences, and omitting the irrelevant information or applying information easier to be comprehended.The study has practical and practicable implications for translation. The strategies are likewise applicable to similar translation in non-literary areas, as translators during the translation process must consider all the influencing factors, especially the cognitive context, so as to provide appropriate adjustments to both original and target language to achieve the expected effect.