The Functional Equivalence As Guidance In Reproducing The Message And Style Of English Novel

Novel translation is a kind of literature translation. A Novel is not only filled with rich content but also has its own style. A foreign novel is not easy to be introduced into the target-language culture:for one aspect, it needs to convey the message in the most natural way allowing for readers acceptance; for another aspect, it is supposed to maintain the original style. A good translation does not read like a translation, but can let the target-text readers feel empathy with the writer just as the source-text readers do. The theory of Functional Equivalence attaches emphasis to reader’s acceptance and psychical reflection, conforms to the expression of target-language culture, gives consideration to the reproduction of both message and style of source text, which is quite applicable in novel translation. American translation theorist Eugene A. Nida proposed in his theory that the goal of translation is not to achieve formal equivalence, but functional equivalence, the equivalence in psychical reflection between readers from different cultures. Under the guidance of this theory, which means standing in the shoes of readers, translators could overcome many obstacles in a creative manner, attempting to strike a balance between the source texts and target texts and finally producing both natural and faithful translation.This paper will take the translation of American writer Michael Jarvis’s novella Field of Vision as a case study. The novel tells an adventure and love story with lyrical and profound style. The main text will consider from two perspectives (conveying message; reproducing style), trying to discuss the guiding significance of the Functional Equivalence theory (from three-level translation strategies:converting parts of speech; transforming structure of sentences; using the conception of isomorphism), in the hope of providing some useful experience in similar practice.