A Comparison Between English And German Translations Of China-Specific Political Expressions

Skopos theory, a central part of functionalist translation theories, was established by German linguist Hans Vermeer in the 1970s. His threoy is based on three rules:skopos, coherence, and fidelity. The skopos rule means that the translation should function in the situation in which it is used and with the people who what to use it and precisely in the way they want it to function. The coherence rule, or intratextual coherence, means that the translation should make sense to the receiver(s) in the communicative situation and the target culture. The fidelity rule, or intertextual coherence, means that the translation should bear some relationship with the source text. The fidelity rule is subordinate to the coherence rule, and both are subordinate to the skopos rule.Since its publication, the Governance of China has received keen attention both home and abroad. Its multilingual versions provide a valuable channel through which foreign citizens can learn about Chinese society, Chinese culture, and policies of the Chinese government. Therefore, the quality of translation is of paramount importance.In this essay, the China-specific political expressions in the Governance of China and the corresponding English and German translations are reviewed and the quality of the translations are evaluated according to the three rules of skopos theory. This study provides a functionalist perspective in examining how China-specific political expressions are translated and how such expressions should be translated.