Skopos-Theory-Guided Localization In The Translation Of Children's Picture Books

Children's picture book is a form of art that combines words with pictures.The beginning of the 21st century has witnessed a boom of introduction of foreign picture books into China,and therefore attention has been increasingly given to the research of their translation.However,over the years,not much research has been conducted from the perspective of localization of picture books by taking into consideration the interplay of pictures,words and sounds.This thesis tries to study the translation of picture books from this perspective.Given the physiology,psychology and receptivity of young readers,it is of utmost importance to bear in mind the need of bringing them the best reading experience during the process of translation.This thesis intends to analyze the localization of picture books into Chinese from the perspective of skopos theory by taking both form and content into account.With regard to form,the thesis recognizes the important influence of non-textual elements on visual experience.This includes consideration for visual-presentation such as that for typesetting and font selection.For example,the text is prolonged or shortened according to the accompanying pictures.It also includes consideration for message-conveyance such as that for how translation should be adjusted in the course of the interplay of pictures,words and sounds so that the relationship among them could be retained at the same level as that found in the original English version.With regard to content,the thesis reports how the translation follows the three rules of the Skopos theory.Considering the entertainment function,the translation of the spells,proper nouns and games in the texts is analyzed under the guidance of the skopos rule,which leads to the study of language,culture and communication.Considering the educational function,the translation of lexical items and sentences is carried out under the guidance of the rule of intra-textual coherence,which emphasizes the coherence of translated texts.Considering the artistic function,the translation of poems and quoted passages is carried out under the guidance of the rule of inter-textual coherence,which emphasizes the conveyance of the meaning and the cultural significance of the original texts.It is hoped that this thesis can provide some constructive insights and methods to the translation of picture books and thus promote the development of children's literature and enrich Chinese children's life.