An Analysis Of Performability In Drama Translation From The Perspective Of Relevance Theory

Drama usually refers to a comprehensive art that achieves the narrative effect in combined ways such as language,action and music.It is particular in that it involves both stage performance and text translation.Due to the different creative process and methods of drama,translators' emphasis on text and performance is also different during the process of translating.However,performability is an issue that dramatists must deal with because of the important role it plays in drama.The thesis mainly discusses Under the guidance of relevance theory,this thesis uses Yang Xianyi's version of Pygmalion as a case study to explore the relationship between performability and optimal relevance.The thesis is divided into five parts.The first part includes research background,significance and structure of the thesis.Secondly,previous research on drama translation and performability in China and the West are explored and George Bernard Shaw's and Yang Xianyi's works are also introduced.Then,the definition of relevance theory and the interpretation of performability with it are discussed.It can be seen that performability is still the key factor to measure whether drama translation can obtain the optimal relevance effect from the perspective of relevance theory.In the fourth chapter,the author analyzed Yang's version and found that Yang had obtained the best performance effect by using colloquial words and simple sentences,adjusted the rhythm of the lines.The optimal relevance had been achieved through his translation of the connotation of the verb context in the lines and the translation of the words and stage instructions that influence the portray of the images of characters.In summary,the performability principle of drama translation is based on a translation strategy for stage performances,which focuses more on the appeal function of the work.Therefore,the cultural factors should be closer to the target language audience to produce better language effects for them.The lines in the script should be as concise and colloquial as possible.