An Analysis Of Translation Errors In The “About” Sections Of The English Websites Of Some Chinese Universities From The Perspective Of The Functionalist Translation Theory

This thesis selects the latest English translation texts from 39 Project 985universities’ websites as the research object,analyzes the types of translation errors and offers suggestions for improvement from the perspective of the functionalist translation theory.The linguistic school lays too much emphasis on achieving "equivalence" and the original text.However,due to the constraints of the original text at the language level,translators are often in a dilemma when faced with cultural differences and actual communicative needs.This dilemma is even more common when translating application-oriented texts that emphasize effects.One of the typical texts is the "About" section in the website of a university,which plays the role of displaying information and publicity.The functionalist translation theory frees the translator from achieving "equivalence" and looks at translation from the perspective of communication,cultural exchange and behavioral relationship,emphasizing that the success of translation mainly depends on whether the translation can achieve the expected function.The skopos theory is the core of the functionalist translation theory,which discusses the three basic rules of the functionalist translation theory,namely the skopos rule,the coherence rule and the fidelity rule.The realization of these rules needs to be integrated with other perspectives of the functionalist translation theory.The realization of the skopos rule requires the analysis of the functions of the translation in relation to the needs and expectations of the TT receiver and the initiator.The coherence rule requires the analysis of the non-translatable information in the original text or the information that needs to be explicitly explained,as well as ensuring the accuracy of the translation.Based on this theoretical framework,some translation errors can be found in the "About " Section of the English websites of some Project 985 universities in China.Common types of errors that violate the skopos rule include failure to clarify and achieve the skopos as well as neglect or misjudgment of the information needs of the TT receiver;types of errors that violate the coherence rule include neglecting the cultural background of the TT receiver and the target language,failure to conform to the text structure and language style of the target language,as well as improper wording that hinders the reader’s understanding;types of errors that violate the fidelity rule include mechanical transmission of non-essential and non-translatable information,as well as mistranslation of certain terms.From the perspective of the functionalist translation theory,the afore-mentioned translation errors can be corrected and avoided in the following aspects: breaking free from achieving linguistic and functional "equivalence" and revisiting at the role of the original text;clarifying the purpose of translation and being consistent with it through the whole translation action;fully analyzing the TT receiver and the language and culture of the target language;using parallel texts to improve the readability of the translation;communicate more with other agents in the translation action to get advice or help;paying more attention to the experience of the TT receiver.