A Comparative Analysis Of Two English Versions Of Teahouse Based On The Skopos Theory

The Skopos Theory was first advanced in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Hans. J. Vermeer. It challenges the traditional equivalence theory and holds that the most appropriate translation strategy is determined by the Skopos or the translation purpose of the translated text, which varies according to target addressees in given circumstances, etc.This thesis attempts to introduce the Skopos Theory and, based on this western translation theory and the relationship between translation purpose and translation strategy, to make a comparative analysis of two English translations of Teahouse, a famous play written by Lao She, in the five aspects, i.e., the translation of names & titles, interjections & onomatopoeia, idioms, puns and dialogues, so as to affirm the decisive influence of the Skopos on the translation strategy and that the determination of the Skopos is restricted by the initiator of the translation task, the target recipients, the translator's intention, etc. Therefore, the Skopos Theory shall be applied to the translation practices and studies to create better translations that fit into various purposes.