A Study Of Garment Introduction Translation: A Skopostheorie Perspective

As the Chinese people’s purchasing power is growing, a large number of fashionablegarments have been flooding into Chinese market. In order to attract more Chinese customers,many corporations began to pack their garments with beautiful language. A concise and artisticintroduction can not only advertise their garments but also attract customers. So, more and moreChinese businesses are paying close attention to garment introduction translation with thepurpose of introducing the garments and sell them to the Chinese consumers. However, so farvery little research in garment introduction translation has been done in china.This thesis, based on Skopostheorie, makes a research into garment introduction translationfrom English into Chinese，and attempts to explore the translation strategies and methods. Thecore concept of skopostheorie is that translation strategies and methods are determined by thepurpose of translation and function of the target text. During the process of translation,translators should follow three basic rules: Skopos rule, coherence rule and fidelity rule. Amongthe three rules,“Skopos rule” is the supreme one which helps to free translation from theconfinement of the source text. Skopostheorie is applied to garment introduction translation inthis thesis, which focuses on how translators choose translation strategies and methods toreproduce the functions of the target text and realize the purpose of selling garments. In theprocess of translation, translators should also follow the other two rules as well as the Skoposrule.After reviewing the domestic research on garment introduction translation, and theapplication of Skopostheorie briefly, the thesis makes an analysis of three functions of garmentintroduction texts: informative, descriptive and artistic. Then, based on Skopostheorie, withplenty of examples, the author discusses translation strategies and methods translators choose toachieve the purposes of the target texts. There are mainly two types of garment introduction:introduction of single garment and introduction of a collection. Introduction of single garmentaims to supply customers with necessary information, so the text is relative short and brief. Translators mostly adopt foreignizing method to meet the needs of his customers. Introductionof a collection mostly appears in a fashion show aiming at describing a vivid fashion show toattract customers’ attention. The text is long and often uses more elegant words and forms.Translators mostly use domesticating method to translate this kind of garment introduction text.However, a good target text needs multiple translation strategies and methods. During theprocess of translation, translator should choose the appropriate translation methods with theguidance of Skopostheorie...