On The Application Of Communicative Translation Theory To English Novel Translation

Newmark’s theory of semantic translation and communicative translation offers new ideas to translation theory. It also guides novel translation very effectively.According to Newmark, semantic translation is more applicable to novel translation. However, due to cultural and language differences, if a novel is translated from English to Chinese relying too heavily on the semantic translation strategy, its expressiveness and fluency may get weakened in the Chinese version. Moreover, its Chinese version may cause cultural misunderstanding and cultural loss.Compared with semantic translation, communicative translation attaches more importance to translated texts and acceptance of readers in target languages. It aims to make the translated texts as readable as the original texts and complements semantic translation very effectively.This translation runs from the first to the sixth chapter of the novel The Sea Between. The translation process is guided by Newmark’s theory of semantic translation and communicative translation. Based on the analysis of the text type, translation goal and target readers, the application of communicative translation is studied through comparison with semantic translation. The examples where communicative translation could be properly used is categorized in order to demonstrate its applicable scope and effectiveness in terms of enhancing accuracy, fluency and cultural compensation.