Strategies Of Novel Translation From The Perspective Of Functional Equivalence Theory

Eugene Nida’s functional equivalence theory attaches great importance to reader’s response,which requires the translator to lay more emphasis on conveying the original text’s meaning and even to break through the restriction of means of expression in the source language if necessary to make target-text readers feel the same as source-text readers as much as possible.The Bell,written by the English novelist Iris Murdoch,is detailed in description and subtle in expression.In addition to complicated English long sentences and figures of speech in this novel,the writer uses a variety of words and phrases which can only be construed in the context.Considering the differences between English and Chinese in expression,word order,sentence structure and figures of speech,the translator can not follow the principle of formal equivalence which may cause some misunderstanding.Therefore,in view of the original text’s language features,this thesis,from the perspective of functional equivalence theory,attempts to explore appropriate strategies through sampled Chinese translations from chapter one.At the lexical level,this thesis uses amplification and paraphrase to translate the words and phrases with contextual meaning in order ensure a better understanding of the original text;at the sentence level,this thesis,comparing the differences between English and Chinese in word order and expression,carefully analyzes the original sentence structures and uses strategies to make the translation logical and idiomatic;and at the level of figure of speech,this thesis,considering the contradiction between content and form,pays attention to conveying the rhetorical meaning and effect in order to make the translation understood and accepted by Chinese readers.