A Report On The Translation Of Kissinger (Chapter One)

Using language as a medium,translation is designed to transfer one text into another in an accurate and fluent way.In his book Translation Theory and Practice,Nida argues that the process of translation consists of reproducing the closest natural equivalent of the source-language message in the receptor language,first in terms of meaning and second in terms of style.The flexibility and expressiveness of literary translation definitely places it in more complex conditions,introducing an additional aesthetic experience in translation activities.Readers can stroll in the endless seas of books and get motivated and moved as if they were reading the original texts.As a kind of literary translation,the translation of biographies has its own uniqueness.The special history,background,and environment which are embodied in biography translation makes it not only bear the characteristic of literary translation,but also bear that of history translation;thus,in the process of translating,the translator is required to retell the history accurately as well as preserving the aesthetic perception.Based on a recent biography The Kissinger,written by Niall Ferguson,this report approaches the translation of the first chapter from the perspective of Skopos Theory,which advocates Skopos Rule,Coherence Rule and Fidelity Rule,among which the Skopos Rule is the most important.With the help of Skopos Theory,the key points and difficult points hidden in the process of translation can be deeply discussed and effectively solved.Meanwhile,an optimal translation method can be chosen to represent the cultural connotation of the original text.Once a bridge between different cultures is built,a complete historical and cultural system can be achieved among different cultures,through which the acceptability of readers and the readability of translated text are also fulfilled.There are six chapters in the report.Chapter One,task description,involves an introduction to the author,the source text,and the significance of the project.Chapter Two,process description,deals with some steps during the translation,like preparation,while-translating and proofreading.Chapter Three is the part to introduce the theory---Skopos theory.Chapter Four analyzes the basic characteristics of Kissinger.The fifth chapter is the central part of this report,in which the author will analyze the translation according to the theory.Chapter Six includes a summary and some limitations.