Report On E-C Translation Of The Origin Of Species (Excerpts) Based On Communicative Translation Theory

With the progress of technology and the development of the times,the retranslation of classics injecting them with renewed vigor in modern times is of great significance for China’s scientific development in the new era.In 2022,a publishing house in Beijing decided to reprint Darwin’s The Origin of Species(6th edition),and the translator was commissioned by an intermediary to retranslate the book.The total number of words in the translation is approximately 340,000,and the translator excerpts Chapter Two and Chapter Four as the case study materials for writing this report,with a word count of approximately 20,000.The Origin of Species is a classic biological book with rigorous logic and professional content.According to Newmark’s text type theory,the source text belongs to informative texts.In order to increase readability of the translation,make it as easy to understand as possible,and reduce reading barriers,the translator chooses communicative translation theory as the theoretical guidance in the translation process.Communicative translation theory focuses on readers’ reading experience,striving to make the target language readers feel the effect that the source text brings to the source language readers,which coincides with the purpose of this retranslation.The E-C translation methods used in this translation are at three levels:lexical,syntactical,and textual.At lexical level,the translator focuses on the unification of synonyms and the conversion of measurement units;at syntactical level,the translator transforms sentence patterns and adjusts word order in order to make sentences easy to understand and stimulate readers’interest;at textual level,the translator adds relevant background information and pays attention to the cohesion and coherence of the whole text,making the translation structurally compact and semantically coherent.Through this translation practice,the translator gains valuable experience and is also aware of limitations.The translator hopes this report can provide reference and inspiration for the translation of informative texts in the future.