The Representation Of Characters In Novel Translation Under The Guidance Of Communicative Translation Theory

This translation report summaries the process of translating the first three chapters of The Size of Your Dreams.There are many protagonists with different personalities in the source text.In order to achieve the principle of loyalty as much as possible in the target text and help target readers enjoy better reading effects,the translator believes that analyzing the personality of each protagonist and representing it entirely in the target text is of great significance.In the process of translation,the problem of character representation is the most challenging.Given this problem,the translator mainly analyzes the source text in the process of translation from three aspects: the dialogue and action in the direct description and the psychology of others in the indirect description.This translation report adopts the method of case analysis.To further achieve the translation effect depicted by communicative translation theory and solve the problem of character representation in translation,the translator mainly adopts the free translation method.For the dialogue description,the translator adopts semantic extension and colloquialism so as to make the target language more consistent with the Chinese expression habits and express the original character’s emotion.For the action description,the translator uses appropriate wording and conversion to make the target language more vivid,making it convenient for the target readers to imagine the actual situation.For the indirect description,the translator employs addition and accurate diction so as to reproduce the character in the target text and meet the target reader’s expectations.The communicative translation put forward by Peter Newmark is reader-centred,with a communicative aim of helping translators produce on the target readers an effect as similar as possible to that obtained by the source readers.Communicative translation theory provides a theoretical framework and guidance for the translator to solve difficulties in translating,playing a critical part in the translation practice.