Chapter 5

Abstract

This chapter examines the development of functionalist and communicative approaches to translation, which emerged in Germany in the 1970s and 1980s. These theories shifted the focus of translation from linguistic equivalence to intercultural communication. Reiss’s work connected language function, text type, and genre with translation strategy, laying the groundwork for Vermeer’s influential skopos theory, which prioritizes the purpose and function of the target text in its cultural context. Skopos theory also forms part of Holz-Mänttäri’s theory of translatorial action, which situates translation within a broader sociocultural and professional framework. Here, translation is seen as a communicative act involving multiple stakeholders, and its success is judged by functional adequacy rather than equivalence. Nord extended these ideas with a model tailored for translator training, incorporating detailed text analysis. The chapter also considers how digital technologies have introduced multimodal texts and new genres, expanding the roles and practices of translators in both professional and volunteer contexts.

Video Introduction

Flashcards

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Quiz

Test your understanding of this chapter with our multiple choice questions.

Research Questions

The question of the translation of metaphors in business texts was discussed in section 5.1.1. Look at a variety of text types in your own language pairs to see how metaphors are used. Consider linguistic metaphors (Newmark 1981) and conceptual metaphors (Dickins 2005). How would you translate them? Does the translation vary according to text type? Are other factors involved?
Look again at the Snell-Hornby typology of text types (Figure 5.2 in Chapter 5). Consider how it would be applied to texts that you yourself have translated or analyzed. How successfully do you feel Snell-Hornby achieves her aim of integrating literary and technical translation?
In the theory of translatorial action, the translator is considered to be the expert of intercultural transfer, although not always a trained expert in the subject-specific area of the TT. How far do you agree with this assessment and what does it imply for the role of the translator in modern-day communications? Pym (2004: 7) talks of translation as ‘a relatively high-effort, high-cost mode of cross-cultural communication, normally suited to short- term communication acts’. How does this compare with the theory of translatorial action?
According to skopos theory, a translation commission must give details of the purpose and function of the TT in order for adequate translatorial action to take place. Try to find examples of translation skopoi to see how detailed they are and to see what this reveals about the translation initiator. For instance, what kind of translation skopos is explicitly and implicitly stated in university examination papers? If you are a professional translator, or have access to one, investigate how they are informed of and negotiate the skopos of a specific text.
The main assessment criterion in skopos theory is ‘functional adequacy’ rather than equivalence (which would be ‘functional constancy’). Follow up this concept in Nord (1997: 34–7, 2005: 31–3) and consider how ‘adequacy’ is to be judged, and by whom.

Functional Theories of Translation