Chapter2&3

wenyikk

Reader: 文心怡
Reading Time: 4-5weeks
Reading Task: Chapter9-10
Summary of the Content：
Chapter 2: Translation Theory Before the Twentieth Century
The core focus lies in the debate between "word-for-word translation" and "sense-for-sense translation," with its origins traced back to Cicero and St Jerome. When translating, Cicero prioritized preserving the original text’s ideas and style rather than adhering to word-for-word correspondence. St Jerome criticized word-for-word translation for resulting in absurd translations, advocating for sense-for-sense translation to convey the core content of the original. He also emphasized that translating the Bible required balancing faithfulness to the original and avoiding accusations of heresy. Martin Luther promoted making Bible translations accessible to the general public by using language close to their daily speech. John Dryden proposed a tripartite model of "metaphrase , paraphrase , and imitation." Friedrich Schleiermacher, on the other hand, argued for retaining the "foreignness" of the original text. Religious texts, especially the Bible, remained a long-standing focal point of debates. Additionally, translators’ prefaces serve as important materials for studying early translation concepts.
Chapter 3: Equivalence and Equivalent Effect
This chapter centers on "equivalence" and "equivalent effect." Peter Newmark distinguished between semantic translation and communicative translation . Eugene A. Nida put forward the concepts of dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence, and also proposed a three-stage system for translation. Wolfgang Koller categorized equivalence into five types. Meanwhile, the equivalence theory has faced criticisms: for instance, David Kenny pointed out the circularity in its definition; Susan Bassnett argued that it neglects cultural and political factors; and Peter Newmark also questioned the feasibility of achieving equivalent effect.
Evaluation：
Strengths: It follows a clear logic, structured around the framework of "context/concepts – scholars – applications – debates." It includes abundant case studies (such as the translation of the Bible and Harry Potter), which help readers understand abstract theories. Moreover, it presents debates in an objective manner.
Weaknesses: It focuses heavily on Western theories and case studies, with insufficient coverage of non-Western content. Some terminology is abstract, and there is a lack of comparison between the connections of different theories. Additionally, it provides limited guidance on practical application scenarios.
Reflection：
Translation theories can guide practice: for example, semantic translation is applied to academic papers, while communicative translation is used for travel brochures. Equivalence is a relative goal, and its priorities need to be determined based on factors such as the type of text. Translation should attach importance to cultural transmission, and translators also need to exert their subjectivity to make decisions.