Translation studiesLesson 3 of 4 in the course Translation theory

Skopos Theory: Purpose, Rules, Applications, and Critiques

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces Skopos theory and explains why purpose is central to its approach to translation.

Skopos theory is an approach to translation studies that gives primary importance to the purpose a translation is intended to fulfill. That purpose guides the translator’s choice of strategy and helps determine what kind of target-language text to produce.

All flashcards

What is Skopos theory?
A functionalist approach to translation that gives primary importance to the purpose a target text is intended to fulfill.
What does skopos mean?
It is a Greek word meaning purpose, intention, or aim. In Skopos theory, it names the target text’s communicative purpose.
Who adopted skopos as a technical term for translation?
Hans Vermeer, whose article on the theory appeared in 1978 in the German journal *Lebende Sprachen*.
Who are the main participants in the Skopos framework?
The client commissions the translation, the translator carries it out, and the target audience is the group for whom the target text is designed.
What is a translatum?
The target text produced through a translational action in response to a source text and a particular purpose.

Quiz questions

  1. What does the Greek term skopos mean?Answer: Purpose, intention, or aim.
  2. Who adopted skopos as a technical term in translation theory?Answer: Hans Vermeer.
  3. Which meaning of purpose does skopos specifically refer to?Answer: The communicative purpose of a target text in its target situation.
  4. A university wants a translated webpage to inform prospective students. What most directly guides the translator’s strategy?Answer: The webpage’s intended informative function for its target audience.
  5. What broad shift in translation studies does Skopos theory represent?Answer: A move from making equivalence the sole priority toward considering function and purpose.

Based on the Wikipedia article Skopos theory, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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