Abstract
"The Gift of the Magi" is the representative work of O. Henry.As a novel with profound cultural heritage and artistic charm, It has its unique characteristics: exquisite plot, ironic humor and twisted ending.Functional Equivalence Theory was put forward by notable American linguist and translation theorist Nida.In the 1980s ,the theory was introduced to China, after that,it has had a profound influence on Chinese translation, but after the 1990s ,many experts and scholars began to criticize it and tent to negate it totally.For this,the study on the theory and its guidance in literary translation will have far-reaching significance in setting up the comprehensive understandings and rational utilization of Functional Equivalence Theory .With the perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory,the author conducts a study on Zhang jinghao’s English translation of "The Gift of the Magi" and explores translation strategies which achieve equivalence respectively in meaning and style of the original.Through the study,the author considers that Functional Equivalence Theory provides literary translation with a powerful theoretical basis,which can make up for the deficiencies in English-Chinese translation of literature.
Keywords: Functional Equivalence;The Gift of the Magi;Zhang jinghao;Meaning.
Contents
Abstract I
Contents I
1.Introduction 1
1.1 Introduction of the author.................................................................................. .2
1.2 Introduction of the short story............................................................................. 2
2.Nida's Functional Equivalence Theory..................................................3
2.1The development of Nida's Functional Equivalence Theory................................3
2.2 The definition and content of functional equivalence theory...............................4
3.Functional equivalence theory and translation skills are applied in the translation of ‘The Gift of the Magi’..........................................................5
3.1 Functional equivalence at the lexical level..........................................................5
3.1.1 Amplification....................................................................................................................5
3.1.2 Interpretation translation..................................................................................................6
3.2 Functional equivalence at the sentence level.......................................................7
3.2.1 sequential translation............................................................................. ............. ..7
3.2.2 reverse translation............................................................................................................8
3.2.3 split translation...................................................................................... ...................9
3.2.4 combined translation.......................................................................................................10
3.3 Functional equivalence in rhetoric.....................................................................11
3.3.1 Reserved rhetorical form............................................................................................. ..11
3.3.2 No reserved rhetorical form........................................................................................ ...12
4.Conclusion.............................................................................................14
References................................................................................................15
