The Application of the Functional Equivalence Theory in Prose Translation- Taking the Sight of Fathers Back Translated by Zhang Peiji as an Example

Abstract

Eugene Nida makes the Functional Equivalence Theory claim, an American famous linguist, and translator, which emphasizes that the goal of translation is to translate a message into the target language as accurately and organically as feasible. In order for the intended readers to respond and feel the same as the original readers, it heavily emphasized the informational and formal comparability. Chinese prose, a flexible kind of narrative fiction that reveals the actual feelings of the author, is one of the most significant genres in Chinese literature. Therefore, prose translation should not be underestimated and should be fully integrated with the Functional Equivalence Theory to better serve the information included in the source language, as well as the formal features of the language and the target readers' reading background. This paper examines the functional equivalence theory's application to the translation of contemporary Chinese prose by using a famous passage from The Sight of Father's Back to compare and contrast the source text and target text.