Chapter One  Literature Review

1.1  Theoretical Research：Functionalist Translation Theory

  German functionalist translation theory was formed in the 1970s and got rid of the shackles of functional equivalence translation theory to re-examine the translation activity with a new perspective. Generally, there are following four landmark theories. 1.The Functional Category of Translation Criticism by Kantharina Reiss 2.Skopos Theories by Hans Vermeer 3.Theory of Translation Action by Justa Holz Mantari 4.Functionality Plus Loyalty by Nord .

  Kantharina Reiss, whose work is extraordinarily significant in the field of translation puts forward functional approach in Possibilities and Limitations in Translation Criticism in 1971. The concept “function category” is introduced into translation theory and text function is look up to as a standard translation criticism, which formed the rudiment of functionalist translation theory.

And then in 1984, Hans Vermeer, Reiss' student, breaks the limitations of functional equivalence theory further. At the same time, he puts forward that purpose of text is the o.1 rule of translation activities. Skopos theory advanced by Hans Vermeer lays a foundation for functionalist translation theory. Translation methods and translation strategies must be determined by intended purpose of the target text, which is the key idea of skopos theory. 

    Next, Justa Holz Mantari advances Vermeer’s skopos theories, pointing out that "translation is a complex behavior for achieving a particular purpose." Research objects of Mantari translation theory cover all intercultural transfer form. The word "translation" is much more than the traditional connotation in Manttari's theory. Finally, as a representative of the second generation skopos theory, Christiane Nord inherits and develops the first generation skopos theory. Among function scholars, she first systematically organizes varied academic thought of functionalist in English and elaborates complex academic theory and terminology of functionalist. In Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained, published in 1997, Nord systematically summarizes the various academic faction ideological and answers back to these criticisms. For insufficiency of functionalist translation theory, she puts forward "function plus loyalty" principle, which is regarded as a supplement to skopos theory.文献综述

Since then, the "skopos theory", which interprets the translation activities from the new perspective, ushered in a new era in translation theoretical circles.

1.2  Previous Studies on E-C Translation of Sports News Headlines

 Sports events, especially international ones, are exerting increasing fascination on people with the continuous development of international exchanges. In China, news media require to translate a large amount of English sports news into Chinese, of which the E-C translation of sports news headlines is of paramount importance. Therefore, A lot of research on the E-C translation of the sports headlines sprang up, much of which are under the framework of functionalist translation theory. For example, in his paper ‘Head-Trick’ in Journalism: English Sports News Headlines and Translation, Yu Zhengda adopts Eugene Nida’s functional equivalence as the theoretical framework. In the paper, he combines western translation theory with Chinese translation theory and discusses the rhetorical and cultural elements of translation. In the E-C Translation of Sports News Headlines from the Perspective of Functional Translation Theory, Zhang Qianqian puts forward four translation criteria (accuracy, brevity, clarity and vividness) and five translation tactics (transliteration, zero translation, literal translation, backgrounding and rewriting) and lists a detailed translation procedure. Wang Wei combines a large number of living examples in the paper sports news headlines’ E-C translation Strategy From the perspective of Functionalism. According to purposes of news headline translation, he specifically discusses seven strategies, namely, amplification, omission, imitation, explanation, punctuation, transformation, adaptation. Li Zhenguo, in A Study of Sports News Headline Translation----From the Perspective of Functionalism, says English sports news headlines translation is the reforger to source language under the guidance of Skopos theory. In Cao Qiaohui’s article Translation of English Sports News Headlines, she provides four translation strategies right after the analysis of the features; In Cai Fengtao’s paper English Sports News Headlines: Characteristics and Translation Strategies, firstly, he analyzes the characteristics of English sports news headlines and the differences between English and Chinese sports news headlines; secondly, he explores the translatability of English sports news headlines; finally, he puts forward eight translation tactics.