A Study on Translation Process Based on Relevance Theory

吴竞

Abstract Relevance theory belongs to the field of pragmatics. Translation is a kind of communicative activity in nature. In the frame of relevance theory， translation is the process of cognition and inference. This paper focuses on the study of translation process on the basis of relevance theory in order to improve the practice of translation.

Key words relevance theory; inference; optimal relevance

中图分类号：H315.9 文献标识码：A DOI：10.16400/j.cnki.kjdkx.2015.08.069

Introduction

Translation is a kind of transcultural and translingual activity of communication essentially. Based on relevance theory， translation can be seen as an ostensive-inferential process. Translators should know the intention of communicators and expectation of readers in order to find best means to get better target texts. The quality of target texts relies on convergence of relevant elements between source texts and target texts.

1 Introduction of Relevance Theory

Sperber & Wilson first introduced relevance theory in Relevance： Communication and Cognition in 2001. This theory researches inferential process of information communication， especially discourse interpretation principle in exploring lingual communication.

1.1 Ostensiveness and Inference

Relevance theory takes lingual communication as a ostensive-inferential cognitive activity， a process in which communicators recognize cognitive context again and do mutual manifestness. Ostensiveness from writers of source texts can offer some relevant information and cognitive context that translators can infer. Translators can find optimal relevance and infer communicative intention from cognitive context of writers ostensive stimulation. In different cognitive contexts， the understanding of the same source text is different. Because different translators have different cognitive contexts and structures， implicit conclusions can reach from the discourse interpretation.

1.2 Optimal Relevance

According to relevance theory， successful communication needs two conditions： one is mutual manifestness from two-side communicators， the other is optimal cognitive mode—relevance. Relevance is a relative concept， which depends on cognitive effect and degree of inference. Here is a formula： degree of relevance= cognitive effect/ inferential efforts.

2 Translation Process on the Basis of Relevance Theory

Translation is seen as a communicative activity in terms of relevance theory. In translation， the first step is to interpret source texts. According to relevance theory， context of source texts is very important if translators want to interpret source texts exactly. Translators need to find optimal relevance of context by analysis of context in order to get cognitive effects of source texts. Context in relevance theory refers to cognitive context in which communicators know the world from assumptions. Therefore， successful communication relies on assumptions that speakers want to convey and that hearers select from cognitive context. Translation is an inferential process which includes communicative intention from communicators ostensiveness. Relevance theory proposes lingual communication is mutual manifestness from cognition to inference.

The second step is to find relevance， which depends on the information that translators possess and source texts offer. As we know， the degree of relevance is related to inferential efforts and cognitive effects. Everyone has a potential context in their brain where lots of information is stored. Translators should try to match intention from writers of source texts with expectation of readers of target texts

Optimal relevance in translation process is a dynamic concept. Translators should find the assumptions that writers of source texts convey to readers of source texts. In this process， translators should infer from the source texts. At the same time， translators should know the cognitive context of readers from target texts， that is， whether contextual assumption that writers of source texts want to convey exists in the potential context of readers of target texts. Context formed in source texts cannot be changed， and meanings in that context is fixed in source texts. Therefore， translators cannot add new understanding to meanings in source texts randomly. In translation， writers of source texts have different cognitive contexts from translators， so information from source texts is unequal to that from target texts. Moreover， information from target texts is based on the understanding of readers when they read target texts. In translation， writers of source texts， translators and readers of target texts are interactive with each other， forming ternary relation. In light of relevance theory， people with different living environment， experiences and cognitive abilities must have different cognitive context and different understanding to the same thing. To translators， they should know how to convey writers intention from source texts and how to express information to readers of target texts， which means translators should know the cognitive text of readers of target texts.

There are many translation theories in this field. Cognition-based relevance theory proposes new horizon to describe ternary relation among writers， translators and readers and new standards to explore translation equivalence and other things.

3 Application of Relevance Theory in Translation Process

Now we can apply the relevance theory to translation practice.

他一气之下，看破红尘，遁入深山，索性在一个小庙里削了发。不多久，有人说他和山麓的尼姑发生了友谊，沸沸扬扬，流言蜚语，愈传愈盛。（徐铸成，1983：23）

The following explanation focusing on the underlined sentence is made in terms of relevance theory.

（1）To the source text， the translator tries to perceive the authors ostensive stimulus which is rooted in his communicative intention. In perceiving process， guided by the principle of relevance， all the ostensive stimulus related to the authors communicative intention would attract the translators attention.

（2） After knowing the authors communicative intention， the translator can decode the source text through his bilingual knowledge.， then the semantic representation of the source text can be received. The just received semantic representation is not a completed one because the word “友谊” in this text contains multiple meanings and “沸沸扬扬，流言蜚语，愈传愈盛” also has many explanations. Therefore， the translator needs to activate relevant contextual information by inference.

（3） After stimulating relevant context， the translator， facing the uncompleted semantic representation in mind， has to give more information and understanding by inferential enrichment in order to get complete semantic representation.

Guided by the principle of relevance， the translator can get the following understanding of the word “友谊” under different contexts：

a. Literally， the word “友谊” can mean a kind of relationship between friends.

b.The word “友谊” in the source text is after “他和山麓中的尼姑”， and it means the relationship between a monk and a nun.

However， the translator， in his/her cognitive context， knows that there is no relationship between a monk and a nun in Chinese culture. Therefore， the translator can infer that the relationship happened between a monk and a nun in the source text is abnormal， which means love affairs.

（4） Through the above analysis and stimulation to the source text， the translator can get complete semantic understanding according to the initial context， then the translator needs to go through the deductive inference. In light of relevance theory， the translator should try to find optimal relevance and find the writers communication intention.

a.The source text is about a man who experiences some things after he becomes a monk.

b. The translator gets information that the man is in trouble because there is a rumor about him and a nun.

c.The style of source text is l a novel written in informal way.

Conclusion

Relevance theory regards translation practice as a dynamic process， which is different from traditional theory. In the process of understanding source texts， translators should do all-round analysis to context that is a dynamic element in translation. Translators should analyze context and language of source texts together. In this process， translators try to find optical relevance in order to get sufficient contextual effects. Under this circumstance， translators can make better understanding of source texts and create better target texts to readers.

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